One of the most important parts of behavioral therapy is real-life experience. You and the therapist determine whether you have been avoiding particular places and situations, and which patterns are causing you problems. You agree to work on avoidance behaviors that are most seriously interrupting your life. For example, fear of driving may be of high importance for some patients while the inability to go to the grocery store may be most important others.
In behavior therapy you learn to slowly approach a situation or place you are anxious about. Using this step-by-step approach, which helped by encouragement and skilled advice from your therapist can help you to gradually master your fears and help you begin to approach situations that you thought you never could.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
Like behavioral therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) teaches patients to react differently to the situations and bodily sensations that trigger their panic attacks. Cognitive behavioral therapists use many of the same behavioral techniques of behavior therapists.
However, in CBT you also learn to understand how your thinking patterns contribute to your symptoms. With the help of an expert you can learn how to modify or eliminate the thought patterns that contribute to your symptoms. Your growing awareness of your thinking patterns, combined with exposure work and other behavioral techniques, help your confront your feared situations.
The Panic Program
The Panic Program is a free web-based 12-week self-guided educational program is located on this web site. It has been specifically designed for people with panic disorder and/or agoraphobia. Studies have shown the Panic Program to be very effective in helping people overcome their panic.
