One of the first steps to overcoming agoraphobia is understanding the condition. While the sufferer may be well aware of the situation the initial causes and their consequences may not completely understood by the sufferer and even less by friends and loved ones. Agoraphobia is a disorder bought on by anxiety and in most cases is seen with anxiety disorders. It can be a very debilitating disorder. Most agoraphobics are not afraid of open spaces, but they are afraid of having anxiety attacks whilst outside their comfort zone thus not only causing more fear and anxiety but also embarrassment and although these anxiety attacks do happen at home the sufferer feels more able to deal with in the comfort and privacy of their homes. These set of conditions may see sufferers house bound for many years.

Overcoming agoraphobia can be a long drawn out process, as just as it took a long periods of anxiety to cause a person to suffer with agoraphobia is may take some time to reverse these effects. It will also depend on the severity of the condition and naturally the earlier the anxiety treatment begins the easier it will be. Obviously because the sufferer is mostly housebound getting to appointments with medical practitioners or psychologists is difficult.