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The Principle of Non-Resistance: Secret Weapon Against Panic Attacks The principle of non-resistance, or using an opponent's strength against them, has long been a part of Eastern philosophy and the martial arts. This same principle can be your secret weapon against panic attacks. Does the Brain Really Have an "On-Off Switch" for Fear? A tiny, almond-shaped part of the brain called the “amygdala” houses the body’s “fight or flight” response. A recent study at Columbia Medical Center (in the U.S.) suggests that another part of the brain may control the activation of the “fight or flight” response in the amygdala, acting as an “on-off” switch for the body’s fear response. Agoraphobia Medication Profile: Paxil This article tells you what you need to know about Paxil if you are considering taking it for agoraphobia, anxiety, or panic attacks. Why Take Antidepressants for Anxiety? Antidepressants are fast becoming a first line treatment for agoraphobia and other anxiety disorders. This article explains why. Beta-Blockers for Agoraphobia Beta-blockers, including Inderal and Tenormin, are primarily used for hypertension but are sometimes prescribed to reduce the physical symptoms of anxiety (shaking, trembling, rapid heart rate, and blushing). When used to treat phobias, beta-blockers are best used to treat specific phobias because they counteract the physical symptoms of the fear. Buspar for Agoraphobia A drug called Buspar has been used to treat agoraphobia and is in a class by itself. It is an anti-anxiety medication but is not a benzodiazepine. It also does not create the same tolerance or cause the same withdrawal symptoms as benzodiazepines. Agoraphobia and Caffeine Does caffeine increase the symptoms of agoraphobia? The Agoraphobia Mindset: Fatalistic Thinking People with agoraphobia often engage in fatalistic thinking. Fatalistic thinking is thinking of yourself as powerless to make choices or affect the outcomes of your own life. The Agoraphobia Mindset: Holding Rigid Expectations People with agoraphobia often hold rigid expectations. Holding rigid expectations is thinking of personal preferences, wants, or choices in terms of absolute rules. Rigid expectations are usually expressed with words like “should,” “ought to,” “have to,” and “must.” The Agoraphobia Mindset: Negative Mind Reading People with agoraphobia often engage in a type of faulty thinking called negative mind-reading. Negative mind reading is assuming that other people are thinking and feeling negative things about you without any real evidence to support your assumption. The Agoraphobia Mindset: Personalizing Personalizing is a type of faulty thinking practiced by people with agoraphobia. Personalizing is assuming the blame for something that you might have influenced but was not totally under your control. This leads to anxiety that comes from feeling too responsible for other people’s emotions, decisions, or behavior. Recovered Agoraphobic Launches New Informational Website to Help People with Agoraphobia A recovered agoraphobic and published researcher has launched a new website to help people learn about and recover from agoraphobia. The site includes a free newsletter dedicated specifically to agoraphobia sufferers. Agoraphobia Self-Help: Changing the Diet of the Mind Self-talk is the diet of the mind. We can feed our mind on junk food that makes it sick (negative thoughts) or good food that keeps it healthy (positive thoughts). Never underestimate the power of the messages that you tell yourself in your mind. When I had agoraphobia, I changed my mind's diet... The Agoraphobia Mindset: Emotional Reasoning People with agoraphobia often engage in a type of distorted thinking called emotional reasoning. For people with agoraphobia, emotional reasoning often complements overgeneralizing and plays a key role in the development of agoraphobia. The Agoraphobia Mindset: Magnifying the Negative Magnifying the negative ia a type of thinking practiced by people with agoraphobia that is a close cousin of black-or-white thinking. Magnifying the negative means dwelling on the negative aspects of something and making it seem much larger than the positive aspects. You will often hear people with agoraphobia who think this way making statement that start with "yeah, but." The Agoraphobia Mindset: Black-or-White Thinking Most people with agoraphobia engage in black-or-white thinking. Black-or-white thinking (also called all-or-nothing thinking) is viewing everything in terms of absolutes or extremes. Things are either right or wrong, good or bad, with no in between. The Agoraphobia Mindset: Catastrophic Thinking Catastrophic thinking is a type of thinking done by many people with agoraphobia that contributes to the disorder. Catastrophic thinking is blowing negative events or feelings way out of proportion. It is turning small mistakes or minor setbacks into