Bad habits are so hard to break. I was a smoker for about 30 years and couldn't seem to break the habit no matter what I tried. Every now and then, I was able to quite for a few weeks, but then, when I started smoking again, I smoked far more than I did before I quit. It wasn't until I accepted the fact that my smoking was a real problem and reached out for professional help with quitting. I started going to counseling and learned a lot about my bad habits and why it was so hard for me to give them up. This blog is all about counseling to break bad habits.
If you are afraid to leave your home, feel uneasy in crowds, or experience panic attacks when in enclosed spaces, you may be suffering from agoraphobia. Like other anxiety disorders, agoraphobia can lead to isolation and may have a negative impact on your work and social life. A psychotherapy evaluation can help diagnose agoraphobia and offer you treatment solutions for overcoming the condition.
Common symptoms of agoraphobia
Fear or dread of leaving home is often a key sign of agoraphobia. Other symptoms may include fear of going places alone, fear of enclosed spaces, or feeling uncomfortable or extremely anxious when in crowds or open spaces. This often leads to panic attacks with symptoms of a racing heart, feeling weak, sweating, a sense of choking, feeling short of breath, feeling shaky, or feeling out of control.
What causes agoraphobia?
Sometimes agoraphobia is sparked by a single event of panic or extreme anxiety that occurs while the sufferer is in a specific public space, such as a store, movie theater, or shopping mall. The fear of having another attack when in these places causes the sufferer to avoid going to any place similar to where the anxiety attack first occurred.
Why a diagnosis is important
If agoraphobia remains untreated and progresses, it can cause such fear and anxiety that sufferers are afraid to leave their homes under any circumstances. This can lead to job loss and can affect family life and friendships. Being isolated can be crippling emotionally and mentally, which may trigger other psychiatric conditions, such as severe depression or phobias.
Treatment options
Counseling and various psychotherapy treatments such as cognitive behavior therapy can be helpful in treating agoraphobia. Learning how to be realistic about the perceived dangers of a situation versus the reality of that situation can help sufferers put their anxiety into proper perspective. Taking small steps to revisit places that create anxiety can help you gain confidence, such as going to a store and gradually increasing the time you are there before returning home.
Scheduling an appointment with a counselor or psychiatrist is the first step in finding out if you are suffering from agoraphobia. The condition can make it difficult for sufferers to function in a normal work environment and lead a normal social life. Fortunately, there are several psychotherapy treatment options available to help you control the condition so you can lead a normal life again.
Share4 May 2023
