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(quoted directly from Flying in the Comfort Zone) First, reread the sections on Separation Reactions, Grief and Guilt. There is also a good chance that Post Traumatic Stress Disorder is relevant to your problem. Without a doubt, working on your fear of flying will bring you into contact with your agoraphobic symptoms. It will be advisable for you to find a therapist with whom you can work individually (some purchasers of this program have even taken the program to the therapists so that they can view it together). If you are unable to find a therapist in your area, consult with the Anxiety Disorders Association of America (www.adaa.org). This organization maintains extensive lists of experts in all geographic areas. Try to find someone who doesn't rely heavily on medications. There is a very good chance that overcoming your fear of flying will have at least a partially curative result for your agoraphobic symptoms. This will be especially true if you achieve good insight from your work. There is one aspect of agoraphobia that deserves special mention here - that is the sense of strangeness that people with this problem experience when they are far away from home. It is possible to reduce this source of anxiety by focusing your attention on the similarities between your local area and your "port of call", rather than the differences. Concentrate on the common language, shops, fashion, books, etc. With this technique you will retain a stronger sense of familiarity in nearly all ports of call. |