major catastrophes through exaggerated thinking. Agoraphobia Self-Help: Positive Visualization When you have agoraphobia, the creative powers of the imagination are a force to be reckoned with. Their current will either flow in a positive direction and contribute to peace of mind, or, as in the case of agoraphobia, flow in a negative direction and contribute to anxiety and neurosis. Progressive Muscle Relaxation Progressive muscle relaxation is a widely used relaxation technique. It is used by many people with agoraphobia and is easy to learn. Agoraphobia Relief Tip: Breathing Away Anxiety On the road to full recovery from agoraphobia, sometimes we need ways to get short-term relief from anxiety just to get through a period of the day or even the next few minutes. When I had agoraphobia, one of my favorite ways to get a short break from anxiety was by breathing it away. The Agoraphobia Mindset: Overgeneralization People with agoraphobia tend to overgeneralize, especially when it comes to negative situations or events. Overgeneralizing means assuming something that happened one time in one place or situation (usually a negative event) will continue to happen in all places and situations. Will Agoraphobia Hurt Your Pregnancy? If you have an anxiety disorder like agoraphobia while you are pregnant, does this mean that you are more likely to give birth to an unhealthy baby? The answer is no - that is, according to a review of available data on this topic conducted by a team at the University Of Texas Medical Branch. Agoraphobia Treatment: Myths About Hynotherapy Shattered Some people with agoraphobia are afraid of hypnosis because they hold misconceptions about it or don’t understand it. Here are some answers to frequently asked questions regarding hypnosis. How Effective is Hypnotherapy for Agoraphobia? Although there are certainly case studies of individuals with agoraphobia who have been helped by hypnosis and self-hypnosis, research supporting its effectiveness is sparse. Hypnosis is still considered by most to be an alternative form of treatment for agoraphobia. Agoraphobia and Hypnotherapy Agoraphobia, in some cases, has been effectively treated by hypnosis. When you are hypnotized, a therapist guides you through the reprogramming of your subconscious mind while in the alpha or meditative state. Negative subconscious thoughts and associations are replaced with positive ones. The Accidental Jogger: How I Discovered Running as Treatment for Agoraphobia This is the story of how I accidentally started jogging when I had agoraphobia and how it gave my recovery a tremendous boost. Agoraphobia Thought Replacement: Alternative to a Lobotomy Thought replacing is referred to as "cognitive restructuring" by most psychologists and is the most common form of cognitive therapy for agoraphobia. Thought replacement is basically just trading your old irrational, anxiety-producing thoughts for more rational ones. The process is fairly simple and you can practice doing this at home by yourself without the supervision of a psychologist. How to Design a Therapeutic Exercise Program for Agoraphobia Here are some general guidelines to follow when choosing an exercise program to help you recover from agoraphobia or an anxiety disorder. The Agoraphobia Mindset This article describes 10 irrational thought patterns that contribute to agoraphobia, anxiety, and panic If You Experience a Setback in Your Recovery From Agoraphobia - Don't Give Up! Setbacks can be one of the most discouraging things during your recovery from agoraphobia. They can make you feel like you have lost weeks, months, or years of hard-won progress and that you are back at square one. Fortunately, this is not the case. Don't give up when you experience a setback. How to Locate an Agoraphobia Support Group Information on finding an agoraphobia support group in your local area. How to Choose an Agoraphobia Support Group Support groups can be helpful in recovering from agoraphobia. This article covers two types of agoraphobia support groups and what to expect from each. Triple Therapy for Agoraphobia Results of a 1999 study suggesting a combination of three treatments is most effective for agoraphobia. Are You Benefitting Too Much From Agoraphobia To Want to Recover? Besides choosing a good therapist and getting started on a course of treatment, there is another key ingredient to recovery from agoraphobia – wanting to recover. Believe it or not, some people with agoraphobia don’t really want to recover. Although they might not admit this consciously, some part of them just doesn't want to let go of agoraphobia so they cling to the disorder like a dear friend. This is because they are receiving benefits from having agoraphobia that they do not want to let How to Tell if Your Agoraphobia Therapy is Working or Not Once you begin therapy for agoraphobia, you’ll need some gauge to determine how well it is working. This article should