Overcoming Agoraphobia Self Help

The feeling was coming back again. A slowly creeping fear in the back of the mind, like a far away scream of warning getting louder and louder with every step taken further away from the house. The mild jitters get worse, and suddenly you are sweating and looking around for a way out. Thoughts come unbidden to your mind about all the terrible things that could happen to you

there is no safety and no way to hide in case anything goes wrong. The thoughts get worse and worse as your breathing quickens and you start to shake as a feeling of absolute panic washes over you and everyone stares as you begin to sob and lose control …

This is what some agoraphobics have to deal with every day of their lives. A Life ruled by fear, uncertainty and panic. If you can identify with these feelings then agoraphobia self help is something that is going to be in the forefront of your mind.

Agoraphobia Myths

Before you can enact any self help for agoraphobia there are a few misconceptions about this anxiety disorder that need to be stated for more clarity.

1. Agoraphobia is not a fear of marketplaces!

The word agora does mean marketplace and phobia does mean fear, but this Latin translation needs some looking into. A marketplace is a crowded and open place with no place to easily escape or hide. It is a place where you have no control and that is what drives agoraphobia. When you are in situations where you lack control you begin to fear all the things out of your control. This is what makes agoraphobics housebound a lot of the time because a familiar place such as the home is the ultimate example of personal control of a space and situation.

2. Agoraphobia does not always include panic attacks.

While panic attacks are not uncommon for sufferers of agoraphobia, many who seek self help (or do no) do not suffer form full blown panic disorder. Feelings of general unease and anxiety are just as common and are certainly less debilitating. This sort of agoraphobia is still not pleasant and can make life exceptionally difficult still.

3. Drugs are not the only thing that can help.

We live in a society that is ever more eager to offer people with mental conditions medication. This stems from misinformation, consumer demands for quick fixes, and limited time for doctors for problems that require more time investment than they can manage. Drugs are not a cure – they can dull the symptoms but can never be a long term fix for anxiety problems.

4. Agoraphobia cannot be cured.

This is a load of baloney. Every day people manager to overcome anxiety disorders, and every day men and women learn to control panic attacks. Every day people become better in every way when they put their minds to it. What is required however, is good information and a commitment for seeing things through even when times get tough. Mental disorders can be overturned by a combination of many factors include diet, exercise, new ways of thinking, introspection and social support just to name a few.

Agoraphobia Self Help

So knowing all this, how do you overcome agoraphobia with self help – that is, not needing years of psychotherapy or daily dosages of medication that dulls your senses and gives awful side effects. Well as has been briefly alluded to, it is a combination of factors including:

• Diet: This is more important than people imagine when it comes to mental disorders. Sometimes poor diet is a consequence of mental disorders, but I feel it is also a contributor to them as well. A body that is healthy due to correct nutrition has correct hormonal functions and more balanced brain chemistry than those who eat a poor diet lacking the correct nutrition. Eating a balanced diet is essential, lots of water is highly recommended, and eating more alkaline foods has been sometime that has helped many people regain better physical and mental health.
• Exercise: Following a similar philosophy to the point above, a healthy body means a healthy mind. Exercise balances a huge amount of internal systems and through exercise you can help boost your mood through the release of endorphins and other ‘feel good’ chemicals that are released into the brain. This gives an immediate boost but also is essential for proper brain function which plays a huge part in mood and coping skills for anxiety, and agoraphobia.
• Support: Another element of agoraphobia self help is support. This means creating social networks of support to help you through rough times – and to encourage you when things are going well. Humans are social creatures and the simple act of social interaction is healthy for us and encourages change. If you can swing that towards your goals of being agoraphobia free, then this can be very powerful.
• Introspection: Nothing ever changes within ourselves without two things happening. External crises – and the eventual internal soul searching that comes from it. Introspection is the art of thinking deeply about yourself and really owning all of your fears, your hopes, your worries, your dreams, and everything that makes you, you – flawed as we all are. Understanding yourself with honesty gives you a certain freedom of action to confront your problems without lying to yourself about outcomes or difficulties. It is a form of pure personal power that can blossom into real world results.
• Cognitive Exercises: All of the previous tips are very helpful, but they do not directly address the issue only help towards overcoming agoraphobia. To laser target the exact problems, you must learn to retrain your brain with specific cognitive exercises that can break the pattern of anxiety, panic and catastrophic thinking.

Click Below For More Agoraphobia and Panic Attack Self Help!