Agoraphobia Disorder Treatment

Agoraphobia is a problem that arises as a complication of panic disorder. People suffering from agoraphobia develop a phobia of situations and places from where an escape can be difficult. The disorder causes them to adhere to their comfort zones which hinders their day-to-day life and experience severe bouts of anxiety. Patients cannot help themselves when anything strikes out of the blue as their cognitive structuring is impaired and needs to be checked. However, a patient can recover from the problem by following the right agoraphobia treatment and handling the disorder strategically.
Read on to learn more about the treatment options for agoraphobia available at Jagruti Rehabilitation Centre.

What is Agoraphobia?

Agoraphobia is an anxiety disorder in which a person feels extremely stressed in certain situations. This fear becomes more evident among patients who are susceptible to panic attacks and have had such episodes more than once. A person suffering from agoraphobia usually experiences chest pain, lightheadedness, troubled breathing or a bit shaky at the slightest discomfort.
There are many forms of Agoraphobia, namely:

• Paranoid Agoraphobia
• Claustrophobia
• Disorganised Agoraphobia
• Enochlophobia
• Catatonic Agoraphobia

An agoraphobia treatment is framed according to the intensity of the problem. It depends on which agoraphobia plagues the patient and under which circumstances he or she feels the most vulnerable.

What Are The Treatment Options for Agoraphobia?

There are multiple treatment options for agoraphobia. However, mental health experts at Jagruti Rehabilitation Centre follow a different approach. Tailored treatments are framed according to a patient’s health problem. A proper diagnosis process and treatment plan are followed to ensure proper recovery.

Diagnosis of Agoraphobia

Mental health experts start the agoraphobia treatment process by analysing the past of a patient. They try to understand a patient’s past as agoraphobia can be a result of unresolved trauma, substance use or even genetics. Therefore, a treatment plan is framed after a patient is interviewed thoroughly.
Here are some of the main treatment therapies recommended by mental health experts for a wholesome treatment.

1. Cognitive Behavioural Therapy

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) is a treatment in which the negative thought patterns of an individual are altered and replaced by a positive way of thinking. Here are some of the techniques that make recovery from this mental problem easier and faster.

• Cognitive Restructuring: Cognitive restructuring is the process of deconstructing every negative and unhelpful thought systematically. With cognitive restructuring, negative beliefs are eliminated that interfere with a person’s routine and achievements. This technique is particularly helpful for those who have developed habitual black-and-white thinking, overgeneralise everything, take everything personally or have a catastrophizing way of thought. To beat this, a practical evidence-based approach is followed. Patients are asked to keep track of all the responses that trigger him or her. A log book is maintained to catch the problem, check its validity and appropriateness and change the behaviour if it proves to be baseless.
• Psychoeducation: Psychoeducation is an effective technique in which a person is educated about the problem. A patient is informed about the treatment and is taught to manage certain symptoms in difficult situations. The patient is trained to deal with certain specific problems that plague his or her existence in the present. Recovering from past traumatic events is a crucial part of this process. With the help of this therapy, a patient learns to break free from negative beliefs that were created because of the previous circumstances. Reality testing is a technique which helps a professional therapist to understand the severity of the disorder. A patient is required to present evidence for every belief that comes to his or her mind so that the treatment is a conscious process. Maintaining a mood log is also an effective approach. To maintain a mood log, a person is supposed to record every event and jot down his or her reaction. What emotions the event evoked and what thoughts came to a patient’s mind are supposed to be written down for the therapist. By analysing the mood log, a therapist will know what triggers a patient the most and manage his responses accordingly. An experienced mental health professional will trace the origin of these negative beliefs and challenge them accordingly.
• Behaviour Activation: An effective technique under CBT, behaviour activation is a treatment that assigns tasks to patients primarily for mood elevation. The exercise aims to take them back to activities which give them joy to induce positivity. These activities can range from making plans with friends to pursuing a degree. This therapy for agoraphobia treatment also serves the purpose of drawing the patient away from activities that make them feel negative and low. A patient slowly learns to control his mood and feel less helpless about his or her situation.

2. Exposure Therapy

Exposure therapy is one of the most effective treatment options for agoraphobia as it helps a patient to control his or her response. A therapist exposes a patient to feared situations under controlled conditions until anxiety falls. Here are 4 main techniques followed by psychiatrists at agoraphobia treatment centres:

• Imaginal Exposure In this technique, a patient is asked to vividly imagine a situation or a circumstance that triggers agoraphobia. This agoraphobia treatment makes it easier for a patient to accept the trauma and talk about it as he or she is supposed to describe everything to the therapist.
• Interoceptive Exposure This exposure therapy replicates the physical symptoms that a person experiences when he or she is in a difficult situation. This is more effective in controlling a panic attack when it is happening and particularly helpful in preventing a relapse.
• In-Vivo Exposure One of the most important therapies for patients suffering from agoraphobia, in-vivo exposure therapy puts a patient in a situation he or she fears the most. For instance, someone who fears stepping out of the house alone could be asked to go out alone and complete a task. At certain times, mental health experts also give virtual exposure to patients. It is the closest thing to reality for a patient who is suffering from agoraphobia. It is a life-like simulation of events that cannot be created for a patient.

3. Agoraphobia Treatment Medication

Agoraphobia treatment medication includes many drugs that improve a person’s mental health and manage the symptoms. Here are certain categories of medications offered by Agoraphobia treatment centres:

• Mood stabilisers are prescribed to control emotional fluctuations to reduce the impact of panic attacks. They help a patient to regulate his or her behaviour in an anxiety-provoking environment.
• Antidepressants like Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRI) are prescribed to improve serotonin levels in the brain. These drugs help a patient overcome avoidance behaviour and face challenging situations without triggering a panic attack.
• Antipsychotics are usually prescribed to those patients who are suffering from an existing mental health condition. Patients who have bouts of delusional fears are often asked to take antipsychotics as they reduce irrational fears and improve mental clarity.

Rehabilitation Programs at Jagruti Rehabilitation Centre

Experts at Jagruti Rehabilitation Centre try everything possible to ensure maximum comfort for patients.

Online sessions for those who cannot opt for the in-patient programs are available and are equally effective. Virtual counselling sessions are held for people from all age groups. So whether you are a school-going patient or a middle-aged working professional, mental health experts at Jagruti Rehabilitation Centre put in their best efforts to treat patients.

In-patient treatment includes round-the-clock nursing services to ensure physical comfort. A patient is kept under observation to check for triggers. They are provided with balanced meals and are encouraged to do yoga or other physical activities. Support group sessions are also held in which patients can interact with previous patients and share their experiences.

Effectiveness of The Treatment at Jagruti Rehab Centre

Relapse prevention programs are a part of agoraphobia treatment. The treatment does not conclude with the last counselling session. Patients are asked to report and are presented with situations to understand how well they are able to manage the situation under pressure.

Problem-solving skills are tested to understand how much cognitive repair has been done. Consistency and continuation are maintained at all times to avoid relapse. A holistic approach is followed for the patient and the family so that the recovery is long-term.

Conclusion

Agoraphobia is a mental disorder which requires continuous and consistent therapy. Agoraphobia treatment centres like Jagruti Rehab Centre keep the family in the loop and offer multiple formats of sessions. Experts here keep patients under observation and the nursing staff ensures that they maintain a clean and hygienic environment at all times.
From personal interviews to support group sessions, an exhaustive agoraphobia treatment is available, making it the best place to get treated.