The 4 Advantages Of Online Psychotherapy For People With Agoraphobia
In the field of psychotherapy services, one of the fundamental ideas is that solutions must always be adapted to the characteristics of the person’s problem, and there are no infallible formulas to help everyone with the same level of effectiveness. In this sense, both the content of psychological therapy and its format can and should be adapted to fit the patient’s needs.
In this article we will talk about the benefits of online therapy for people with agoraphobia since this approach helps many of these patients “connect” better with the therapeutic process without being blocked by the effects of excess anxiety.
Agoraphobia is a phobic disorder, like social phobia and specific phobias, which means that it is based on an irrational and very intense fear that appears in certain situations in which there is no real danger. And although it is in that category of phobias (which is in turn included in the concept of anxiety disorders), it has its own characteristics.
In this case, we are dealing with a psychopathology in which the person suffers sudden increases in anxiety levels in contexts in which they perceive that you are in a place from which it is difficult to escape if any problem occurs, or where help will not be available if that happens.
Contrary to what is believed, the symptoms of agoraphobia do not necessarily appear when going out to open spaces such as squares or avenues, since it is not the perception of the space itself that generates fear, but rather this circumstance that we have explained (although in the In practice, it is relatively common in places where the person feels very exposed and unable to seek shelter quickly).
Main symptoms of agoraphobia
Regarding the symptomatology of this alteration, it is very similar to that of the rest of psychopathologies that belong to the category of anxiety disorders. The most representative symptoms of agoraphobia are the following:
In addition to this, even when these symptoms do not emerge due to exposure to a place considered dangerous, people with agoraphobia are also affected by this psychopathology; Specifically, they adopt a going style based on avoidance, and in extreme cases they barely leave the house if they are not forced to do so.
The benefits of online therapy in cases of agoraphobia
Now that we have seen the ways in which agoraphobia damages the mental health of those who suffer from it, let’s move on to see how online psychological therapy can help these people.
1. Facilitates the phase of taking the first step
By its nature, agoraphobia makes the simple act of taking the step of attending therapy terrifying for those who suffer from it. For this reason, online psychotherapy is a good ally, since it greatly facilitates the transition between everyday life without hardly leaving home, on the one hand, and the beginning of the therapeutic process, on the other. Once this dynamic of commitment to the development of psychological intervention has been entered into, the person feels more encouraged and strong enough to consider attending face-to-face sessions, if they want.
2. Offers a familiar environment during the course of psychotherapy
Even within the psychological therapy sessions themselves, and not only before (because they do not need to go outside), the person with agoraphobia feels more comfortable, since they can choose to have these meetings with the psychologist being in places that they feel are familiar and that you know well, such as your living room. This makes me not so defensive to open up more to the professional who is trying to help you, and to trust the process more.
3. Online therapy provides flexibility
Part of the patients who suffer from anxiety disorders are seen in many situations in which abandoning the therapeutic process is considered because of the discomfort caused by having to face their fears; In this sense, online therapy gives them fewer options to sabotage themselves by making excuses for not attending the sessions, given that they only need to be in a place where they have a computer, an Internet connection, and a reserved space that offers them privacy. (and it doesn’t even have to be your own home).
This flexibility means that at the time the session with the psychologist is scheduled, the “default” option is to attend it, and not the opposite.
4. Gives the option of using fear exposure technologies
Nowadays, there are technological developments in software and hardware that make online therapy a very effective context for dealing with phobias, since the treatment of this type of anxiety disorders Take advantage of experiences like virtual reality and augmented reality and these can be applied with the help of a computer with an Internet connection.
In this way, the person who suffers from agoraphobia can go through a training process in exposure to phobic stimuli using the same equipment that they use to attend therapeutic conversations with the psychologist.
Are you looking for professional psychological assistance services?
If you want to benefit from a psychotherapy process to overcome agoraphobia or any other form of psychopathology, the services of Psychology For They are perfect for you.
Our team can help you with both psychotherapy and psychiatric care, and we offer sessions both in person and online via video call. In addition, we can also give you support in the fields of speech therapy, sexology, coaching and neuropsychology.
