Top 2 Effective Agoraphobia Treatments

According to the US National Institute of Mental Health, the average age of onset of agoraphobia is 20 years. However, the disorder is most common in people between 30 and 44 years of age. Agoraphobia is believed to be a type of panic disorder, which, if left untreated, can worsen over time to lead to such a situation where the person is no longer able to leave the house. While there are several agoraphobic treatments that one can adopt, here are the most effective ones.

Two Types of Agoraphobic Treatment

Here are the two most effective agoraphobic treatments that you should consider to overcome the problem:

Psychological agoraphobic treatment

Most health-care experts suggest psychological therapies for agoraphobic patients due to their proven long-term effectiveness and because they are free of side effects. When a patient opts for psychological treatment, these are the types of therapies that are offered:

• Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)

Through the course of this type of psychotherapy, the psychologist adopts techniques or has the patient indulge in activities that are directed towards altering the unhelpful thinking pattern. The treatment principle of CBT is that the way a person thinks is directly related to how the person feels and acts.

• Exposure Therapy

This psychotherapy involves exposing the agoraphobic patient to his/her major fears and then teaching them relaxing techniques that help reduce the anxiety associated with the situation.

Medication

Effective agoraphobic treatment in severe cases involves giving patients a regular dosage of anti-depressants, tricyclic antidepressants, selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) and beta-blockers.

• Antidepressants

Although anti-depressants are primarily known to treat depression, they are also effective in reducing high levels of anxiety. Since anti-depressants are slow to act, you need to continue taking them even if they do not become effective instantly.

• Tricyclic anti-depressants

There are two types of chemicals in one’s brain, noradrenaline and serotonin. These chemicals are responsible for positive moods and feelings in a human being. Tricyclic anti-depressants, such as imipramine and clomipramine, regulate the levels of such chemicals in the brain and therefore help in agoraphobia treatment.

• SSRIs

Mental health-care experts sometimes prescribe selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) in place of tricyclic anti-depressants. SSRIs too regulate the levels serotonin in the brain and help in treating phobias.

Both tricyclic anti-depressants and SSRIs may have certain side effects on the body, ranging from dry mouth to loss of appetite, constipation and sweating. Therefore, consult your physician before taking these medicines.