CBT effectiveness for agoraphobia/panic disorder??

I have suffered from agoraphobia and panic disorder for about 3 years now. I am terrified to take medication and would like to try a therapeutic approach first before having to go down the medication route. I have heard of CBT and would like to try it. My brother is getting married in July and I thought if I start therapy now, maybe it will begin to help me somewhat before the wedding.
Has anyone gone through it? Was it effective? How long did it take before it began to work? Does it leave lasting results? Did it help "cure" your anxiety problems?
Any helpful advice or advice from experience would be great!
Thanks

Thanks Scaredy Cat.
I know I asked about it in my previous post but I just wanted more reaponses about CBT itself.
Did CBT "cure" you in a way? Or do you still have bouts of anxiety?

Research wise CBT has been shown to be quite effective with anxiety disorders and the symptoms. It does take work through to really change your thoughts and feelings. It's not an easy road but it can work. Look for someone who specializes in anxiety like turtle mentioned. So far for me it hasn't cured my anxiety and panic but it has made it a bit easier to deal with.

Hi kvnniv,

If you have Agoraphobia and do nothing it will only get worse. It is possible to be completely home bound due to Agoraphobia. It's really no way to live your life knniv :-(

There is no medication that is used to specifically treat Agoraphobia. If the anxiety/panic is treated with medication this could help a person with Agoraphobia leave their home or "safe place."

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy(CBT) and/or Dialectal Behavioral Therapy(DBT) has the ability to help you understand and learn coping skills in dealing with Agoraphobia.

The most important thing to know about dealing with and possibly overcoming Agoraphobia is most of the work to do this is on you. You have to be willing to leave your home, to go to paces or put yourself in situations that are fear inducing and that very well may trigger a anxiety/panic attack.

You also need to know you may always, to some degree, struggle with agoraphobia. But, it can get easier the more you work at it.

So, in summary and in combination....Medication can decrease your anxiety/panic attacks, CBT and/or DBT can teach you different approaches (coping skills and grounding techniques) to improve the possibility of lessening the Agoraphobia.

Best wishes!

I underwent CBT last summer for agoraphobia, and it's worked pretty well. For me, they had me do exposure therapy. It's tough, but well worth doing.

Hi kvnniv,

CBT/DBT is not a miracle or cure. The Therapist can help you learn ways to cope but you will need to get out in public and confront that which causes anxiety/panic and triggers your Agoraphobia.

If you are expecting to go through CBT/DBT without doing some of the work (getting out in public) you will be very disappointed and feel that CBT/DBT doesn't work.

I spent 10 years in therapy (CBT and DBT) to try and learn to cope and function with Agoraphobia and anxiety/panic as well as other mental health issues which was all part of PTSD. My Agoraphobia is not cured or completely gone but I am able to override the panic/anxiety and get out to do things. The longer I go without leaving my home the worse the Agoraphobia.

Unfortunately, there are many people with Agoraphobia who try getting out maybe a handful of times, can't do it and retreat home without further effort. These people end up being permanently homebound. My Therapist had a client who had been homebound for 10 years and had given up trying to leave her home. Their sessions were by phone.

As I stated in my previous post, a lot of coping with Agoraphobia is work you will need to do on your own WITH the help of your Therapist.

Part of what some Therapists will do is go with you to, lets say, a Drs. appointment if this is something that triggers your anxiety/panic and help you work through it at that moment. This is a service they offer so you would be charged for their time just like when you go in for your appointment with them. I had this service offered to me but I chose to decline.

THE HAPPY TURTLE said...
not a fan of cbt, but in terms of behaviour it is effective. I loathe behaviorists. look for someone experienced with anxiety and anxiety disorders. it is not always about the system, more so the technique and application that is resultant with good outcomes.

Hi Turtle. Why don't you like CBT and behavioural therapies? I am just interested because so many people rave about it. I did it a few years ago, focused on a particular problem, and I thought it was helpful though most of the hard work is done outside the therapy room. I am about to start again to address a different anxiety issue. We hear so much of the positives about CBT, I am interested in hearing from someone who has a more negative view of it about why that is.