Treatment for Panic Disorders and Phobias - Mental Health Disorders

Treatment for Panic Disorders and Phobias

Psychotherapy.     Psychotherapy helps people think and act appropriately by making the feared object or situation less threatening through group support and desensitization. Group therapy, with or without individual therapy, is valuable for those with low self-esteem because criticism or guidance offered by group members may be easier to accept than from a therapist. Family members and friends can play an important role in the treatment process if they provide support, assistance and encouragement.

Homeopathic Therapies.     Dana Ullman describes two psychotherapeutic treatments which he considers homeopathic in their approach to treating phobias: “paradoxical intention” and “therapeutic double-blind.” Both approaches aim at dislodging the symptoms and setting the natural healing process of the brain in motion. The homeopathic therapist encourages the patient to pretend to experience the problematic emotional state. If the patient has a phobia of snakes, for example, the therapist asks her to pretend to see a snake and to pretend to feel afraid. Ullman states that this method is considered effective if the client is unable to produce the fear at will and afterwards, as a result, is less susceptible to having the phobia at other times.

Biofeedback and Relaxation.     Many people who suffer from anxiety, panic attacks, and phobias show patterns of hyperventilation and shallow breathing. Dr. Leon Chaitow notes in his book The Stress Protection Plan that these people often report a sense of oppressive pressure on the chest and an inability to take a full breath. According to Chaitow, biofeedback, relaxation exercises such as yoga, meditation, or tai chi, and visualizations can help stimulate the relaxation response. Once sufferers are relaxed, they can retrain their breathing habits, decrease their hyperventilation, and stimulate a more positive mental state. These techniques, Chaitow relates, are being widely used in Europe to treat chronic phobias and anxiety.