It s hard to tell how many people suffer because many do not go to a doctor. The APA estimates 1.5 million people suffer from agoraphobia. A complete psychiatric evaluation s needed to establish a final diagnosis. The tricyclic antidepressants, have also recently proved of value n some anxiety disorders. New or more specific drugs are regularly being tested.
Most behavioral techniques focus around deconditioning or unlearning inappropriate anxiety.
For the person who fears elevators, avoiding rides allows the apprehension to persist because the person can t learn that nothing terrible will happen. The phobia sufferer s too fearful to confront the situation. Supportive Psychotherapy Anxiety typically causes a person to restrict activities n order to remain safe . Even when the anxiety begins to diminish, t can be hard to resume a normal lifestyle.