A HOME TREATMENT PROGRAMME FOR YOUR HELPER-PART II
(by Professor A Mathews-Oxford University) Published by S.W.A.G.(AUST.) INC.
ISBN 0 9591710 5 3

ANSWERS

1. A) YOU KNOW ABOUT SPECIAL PROBLEMS AND PHOBIAS This is one reason why your help is important, but there are others.
B) PRACTICE IS BEST DONE FROM HOME Practice is best done from home, because it is where the learning possibly took place and became chronic, but there are other ways in which your help is important.
C) YOUR INFLUENCE IS MOST IMPORTANT IN THE LONG RUN Your influence is very important, and you are with the sufferer more than any professional person chould be, but your help is also important in other ways.
D) ALL OF THESE-CORRECT ALL OF THESE WAYS ARE IMPORTANT IN WHICH YOUR HELP IS IMPORTANT
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2. A) THEY FEEL SAFER WITH OTHER PEOPLE Yes, this is one reason that dependence develops but there are other reasons as well.
B) OTHER PEOPLE DON'T ENCOURAGE SELF-HELP.This is often why agoraphobics find it difficult to stop being independent, but dependence developes fro other reasons as well.
C)IT IA A WAY OF AVOIDING THE MOST FRIGHTENING SITUATIONS.Yes, depending on others does mean that going out alone is avoided, BUT THIS IS NOT A COMPLETE EXPLANATION.
D) ALL OF THESE-CORRECT AT DIFFERENT TIMES IN DIFFERENT PEOPLE, ALL OF THESE THINGS CAN PLAY A PART IN MAKING AGORAPHOBICS BECOME DEPENDANT ON OTHERS.
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3. TELL HIM OR HER HOW PLEASED YOU ARE AND SUGGEST HE OR SHE TRYS AGAIN -CORRECT. IT IS IMPORTANT TO ENCOURAGE ALL EFFORTS, AND SEVERAL ATTEMPTS MAY BE NECESSARY BEFORE SUCCESS.
B) TELL HIM OR HER NOT TO MAKE A FUSS UNTIL SUCCESS He or she may not have succeeded in getting there, but the attempt was made and should be praised for it.
C) CHECK WHETHER HE OR SHE FELT ANY STRANGE PANICY FEELINGS No, as this will cause him or her to think about any unpleasant feelings that may have been felt and this will keep the feelings going longer.
D) TELL HIM OR HER TO HAVE A REST FROM TRYING THAT SHOP FOR A WHILE Avoiding the shop again may increase the fear of it and certainly won't make it any easier the next time it is tried.
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4 A) DOING THINGS ONE STEP AT A TIME This is a good thing to do and recommended for those who have agoraphobia, as it builds up confidence for more difficult items.
B) HAVING SOMEONE HELP BY DOING THE SHOPPING -CORRECT It is not helpful in the long term to do the shopping for an agoraphobic. It simply makes it easier for him/her to stay at home, and making the habit of avoidance stronger.
C) PRACTICE IN GOING OUT EVERY DAY It is only by practice in facing the feared situation that the fear will be overcome, and it is important to get into the habit of doing this daily, so this cannot be wrong.
D) HAVING A FIRM ENCOURAGEMENT WITH OTHERS AND FROM OTHERS This is important, as practice can often be difficult and boring. Encouragement helps the agoraphobic to keep trying, so cannot be the wrong thing to do.
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5 A) SUGGEST THAT HE/SHE TRIES IT AGAIN TOMORROW -CORRECT Now that he/she has achieved the item once, he/she should practice again, repeat and repeat to check it and to increase his/her confidence.
B) TELL HIM/HER TO TRY A MORE DIFFICULT ONE A single success does not mean that the item is finished, it should be repeated a few times to make sure.
C) POINT OUT HE/SHE EXAGGERATES THE DIFFICULTIES It is not going to help to tell an agoraphobic that the symptoms are exaggerated every time he/she succeeds in completing an item. In fact this is likely to discourage him/her from trying in the future.
D) CONGRATULATE HIM/HER AND TELL HIM/HER TO HAVE A REST You should congratulate him/her of course, but telling him/her to have a rest is not the right thing to do. By resting, he/she is avoiding going out, and this is just what he/she must not do.
