While people may look for how to overcome agoraphobia fast, it’s not an overnight process. With a combination of medication and psychotherapy, it’s possible to improve your quality of life when you have this anxiety-related disorder. 1. Practice Systemic Desensitization Systemic desensitization for agoraphobia is one option that may help you.

Agoraphobia is literally the fear of open or public places. People with agoraphobia may suffer symptoms of severe anxiety when they leave home or when they are in crowded places. Treatment usually involves some combination of talk therapy and medication. In cognitive behavioral therapy, for example, a clinician helps the patient to recognize distorted feelings about particular situations that may be adding to the anxiety. During therapy, the patient also learns to find individualized techniques to counter the stress and fear that is evoked. Often cognitive behavioral therapy is combined with exposure therapy and relaxation techniques.

If you’re struggling with agoraphobia or other anxiety disorders, contact The Recovery Village to learn more about treatment programs. With over a decade of content experience, Tom produces and edits research articles, news and blog posts produced for Advanced Recovery Systems. Read more

Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is one of the most common forms of psychotherapy used to treat agoraphobia. One specific type of CBT, exposure therapy, is especially helpful in treating phobias. Along with therapy, medications such as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), may be used as part of a comprehensive treatment plan.