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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TO QUESTIONS
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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TO QUESTIONS
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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TO QUESTIONS
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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TO QUESTIONS
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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TO QUESTIONS
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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TO QUESTIONS
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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TO QUESTIONS
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
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Phone: 08 8294 6543 Mobile: 0412 226 117
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