Who Should Try EMDR for Agoraphobia?

EMDR is only recommended after the more proven cognitive-behavioral approaches have been tried or in cases where agoraphobia develops from post-traumatic stress.

For some individuals, a traumatic life event such as an auto accident, mugging, rape, abuse, or childhood trauma can lead to the development of agoraphobia. Usually the person will develop another disorder first, like post-traumatic stress disorder.

After having some panic attacks associated with the initial disorder (at the scene of the trauma in some cases), the person develops fearful associations with certain places or situations. At some point, the fear generalizes to all places and situations except for a safe place (or a few safe places) and that's when the person has developed agoraphobia.

Individuals who develop agoraphobia in this manner are the most likley to benefit from EMDR.