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6 A) TELL HIM/HER TO SNAP OUT OF IT Telling him/her to snap out of it will have no effect. If it could be done, it would be and he/she would have already done so.
B) HELP HIM/HER TO GET HOME AS SOON AS POSSIBLE 'Helping' him/her to get home immediately might make avoidance more likely next time, because he/she has learnt conditioneing that by going home the fear goes down.
C) GO TO ANOTHER STORE Going to another store might help, provided it is nearby. There is a danger, however, that he/she will learn to be afraid of , and avoid the next store.
D) HELP HIM/HER TO STAY AS LONG AS POSSIBLE UNTIL FEELING BETTER -CORRECT IF IT IS POSSIBLE TO HELP HIM/HER STAY UNTIL THE FEAR GOES DOWN, THIS MIGHT MAKE IT EASIER FOR HIM/HER TO COPE NEXT TIME.
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7 A) INSIST THAT HE/SHE GETS ON THE NEXT BUS This sometimes works but has some dangers, he/she might be in a state of panic and refuse to attempt it, so the only result may be an argument. It is best if he/she can be persuaded not to get off in the first place - once that has happened you might as well wait for him/her to calm down.
B) TRY AGAIN SOON AFTER A TRANQUILLISER HAS BEEN TAKEN- CORRECT You should of course, try to persuade him/her not to get off the bus in the first place, only if the panic will not die down, but once this has happened, it would be best to try again when he/she is calm.
C) ASK HIM/HER TO TRY IT BY HIMSELF/HERSELF NEXT TIME No. Doing it alone would probably be even more difficult and will not succeed.
D) ALL OF THESE No. Some of the answers are not advisable.
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8 A) PRAISING HIM/HER MORE OFTEN This is a natural reaction to over-all success. This is looking at the practice that has passed successfully, the present and the future coming successes.
B) PRAISING HIM/HER WHEN THE PRACTICE HAS BEEN WELL DONE.-Correct. Yes, do this, but if it is only done when there is success there is too much emphasis on items and not on the whole person's general recovery.
C) TELLING HIM/HER OFF WHEN HE/SHE HAS NOT DONE ANY PRACTICE No. This is completely wrong even if you may think it, as the agoraphobic knows very well the practice has not been done, continue to be encouraging and optimistic. You are becoming a reliable and trustworthy support person with this attitude.
D) NONE OF THESE No. Both a and b need to be used.
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9 A) MAKES HIM/HER MORE CHEERFUL If you are encouraging progress, he/she may well feel cheerful, however, feeling more cheerful does not by itself always lead to more efforts to overcome the problem by practice.
B) STRENGTHENS THE CONNECTION BETWEEN HIM/HER EFFORTS AND PLEASANT THINGS -Correct. The point of reinforcement is to build positive associations with practice efforts, which will make it easier for him/her to make practice a habit.
C) SHOW HIM/HER THAT YOU CARE FOR THEM Of course one reason for giving is that you care, but to reinforce him/her efforts you must give praise or presents at the right time. You could care a lot, but still give them the present at the wrong time, which would not help him/her practice.
D) WILL HE/HER DO THINGS THAT HE/SHE COULDN'T HAVE BOTHERED TO DO OTHERWISE. No, you will not make him/her do anything, and it is not that he/she can't be bothered. More likely the association with the practice has been unpleasant and reinforcement will make it easier for him/her to practice.
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10 A) THE MONEY WILL BE USEFUL Obviously extra money is useful, but money in itself does not necessarily help treatment. There are other ways in which jobs or outside interest will help.
B) It REINFORCES SELF-DISCIPLINE Yes, but if you describe self-discipline in terms of specific behaviour it means something like 'behaving in a more organised way'. The question is why would a job help someone behave differently?
C) IT WILL ENABLE HIM/HE TO BE INDEPENDENT FINANCIALLY. It might help financial independence, but this would not help progress in treatment.
D) IT IS A SOURCE AWAY FROM THE HOME -CORRECT A job or interest can provide reinforcement in itself for developing activities away from the home, and help overcome fears in this way.
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STATE WIDE AGORAPHOBIA GROUP (AUSTRALIA) INCORPORATED
Email address: swag@tne.net.au
Phone: 08 8294 6543 Mobile: 0412 226 117
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