Feeling very afraid when going out into the street; can’t stand the idea of being in closed places, such as an elevator or a movie theater; experiencing true fear when using public transport. All this is what a person with agoraphobia feels, one of the most limiting phobias that exist. But no, you don’t have to live your whole life feeling afraid.
We have spoken with the psychologist who has given us the keys to overcome agoraphobia. When asked: is agoraphobia curable? We answer: Yes, of course I do!
What exactly is agoraphobia?
“It is the fear of open or closed spaces. It can be fear of being in the middle of nature, but also fear of being in a shopping center. It is an irrational and excessive fear of certain situations from which you want to flee”, psychologist tells us.
The truth is that agoraphobic people are afraid of being in places where they cannot easily escape or where they feel insecure and helpless because they believe that if something bad happens to them they will not be able to receive help.
Agoraphobia is always accompanied by all the symptoms of anxiety (difficulty breathing, tachycardia, sweating, tremor, nausea, dizziness…) and in the most extreme cases it can lead to frequent panic attacks.
How to cure agoraphobia: the most appropriate treatment?
Agoraphobia is cured and, for this, it is essential to go to a professional psychologist. The treatment used to treat this fear is Cognitive. “Cognitive Behavioral Therapy consists of gradually exposing the patient to the feared situation until he progressively stops fearing it. Sometimes it is done in a real way and, other times; it can also be done from videos or images.”
But in addition to psychological treatment, the patient with agoraphobia can follow some guidelines to feel better and control the symptoms of anxiety:
- Understand what exactly anxiety is: you cannot treat something without first understanding what it is. People with agoraphobia think that something very bad is going to happen to them. When you understand that anxiety passes, that no one dies of it, then you stop paying so much attention to the symptoms and they normalize until they disappear.
- Learn breathing and relaxation techniques: “Managing your breathing is the best way to manage anxiety and, with it, agoraphobia.” For this, it is best to start in the world of Mindfulness.
- Do not anticipate live in the here and now: most of the time, anguish is generated in our mind, it is not something real. We imagine future situations that have not happened and do not have to happen and we give way to all kinds of catastrophic thoughts. Detecting those negatives essential to eliminate them and keep your feet on the ground living only and only in the present.
- Do not try to control everything: people with agoraphobia have behaviors as harmful as trying to locate a nearby hospital when they arrive in a new place, looking for possible escape routes, always carrying anxiolytics in their bags just in case… This search for absolute control of the situation inevitably leads to an anxiety attack. Total control does not exist; eliminate it from your life!
- Strengthen self-esteem: phobia problems are sometimes associated with self. Try to promote the self-concept that you have about yourself by valuing yourself in the different areas and facets of your life (work, love, family…) when you manage to have confidence, you will also have confidence with everything that surrounds you.