Freedom from Anxiety Panic and Agoraphobia. Digital image. Panic-And-Agoraphobia. N.p., n.d. Web. 27 Apr. 2013. <http://www.panic-and-agoraphobia.com/images/therapyman.jpg>.
Treatments
- Biomedical:
1) Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitor (SSRI): Drugs that belong in this category are FDA approved for the treatment of panic disorder with agoraphobia. Which include proxetine (Paxil,, Paxil CR, venlafaxine and fluoxetine (Prozac, Prozac Weekly, Sarafem). These drugs increase the levels of serotonin in the brain and prevent panic attacks. SSRIs also help overcome depression and mood disorders and promote sleep. SSRIs also increase self esteem and reduce shyness. They are not usually habit forming.
Side effects may include: nausea, sleep problems , sexual dysfunction and headache but they usually wear off. It takes at least two weeks for benefits to shoe and several weeks to increase significant levels.
2) Tricyclic antidepressants or monoamine oxidase inhibitors : These antidepressant drugs can also be used to treat agoraphobia but they tend to have more side effects than other drugs.
Anti-depressant medications have been used to alleviate anxiety symptoms of agoraphobia (Perugi, G., Frare, F., & Toni, C.,2007). Small tranquilizers such as diazepam are used but have a more strong potential for addiction if they are used for longer period of times or abused.
3) Anti- Anxiety Medication (benzodiazepines): these drugs can also help control symptoms of anxiety and panic attacks. This medication can cause dependance if people take more than the dose prescribed or over a larger period of time than prescribed. Dugs in this category that are FDA approved for treating panic disorders include: alprazolam (Xanax) and clonazepam (Klonopin).
Side effects may include: confusion, drowsiness, light-headedness, loss of balance and memory loss.
- Individual Therapy:
- German researchers showed great results in treating patients with agoraphobia with individual high-density exposure therapy. In which they were exposed to situations they mostly feared for a whole dat for 2 to 3 weeks. A year later the patients maintained their improvements.
- Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) (Berle et al 2008; Vogele et al 2010): This therapy is divided into 2 parts:
a) the cognitive part is more focused on learning about agoraphobia and panic attacks and how to be able to control them. The patient learns what the panic attack symptoms triggers are and what causes them to become worse. They are taught coping techniques like breathing and relaxation exercises and they are also practices.
b) the behavioral part involves changing unhealthy behaviors. This can be done by desensitization or exposure therapy also known as cognitive delivered exposure (CDE). The patient confronts safely situation or places that cause them problems often with the therapist on their side. With practice and guided exposure the patient learns that what they feared that could happen does not really occur which results to a decrease in anxiety. Sometimes the therapist starts sessions in the patient’s home if it is difficult for them to leave their home.
- This also teaches patients to observe thoughts they have in the situations where they fear for example, “I’ll die if I have to go into the railroad station” and replace it with positive statements like “I’ll be just fine when I go in there to buy my ticket.”
- Psychotherapist helps determine if there are any harmful beliefs that contribute to the mental processes that can lead to anxiety and withdrawal and avoidance of the situations that they fear. (Berle 2008).
- Group Therapies:
Support group can help to treat a specific phobia since it makes the patient feel they are not alone. It is not uncommon for a person suffering from a certain phobia to experience feelings of sadness, intense isolation, or depression. As the patient knows that there are others like them who have experienced the same phobia and similar problems can provide them a sense of comfort. They can find compassion and understandings from a support group. In these groups people can share stories about how the phobia affected their life and also treatment methods.
But some problems can be encountered as people who suffer from severe symptoms of phobia will not want to talk about it. They may feel embarrassed and it is not uncommon for a person suffering from a certain phobia to fell lonely and isolated. The thought that they are the only ones suffering from that phobia occurs frequently. Some people may have the the frequent thought that their phobia is unique and that there was no cure. They may no be open to trying new methods.
“Phobia Treatment Options.”http://www.fearintofreedom.com/articles/phobia-treatment.html.web. 28 April 2013.
Nordqvist, Chrisitan. “What is Agoraphobia? What Causes Agoraphobia?” http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/162169.php. web. 17 April 2013.