Is it ok to begin exposure with someone else beside me?

I recently received this email: “I am having a great difficulty with agoraphobia and i cant find the courage to face it. I cant even imagine driving to another town or walking to the shops alone. Is it ok to begin exposure with someone else beside me? I don’t have the courage to do what you did. Its too much to just take my car and drive far away and to want to have a panic attack.”

This was my response:

I learned from Dr. Weekes that the goal is not to be able to drive far but to experience going through panic where ever you are. When you succeed in doing that, then you take your cure with you no matter how far you go.

It’s not courage that you need. Believe me, if courage were the requirement, then I would never have recovered. Instead, I put all of my faith into the Dr Weekes method.

I started in my home, by practicing Right Action Readiness. My first goal was to go through panic to the other side, in my home. If I were you, then I would start in your home today, and let your mantra be, practice, practice, practice.

Once I succeeded at home, I went a short distance from my home and practiced there. I soon discovered that it was the same 1% that I had to deal with. No different.

Taking someone with you cant do any harm, but it could be like walking with crutches. If I were you, I would practice walking without the crutches in your home and then you will find that walking without crutches outside is the same as walking without them inside.

I talk to many people every day who are doing this. Your problem is not unique to you, and you are not alone. Many started to practice at home and then progressed to venturing outside unaccompanied. From there many just like me moved on to complete recovery. Why not you?

DISCLAIMER:  THIS WEBSITE IS NOT INTENDED TO BE THE RENDERING OF MEDICAL ADVICE. DO NOT ASSUME THAT ANY THING THAT YOU READ ON THIS WEBSITE APPLIES TO YOU AND  DO NOT ATTEMPT ANYTHING THAT YOU READ BEFORE CONSULTING WITH A LICENSED MEDICAL PRACTITIONER.