What is agoraphobia and how is it treated?

Agoraphobia is an anxiety disorder characterized by a fear of places or situations from which escape might be difficult or help unavailable. This often leads to avoiding public spaces and can be accompanied by panic attacks. The most common and effective forms of agoraphobia treatment are Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) and exposure therapy, which are among the various agoraphobia therapies we offer at our clinic in Toronto near Yonge & Eglinton. These approaches help you challenge your fears and gradually regain a sense of control.

What is the difference between panic attacks, panic disorder, and agoraphobia?

A panic attack is a sudden, intense feeling of fear with physical symptoms like a rapid heart rate or shortness of breath. Panic disorder is diagnosed when someone experiences recurrent, unexpected panic attacks and develops a persistent fear of having more. Agoraphobia often develops alongside panic disorder, as the fear of having another panic attack can lead to avoiding places or situations where an attack might occur. Our compassionate therapists in Toronto offer a range of effective agoraphobia therapies and agoraphobia treatment to help you understand and manage these interconnected challenges.

What kinds of concerns do you treat besides anxiety?

We offer a wide range of services to support your mental well-being beyond just anxiety. Our team is equipped to treat conditions like depression, trauma, and obsessive-compulsive disorders. We also help with family and life changes, personality disorders, and various other concerns such as perfectionism, grief, and stress management. While these are separate from agoraphobia treatment, our expertise in these areas informs our comprehensive approach to care at our Toronto clinic near Yonge & Eglinton.

Eating Disorders

Eating disorders are characterized by severe and persistent disturbances in one’s eating behaviors, accompanied by distressing thoughts and emotions towards body, weight, shape, and/or food. Eating disorders are serious and complex. A person with an eating disorder may experience long-term impairments to their social and work roles, and this impact may include psychiatric and behavioural problems, medical complications, social isolation, disability and an increased risk of death as a result of medical complications or suicide.

Anorexia Nervosa

Anorexia nervosa is an eating disorder that interferes with maintaining an adequate weight. It is a psychological condition, in which individuals restrict food and obsessively control weight in order to stay thin, as it is believed that thinness equals self-worth. These individuals often have a distorted sense of body image or even body dysmorphic disorder . Though this condition most often affects young girls and women, it can occur in anyone. Many individuals with anorexia nervosa often also struggle with depression , anxiety , social anxiety , obsessive-compulsive disorder , and may have a history of trauma or PTSD . Individuals with anorexia may try to lose weight through starvation, exercising excessively, or vomiting.

Warning signs of anorexia nervosa may include:

Extreme thinness
Fear of gaining weight
Irritability
Insomnia
An intense preoccupation with food
Weight loss (or a lack of appropriate weight gain in children)
Frequent abdominal pain or gastrointestinal concerns
Dizziness or fainting
Feeling cold all the time
Low iron or anemia
Social withdrawal
Feelings of hopelessness
Perfectionism or wanting to be or look perfect
Dressing in clothing that disguises one’s body shape
Not feeling hungry
Making excuses to avoid meals
Self-harm
Suicidal ideation

Anorexia nervosa can lead to many health conditions including heart problems, fatigue, dizziness or fainting, hair loss, irregular periods, constipation, infertility, discoloration of skin, low blood pressure, dehydration, osteoporosis, and in some cases can be fatal.

How is anorexia nervosa treated?

Psychotherapy, specifically cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) can help individuals understand how negative thoughts and feelings about oneself and food is connected to disordered eating. CBT can also help individuals learn to manage feelings, cope with stress, and increase self-esteem.

If you or someone you know is struggling with Anorexia Nervosa, contact us to see how we can help.

Binge Eating

Binge eating disorder is characterized by recurring episodes of excessive overeating, often rapidly, to the point of discomfort or pain. Individuals with binge eating disorder often struggle with controlling their eating habits and may be secretive about their eating. Episodes of binging often include eating more rapidly than normal, eating large amounts of food when not hungry, eating alone, and feelings of disgust or shame during or after bingeing.

Symptoms of Binge eating disorder may include:

Changes in body weight
Dressing in layers to disguise one’s body shape
Disappearance of food or hoarding food in secret
Guilt and anxiety surrounding eating or food
Buying lots of food
Eating very rapidly
Social withdrawal and isolation
Organizing life around bingeing episodes
Hoarding food
Mood swings
Feelings of low self-esteem

Binge eating disorder can contribute to a variety of health conditions including high blood pressure, heart disease, diabetes, fatigue, osteoarthritis, and sleep apnea. Binge eating disorder has also been found to be related to anxiety , depression , bipolar disorder, and substance use disorders .

How is binge eating disorder treated?

Cognitive behavioural therapy can help individuals address the relationship between negative thoughts and behaviours related to eating, body image, and weight. Additionally, dialectical behavioural therapy (DBT) can help individuals learn alternative ways to cope with negative experiences and regulate emotions.

If you or someone you know is struggling with binge eating, contact us to see how we can help.

Bulimia Nervosa

While many individuals have concerns about weight or appearance, individuals with bulimia nervosa have a severe preoccupation with their body size. This preoccupation is characterized by periods of compulsive overeating as well as periods of either purging or restriction in order to compensate for the amount of food consumed. However, the most common is a cycle of bingeing and purging.

Common warning signs of bulimia nervosa include:

Eating large amounts of food ( bingeing )
Purging after beginning by vomiting, over-exercising, fasting, or using laxatives
Weight change, including weight loss or weight gain
Swelling in the face
Tooth pain or discoloured teeth
Bloating
Dehydration
Calluses or cuts on the hands/knuckles as a result of purging
Restricting food intake
Guilt and anxiety
Purging, or often taking trips to the bathroom after meals
Anxiety , especially in social settings
Concern with body weight or shape

Bulimia nervosa can often occur alongside depression , anxiety , suicidal ideation , self-harm , social anxiety , obsessive-compulsive disorder , as well as PTSD or a history of trauma .

These binging and purging behaviours can cause several health problems including:

Sore throat or esophagus, or mouth sores
Decaying teeth, caused by exposure to stomach acid when vomiting
Fluctuating weight
Gastrointestinal problems
Dehydration
Bad breath
Low blood pressure
Abnormal heart rhythms, heart attack, or death

How is bulimia nervosa treated?

If you or someone you know is struggling with bulimia nervosa, contact us to see how we can help.

Pica

Pica is characterized by the persistent consumption of non-food items such as paper, soap, cloth, hair, string, soil, chalk, paint, glue, metal, charcoal, ash, clay, or ice. Pica often occurs temporarily in children or pregnancy women, however, it should be addressed immediately if it persists for more than one month.

Pica can lead to several health problems including

Iron deficiencies or anemia
Constipation or diarrhea, from eating things that the body cannot digest
Intestinal infections
Mouth or teeth injuries
Stomach pain

How is pica treated?

Pica is often treated using psychotherapy, specifically cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT). CBT can help individuals to build skills around distinguishing edible foods from non-edible foods and address underlying reasons for engaging in these behaviours.

If you or someone you know is struggling with pica, contact us to see how we can help.

Avoidant Restrictive Food Intake Disorder (ARFID)

Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder (ARFID) is an eating disorder characterized by a limited range or volume of food intake, not related to body image concerns. Individuals with ARFID may avoid food due to sensory sensitivities, fear of choking or vomiting, or a general lack of interest in eating. This can lead to significant nutritional deficiencies, weight loss, and interference with daily life. Unlike other eating disorders, ARFID is more about the experience of eating than about weight or shape.