Stephen, Did You Take Medication During Your Recovery?
Medication was not a regular part of my recovery program. However, I did take Xanax on a limited basis.
I often carried two .25mg pills in my pocket to get me through a particularly panicky time. But I did not take Xanax every day.
My philosophy about medication is that pills are helpful when used on a temporary basis and combined with cognitive-behavioral methods. Medication can provide a window of opportunity to practice overcoming fear with the confidence that your anxiety won’t get too far out of control.
The danger lies in attributing too much of your progress to medication. People who attribute their progress to medication are less likely to make a complete and lasting recovery from agoraphobia than people who attribute their progress to developing skills.
Ultimately, skills not pills will set you free from agoraphobia.
But don’t be afraid to use medication temporarily, and under the supervision of a doctor, if it is part of a larger recovery plan.