help. How to Choose an Agoraphobia Specialist If you decide to seek professional help for agoraphobia, you won’t want to waste valuable time and money with a therapist who doesn’t know what he or she is doing or doesn’t have experience treating agoraphobia. Here are seven suggested guidelines to help you choose a good therapist. When to Seek Professional Help for Agoraphobia How to know if your agoraphobia symptoms are serious enough to seek professional help. The Role of the Amygdala in Agoraphobia and Panic Attacks The amygdala is a small structure located deep inside the brain of both humans and animals. It plays a significant role in panic disorder and agoraphobia because it houses the body’s “fight or flight” response.There has been a recent focus on the amygdala (pronounced “ah-mig-da-la”) in research investigating the cause of panic disorder and agoraphobia. There have also been some "new" treatment programs on the market that are aimed at interrupting a certain function of the amygdala. Agoraphobia and Life Circumstances Life circumstances, or how you perceive your life circumstances, can be a major contributing factor in the onset of agoraphobia. In general, people are more likely to develop agoraphobia when they feel trapped in life circumstances they feel they cannot escape from. This article reviews a book chapter from "Freedom from Agoraphobia" by Dr. Mark Eisenstadt. Agoraphobia and Interpersonal Stress People who develop agoraphobia are more likely to have experienced certain stressful events in their life within the year prior to onset. This article covers a study analyzing the types of stressful events that coincide with the development of agoraphobia. Agoraphobia and Family Upbringing In addition to genetics, what one learns during one’s upbringing is likely to play a role in the development of agoraphobia. To summarize the point of the article, initial panic attacks set the stage for the conditioning that leads to panic disorder and agoraphobia, but children who experience three risk factors (described in this article) are predisposed to this conditioning process. The Agoraphobia Family Environment The agoraphobic, or high-anxious personality just described isn't all genetic. Some of it stems from a person’s family environment. The following elements or occurences within an individual’s family contribute to the development of a high-anxious personality. The Agoraphobia Personality People with agoraphobia (and other anxiety disorders) are likely to exhibit the high-anxious personality traits discussed in this article. Is Agoraphobia Genetic? Discussion of evidence to suggest that agoraphobia may be partly genetic. Why Some People Are More Prone to Agoraphobia and Panic Attacks Physical differences have been observed among people who are prone to panic attacks or develop agoraphobia and panic disorders. The following are descriptions of these physical differences. Common Panic Attack Triggers Perhaps the simplest way to prevent panic attacks is to avoid (when possible) things that trigger them. This article lists some things that commonly trigger panic attacks for people with agoraphobia. Is Agoraphobia a Women's Disease? Agoraphobia has been referred to as a “women’s disease.” Approximately four times as many women are diagnosed with agoraphobia than men. This, however, does not mean that an equal number of men are not experiencing the anxiety symptoms of agoraphobia. A number of potential reasons for the greater number of agoraphobia diagnoses among women are currently being explored in research. Drugs and Medications That Can Cause Symptoms Similar to Agoraphobia Certain medications or withdrawal from medications can cause anxiety symptoms similar to those of agoraphobia. This article explains. Medical Conditions That Produce Anxiety Symptoms Similar to Those of Agoraphobia If you suspect you have agoraphobia or any other anxiety disorder you should get a complete physical examination from a doctor to rule out possible medical causes of the symptoms. Agoraphobia and Dependent Personality Disorder Explanation of the difference between agoraphobia and dependent personality disorder. Agoraphobia and Depression An explanation of the relationship between agoraphobia and depression. How Agoraphobia is Different from Related Anxiety Disorders and Phobias Agoraphobia is both an anxiety disorder and a phobia, therefore it has features in common with other anxiety disorders and phobias. If you suspect that you have agoraphobia, it is helpful to learn about other anxiety disorders and phobias and how to distinguish them from agoraphobia so you know you are treating the right disorder. This article will help you. The Relationship between Agoraphobia and Panic Disorder Agoraphobia features panic attacks and is a form of panic disorder in most cases. However, cases of agoraphobia account for only one third of panic disorders. This articles explains the