Agoraphobia
Agoraphobia is identified by anxiety or fear of not being able to escape or being helpless in certain situations such as large crowds, public transportation, being outside of the home, enclosed spaces (e.g., elevators, small offices), and open spaces such as bridges and parks. An individual with agoraphobia will experience two or more of the five feared above-mentioned situations and the anxiety and avoidance usually lasts 6 months or longer, causing impairment in functioning and severe distress. Many people experiencing agoraphobia are unable to leave their homes or rely on a safety companion to accompany them in specific situations that trigger fear.
Signs and Symptoms of Agoraphobia
Fear of Being Outside of the Home
Venturing outside of home alone can cause significant distress.
Fear of Being in Open Spaces
Wide open spaces such as parking lots and open markets can cause anxiety.
Fear of Crowds or Waiting in Lines
Standing in a line at the store or being in a crowd of people triggers anxiety.
Avoidance of Specific Situations
Avoidance of places that provoke fear and anxiety is common.
Fear of Being in Enclosed Spaces
Feeling trapped in smaller spaces such as elevators, rooms, and shops.
The Need to Have a “Safety Person”
Dependence on accompaniment by a companion in feared situations.
Fear of Utilizing Public Transportation
Intense fear of riding in cars, on trains, in planes, or other forms of transit.
Intense Anxiety from 2 of the 5 Situations
Agoraphobia is identified by the presence of 2 of the 5 feared situations.
Treatment for Agoraphobia
CBT
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy helps clients struggling with agoraphobia to identify and work to change unhelpful thinking patterns that tend to keep them “stuck” as well as explore the way thoughts, feelings, and behaviors are connected and how they have the power to change unhealthy thinking patterns into healthy ones. Coping skills and confidence are developed to assist in achieving treatment goals. With consistent practice, as the ways in which situations are viewed and interpreted changes, often the situations themselves begin to change, too.
ERP
Exposure and Response Prevention is a form of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy that provides opportunities for clients with agoraphobia to gradually face the situations they fear and over time, become desensitized, leading to less anxiety and more freedom. ERP and any therapeutic exposure exercises are always done at the comfort level of the client, as the client is the expert in themself and knows what pace works best for them. Exposure exercises can be practiced in therapy as well as in between sessions. Exposure therapies, including ERP, are highly effective and can provide clients with effects that are lasting
ACT
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy guides clients to discover what is truly important to them in their life and then take action towards living life in ways that they find deeply meaningful. The acceptance component of ACT emphasizes a non-judgmental approach to the way people experience their thoughts and feelings and encourages purposeful living, even in the face of challenges. In essence, if you are struggling with agoraphobia symptoms, ACT provides hope, clarity, and a compassionate path towards healing.
“The willingness to show up changes us. It makes us a little braver each time.”
— Brene Brown