This ‘question-and-answer’ cassette provides very relevant advice and clarification to the agoraphobia sufferer and their friends and family. It is intended to be used with the two foundation courses ‘Relax – and Enjoy It!’ and ‘Control Your Tension!’ This course provides a wealth of valuable and practical methods for overcoming agoraphobia, using powerful CBT (cognitive behaviour therapy) techniques and methods.
The agoraphobia sufferer may be driven by a wide variety of underlying fears, stresses, uncertainties, vulnerabilities and conflicts. There is no “one size fits all” technique that works with all agoraphobics and this programme explores a number of factors that underpin the agoraphobia syndrome. Friends and family are frequently confused and frustrated in their attempts to help an agoraphobic loved one – largely because they do not understand what to do for the best. There are many thought-provoking and practical suggestions contained in this agoraphobia treatment programme that friends and family, as well as the sufferer, can follow with benefit to all concerned.
One of the most difficult aspects of the agoraphobia condition is the pattern of avoidance behaviour that agoraphobics develop. This avoidance behaviour, whilst understandable in that the agoraphobic is highly anxious and frightened of venturing outside and into situations that they find threatening, is the most powerful single factor in maintaining the problem of agoraphobia. This programme gives practical advice on handling avoidance behaviour and encouraging the agoraphobia sufferer in letting go of their avoidances and building resiliency for handling the “world outside”.
The powerful techniques of differential relaxation and anxiety management developed through use of ‘Relax – and Enjoy It!’ and ‘Control Your Tension!’ are used to show the agoraphobic how to apply them in those circumstances where they feel threatened or anxious. Together, they combine to form a cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT) approach to handling and overcoming agoraphobia. So while the agoraphobia symptoms are being reduced through use of guided differential relaxation, the programme to reduce avoidance behaviour becomes progressively easier to apply until, through a circle of anxiety management and gradual reduction in avoidance behaviour patterns, the agoraphobia syndrome gradually diminishes.