relationship between these two overlapping disorders. How Agoraphobia Develops Agoraphobia usually begins with a single panic attack. This brief article decsribed how fear of having a panic attack generalizes until someone is confined to their home with agoraphobia. Agoraphobia: Don't Expect Your Family to Get It Family members who have not experienced agoraphobia themselves may have trouble understanding the disorder. If you have agoraphobia, this article will help you know what types of reactions to expect from family members and why. E-Therapy for Agoraphobia Can a software program treat agoraphobia as well as a live therapist? Biofeedback Training for Agoraphobia Biofeedback is an alternative approach to therapy for agoraphobia in which you learn to reduce anxiety symptoms in your body by taking conscious control of certain brain activity. Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) as Treatment for Agoraphobia Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (or EMDR) is a relatively new form of therapy, sometimes used for agoraphobia, that focuses on removing emotional triggers associated with childhood abuse or trauma. Developed by Dr. Francine Shapiro, EMDR combines a variety of therapeutic approaches with eye movements and other forms of rhythmical stimulation (e.g., sound and touch) in ways that stimulate the brain’s information processing system. Agoraphobia Support: Ten Things Not To Do Ten things not to do if you are a support person for someone with agoraphobia. Helping Someone with Agoraphobia Want to Recover One of the best things you can do to support a friend or loved one with agoraphobia is to help them find the desire, motivation, or will to recover if they cannot find it within themselves. This article offers some ideas. Why Some People Don't Want to Recover From Agoraphobia You would think that someone with agoraphobia would want to get better. This may not necessarily be true. This article discusses reasons why some people with agoraphobia may not really want to recover. How to Provide Support for Someone with Agoraphobia During a Panic Attack If you are with someone with agoraphobia and they start to have a panic attack, you can be a major help or a major hindrance. Here are some tips on how to be a major help. The best thing a person can have during a panic atack is the presence of a calm role model who cares for them. Six Ways to Take Care of Yourself as a Support Person for Someone with Agoraphobia A person with agoraphobia may be prone to having a lot of needs or placing a lot of demands on the people they are close to. If you are going to be a good support person for someone with agoraphobia - then you may need to know where and when to draw the line. In other words, if you are going to support a friend or loved one with agoraphobia, you'll need to also be good at remembering to take care of yourself. Here are some things to do to take care of yourself..... How to Be a Good Listener for Someone with Agoraphobia Being a good listener is another important quality in being a good support person for someone with agoraphobia. Being a good listener makes you someone the person with agoraphobia can share their feelings with. This is important because much of the anxiety someone with agoraphobia experiences could be coming from holding feelings in and not expressing them. Why and How to Offer Unconditional Acceptance to Support Someone with Agoraphobia People with agoraphobia need people around them who accept them just as they are. Just like someone suffering from a physical illness or injury - it takes time to heal. If you are able to show your loved one with agoraphobia that you care without conditions and will stand by them through the ups and downs - you will have taken a big, first step towards building a relationship with them that will contribute to their recovery from agoraphobia. The First Step to Offering Good Support for Someone with Agoraphobia – Learning About the Disorder A vital key to offering good support is increasing your own knowledge and understanding. In other words: Read all you can about agoraphobia and listen to the person who is suffering about their experience. A little knowledge and understanding will go a long way in supporting your friend or loved one in their recovery from agoraphobia. Top 10 Ways to Panic Proof Your Life, Part 3 of 3 Read about the most critical factor in my recovery from agoraphobia. Top 10 Ways to Panic Proof Your Life, Part 2 of 3 In the last article, I shared five of the ten most helpful things I did to "panic-proof" my life. In this article, I will share four more of the ten strategies that helped me get free from panic and agoraphohbia the most. Top 10 Ways to Panic-Proof Your Life In this article, I’d like to share five of what I consider the ten most effective methods I used to recover from agoraphobia and “panic-proof” my life.

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