Healing Through Forgiveness

Three Tips For Managing Your Agoraphobia

29 January 2018 by Kurt Garrett

For those who suffer from the anxiety condition known as agoraphobia, it can be difficult to be in various types of spaces. One issue that you might have if you have agoraphobia is a phobia of being in enclosed areas. Exposure to such locations can affect you in many ways; you may simply feel a little anxious until you're in a new environment, or you may have a full-blown anxiety attack in extreme circumstances. If you find that your agoraphobia is disrupting your life, you should plan to visit an anxiety therapist. This mental health professional will talk to you about this condition and help you to put it behind you. Additionally, here are some tips that you can employ for managing your agoraphobia.

Consider Where Crowds Will Be

For many people who suffer from agoraphobia, being in an open area that is filled with people can be just as scary as being in an enclosed area. When you're in a throng of people, you can quickly feel trapped and extremely anxious. Try to assess which areas will be the most crowded, and then seek ways to avoid them. For example, if you need to travel to work on the subway, see if you can change your hours so that you aren't riding the subway during rush hour, when it's most crowded. If you need to shop for Christmas gifts, consider doing so in November when the malls aren't as crowded, rather than on a December weekend.

Evaluate Your Career

One of the challenges for some people with agoraphobia is that their career can cause them anxiety. For example, perhaps you're a contractor who occasionally needs to get into a crawlspace below a house. In such an environment, it's extremely easy to feel a heightened sense of anxiety. Although changing careers can seem drastic — and may not be absolutely necessary if you get good help from your therapist — you may wish to evaluate how you're earning a living. If many of the tasks you perform are unpleasant because of your agoraphobia, looking for a change may serve you well.

Make Little Daily Changes

You know yourself best, which means that you should be able to identify the small changes that you can make daily to reduce your anxiety. For example, if you're starting to feel anxious when you're driving in your car, opening the window or sunroof might help. If you feel confined in the shower, showering with the door open and replacing your opaque shower curtain with a clear one could make you feel better.

Contact companies like Heart of Life Counseling for more information on this and other types of anxiety counseling.

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