subject: Overcome Agoraphobia: Find The Best Expert And Make Your Agoraphobia A Distant Memory! [print this page] If you are looking to overcome agoraphobia then you will want to start with some good research. Hard as it may be for you, if you are experiencing very severe symptoms that you want to eliminate immediately, nevertheless, it is vital, to get plenty of information before you put your health into an experts' hands.
To find the best possible expert and treatment and make an informed decision for yourself, it would be wise to ask some questions. If you are going through severe symptoms, maybe you can ask for support to research experts from a friend or family member.
1. Research experts on the internet, via your doctor, or by word of mouth and also consider self-help methods. If you are able to speak with the expert, you will get an inkling as to whether you feel comfortable with them. Maybe try a first session and if it is not useful,then ask for someone else.
2. You will want to know whether the expert themselves has had any personal experience with agoraphobia and also, how successful they have been in treating similar cases to date.
Most of us place our trust in the first expert we are sent to and can find that they are not the right person for us. We may not feel understood by them or their treatment may not be suitable for us.
3. Make sure that your expert explains how they believe your condition has possibly been caused and how they view it. There are various views and opinions on agoraphobia and different treatments depending on the view. If you want to recover permanently, you need to deal with the root cause.
What you need to know is that, underlying agoraphobia is high anxiety, and that is what needs to be dealt with, not just the trigger that has set off your symptoms this time. So, make sure that this is what the expert is going to treat
4. What method is the expert going to use to treat your condition is another question to ask. Treatments vary in their effectiveness and not every treatment will suit everyone.
Some therapies delve into the past. Others deal with changing behaviours or thoughts and yet others expose you to the very thing you fear gradually attempting to desensitise you to it. Look at many treatments and see what makes sense for you.
5. If you are offered medication such as antidepressants or sedatives, ensure you understand what the side effects might be. Be aware that medication alone, will not eliminate your agoraphobia and so, this is a temporary measure to quell your symptoms.
Experts come in all shapes and sizes and from all walks of life.
If I were choosing an expert, I would put myself in the hands of someone who has been there, recovered, and who is successfully and permanently eliminating agoraphobia instead of someone who is just treating the surface symptoms and who has never experienced the condition themselves.
