Agoraphobia and Panic Attacks – How To Cope
Agoraphobia, basically the fear of being in crowds or open, public places, is directly linked to the occurrence of panic attacks. A person with agoraphobia experiences fear or panic upon leaving their “safety zoneâ€, which is usually their home, and feels a sense of impending doom and vulnerability.
It is a fact that many people who regularly experience panic attacks are also affected by varying degrees of agoraphobia. Some individuals feel anxious about leaving home for fear of a panic attack, while others are so paralyzed by their thoughts that they find it impossible to leave home, even for just a short while.
Agoraphobics will usually attempt to justify their reasoning behind panic attacks and the dreaded thought of being away from home should one occur. How would they get the assistance or reassurance they needed while trapped in an “open situation†away from their safe haven? Who would take care of them should they become immobilized with fear while in a crowd of people, at the mercy of strangers?
In extreme cases of agoraphobia and panic attacks, people can become completely debilitated by their fear, unable to leave their homes for years at a time. However, even in these serious instances of the disorder, one should not despair as no situation should ever be deemed as hopeless. Hopelessness can only occur when the person has entirely given up on the situation, and on themselves.
When dealing with agoraphobia and the frequent panic attacks that often ensue, the main issue that should be dealt with first is the belief in the safe or safety zone. The safe zone is a term used to describe the idealistic place where the agoraphobic believes panic attacks do not occur, or at least only on rare occasions. The person takes comfort in the sense of security they get from being in the safe zone, away from the world of agoraphobia and panic, and spends more and more time there.
The safe zone is a myth perpetuated by the mind, an anxious mind that is intently focused on feeling safe and secure. Many people with agoraphobia have themselves convinced that being inside their special place is the only way possible to avoid having a panic attack.
If you find yourself dealing with this condition, be aware of how your mind will rationalize and reason why one area is safer for you than another. These reasons can be anything from being worried about being away from a phone in case of an emergency, or afraid of being away from trusted family members and familiar surroundings.
Since panic attacks aren’t a life-threatening condition, having one in your own home should be the same as having one while away on vacation at a remote island. The overactive mind of an agoraphobic will quickly disagree, a remote island couldn’t possibly be safe as there are no healthcare facilities, no medications, no doctors, nothing safe at all.
After consciously thinking about past experiences with agoraphobia, anxiety, and panic attacks, the reality is that regardless of where you were when an attack occurred, you are still alive and well. Still safe and sound, even though you were absolutely certain at the time that you were either going to die or lose your mind. Of course there may have been times where medication might have played a part in calming you down, but without it, are you really convinced that you wouldn’t have survived the episode without that medication? Of course you would have.
If this very same bout of anxiety and panic occurred while on that remote island without instant access to medical care, the episode would have passed, and you still would have survived. Of course there truly are diseases or disorders where prompt medical attention is critical, such as diabetes, heart conditions, or asthma, but no healthcare professional would ever advise someone with anxiety or agoraphobia to remain in certain areas for their safety.
It’s true that for many people, moving outside of one’s safe zone can appear to be a rather frightening situation as fear escalates with each passing second. To add to the problem, people around you, or who are close to you, may not be able to fathom how a simple trip to the store could cause so much angst.
If a family member, friend, or partner has never had a similar anxiety problem before, they may find it hard to understand exactly what you are dealing with. You may have even experienced confrontations related to your lack of desire to leave home. Confrontations that led to arguments and unresolved tension, both of which can be hurtful and cause feelings of resentment and anger.
Most people actually do have good intentions and honestly try to handle situations the best way they know how. Once you are able to see that they do in fact mean well, but simply have misguided information, you may be better able to forgive their lack of knowledge. Work together at finding better solutions, and aspire to reach the ultimate goal of conquering panic attacks and agoraphobia.
Although support is imperative, one thing is for certain – the only person who can truly cause you to overcome your panic attacks and agoraphobic behavior is you. Thoughts that cause panic attacks and anxiety are unfounded fears generated within your own mind, therefore only you can break the cycle and learn how to better cope with your feelings.
Dealing with the long-term effects of agoraphobia and panic attacks is a tedious process that requires patience. However, as you start to notice results from your efforts and your progress begins to move more and more quickly, you may find that you’re amazed you were ever so affected by the disorder in the first place.
Click here for more help and information in dealing with agoraphobia and panic attacks.
