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:
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.