Mega-doses of behaviour therapy for treatment-resistant agoraphobics

This was a pilot project set up to test the feasibility of effectively and inexpensively treating agoraphobic patients who had not responded to adequate trials of behaviour therapy (and other therapy) in the past. We employed a quantitatively intensive program of exposure therapy, calisthenics and muscular relaxation, and have explained the rationales for the choice of each treatment. The results were gratifying in four of the five patients, with follow-up to three years. This pilot project enabled us to set up a cost-effective treatment for all forms of agoraphobia which is as efficient as other programs described. It has also highlighted the fact that some patients exist who may do poorly on schedules of behaviour therapy which are adequate for some patients, and yet may do well if the amount of treatment is drastically increased.