INTRODUCTION

THE AIMS OF S.W.A.G.

WHAT IS AGORAPHOBIA?

WHAT IS THE CAUSE?

WHAT IS A PANIC ATTACK?

AGORAPHOBIA -THE PROBLEMS

WHAT IS THE TREATMENT?

SELF-HELP MANUALS AVAILABLE

WHERE TO GET HELP

HELFUL POINTS YOU NEED TO KNOW IN AN EMERGENCY





INTRODUCTION

The STATE WIDE AGORAPHOBIA (AUSTRALLIA) INCORPORATED
is a registered non-profit organization, with the prime aim of promoting knowledge and recovery steps to the sufferer and to bring about the awareness of agoraphobia to the public, who can and do play a large part in the recovery of the agoraphobe.

This incorporation was founded in October, 1979, by an agorphobic sufferer and a community worker. The incoporation is under the guidance of professionals who have knowledge the correct procedure to undertaken for recovery of this conditon. The State Wide Agoraphobia Group (Aust.) Inc. maintains contact with members and professional people, and the organization encourages the agoraphobe to tell their practioners as well as their families that they do suffer form this malady. In the past the agoraphobe had little or no help in understanding the problem.

1. TO SUPPORT THE AGORAPHOBE AND ASSIST GROUPS.

2. INCREASE AWARENESS AND UNDERSTANDING OF AGORAPHOBIA.

3. TO ENCOURAGE RESEARCH, FACILITIES AND OTHER ASSISTANCE THAT WILL BENEFIT THE AGORAPHOBE.

4. TO SUPPORT THE SUFFERER AND HELP WITH PHONE CONTACT WHERE POSSIBLE.

5. TO GIVE UNDERSTANDING ADVICE TO THOSE WHO SEEK HELP.

6. TO LIAISE WITH PROFESSIONAL SERVICES, CENTRES, AND PERSONS FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE AGORAPHOBE.

It is the most stubborn of all phobias. Agoraphobia is made up of two fears. It is not a fear of people. Often sufferers do not know what they are suffering from, yet they do know that something is terribly wrong! Agoraphobia is not connected with any physical illness or mental disease, IT IS A CLASSICALLY CONDITIONED EMOTIONAL REACTION. Someone with agoraphobia is likely to be afraid of "losing control" in crowded, public or isolated places. An agopraphobic sufferer is a person who experiences terrifying, electrifying terror away from a safe place, especially away from home where the sufferer cannot make a quick escape or get help promptly should the fear take control and thus letting the person lose trust in the capabilities of their bodies as it has let them down so often, they cannot trust their reactions anymore in certain places. This makes a sufferer become a prisoner, isolated from society. They experience panic attacks which come 'out of the blue'; there is a difference between the natural protective fear and the extreme panic attack fear that an agoraphobic suffers.

Agoraphobia
is no respector of persons, male or female, confident or shy, from any socio-econimic group or age. Well meant advice of "pull yourself together" is said in ignorance as it has nothing to do with will power. A sufferer does not show any obvious signs of this condition and looks perfectly healthy in most cases. This is confusing to themselves and to their families and they are often accused of not facing responsibility.

WHAT IS THE CAUSE?

It is
a result of emotional shocks over a period of time when the body is at a low ebb, and this is when a panic will most likely occur. These delayed shock reactions are usually caused by, death of a loved one, malnutrition, major operation, road and other accidents, and in some cases is precipitated by prolonged anxiety.

With panics occuring frequently without an answer, causes depression and a fear of insanity because a panic attack for no reason has never been explained to their mind to understand what was happening, this enforces those sufferering to keep their problem from their immediate family and friends.

This adds to the condition of avoidance as does so many panic attacks happening, anywhere, anytime, adding to a cycle of fear of fear, anxious waiting for the next time. The anxiety is kept alive through lack of knowledge on the subject.

Agoraphobics
become programmed to bodily reactions as strong as "a near fatal accident, drowning, heart attack, a tiger pouncing from behind without warning, feeling open to danger beyond handling". The capacity to have a panic attack is always present because in the past it has happened without warning. The fear becomes chronic and brings on tension and nerves start to "get shot to pieces" because the sufferer lacks knowledge of how to help stop a panic attack.

A panic attack
has many symptoms and can take on various forms. The most common are, rapid thumping heart beats, hyperventilation (over-breathing, under-breathing or panting), feelings of unreality, as if uable to comprhend correctly with anything audible that is going on at the time or any situation at the time, muscle weakness, trembling, impaired vision. All these symptoms happening at once bring total confusion and bewilderment until it passes. The body and mind suffers as the agoraphobic cannot discern what is happening to them. This begins the avoidance pattern.

THE AGORAPHOBE?
The lack of knowledge and lack of help in the community can lead to the complete or partial inablility to:

• go out alone
• stay in the house alone
• go to the letter box
• go to the shops, supermarkets
• stand in queues
• be in open or crowded palces
• attend theatres or cinemas
• attend school functions
• go on family holidays
• take children on outings
• visit realatives in hospital
• cope in hospitals
• keep appointments at doctors, dentists, hairdressers etc.,
• be able to do something one day and not another

People can help the sufferer start to do the above mentioned.

IN THE COMMUNITY?
In Australia,
there is an estimated 1in 150 who suffer from this conditon. In Britain the numbers are 1in 100. In America 7 in 100 and only 25% receiving help. Britain reports that there are 75% women and 30% men. In America the figures are 50% women and 50% men.

The ratio
in this Austalia wide organization is 65% women and 35% men-40% are working while a few are relatively house bound. The reason for this is women will more readily admit their fears and seek help.

Many sufferers
do not seek help or are unaware of any helpful programmes which may be available, even at local community health centres. Much study has been done over the past 40 years, however correct de-sensitization programmes for treatment are rarely given or made available to the sufferer, especially with the community being able to help.

• Insight into Agoraphobia
• Graded Exposure Diary
• Breathing Control and Iso-metric Relaxation for panic situations
• Knowledge Notes 1 and 2

• Dr Claire Weekes Explains
• Know your Physical Symptoms-
• Graded exposure in De-sensitization-
• Productive Thinking-
• Help for Carers regarding De-sensitization-
• Helpful and practical Hints-

NEED TO KNOW EMERGENCY POINTS

DR. CLAIRE WEEKES WRITES

THERAPUTIC ASSISTANTS GIVE HINTS

YOUR INQUIRIES ANSWERED

SHARING WITH OTHERS

PROGRESS REPORTS

POEMS WRITTEN BY AGORAPHOBICS

INSPIRATIONAL QUOTATIONS

BOOKMARK OUR NEW
WEBSITE ADDRESS:http://www.tne.net.au/~swag

PERSONAL COUNSELLING VIA EMAIL E-Mail Address: swag@tne.net.au

24 HOUR DISTRESS SERVICE PHONE 08 8325 1929

LINKS
We invite you to locate the following websites ABDA ACTS
and
AGORAPHOBIA AUSTRALIA and CHAT ROOM

24 HOUR DISTRESS SERVICE PHONE 08 8325 1929

Health Anxiety Support Chat Room!

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Please remember, any comments here are not to be taken as medical advice. For diagnosis and treatment of any psychological or medical condition, you should consult your doctor.

 

and ANXIETY DISORDERS
and EMEDICAL

S.W.A.G. (AUST.) INC would like to thank INTERNET SUPPORT SERVICES

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Updated February 2003