AGORA-AVOID-002 mental-health harmful_advice ai_generated true

AI reinforces avoidance behavior in agoraphobia by suggesting safe zones or escape plans

ID: mental-health/ai-reinforces-avoidance-in-agoraphobia

Also available as: JSON · Markdown · 中文
75%Fix Rate
88%Confidence
1Evidence
2024-05-20First Seen

Root Cause

Agoraphobia is maintained by avoidance of feared situations; suggesting 'safe zones' or 'escape routes' reinforces the belief that these situations are dangerous and prevents habituation.

generic

中文

广场恐惧症通过回避恐惧情境来维持；建议‘安全区’或‘逃生路线’强化了这些情境是危险的信念，并阻止了习惯化。

Official Documentation

https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/agoraphobia

Workarounds

  1. 80% success Use cognitive restructuring: 'I understand you feel unsafe in crowds. Let's challenge the thought: 'What evidence do you have that something bad will happen? Can we test this safely?' 
    Use cognitive restructuring: 'I understand you feel unsafe in crowds. Let's challenge the thought: 'What evidence do you have that something bad will happen? Can we test this safely?'
  2. 85% success Create a fear hierarchy: 'Let's list situations from least to most anxiety-provoking. We'll start with step 1 and practice staying until anxiety drops by half, without leaving early.' 
    Create a fear hierarchy: 'Let's list situations from least to most anxiety-provoking. We'll start with step 1 and practice staying until anxiety drops by half, without leaving early.'

中文步骤

  1. Use cognitive restructuring: 'I understand you feel unsafe in crowds. Let's challenge the thought: 'What evidence do you have that something bad will happen? Can we test this safely?'
  2. Create a fear hierarchy: 'Let's list situations from least to most anxiety-provoking. We'll start with step 1 and practice staying until anxiety drops by half, without leaving early.'

Dead Ends

Common approaches that don't work:

  1. 55% fail

    Some suggest gradual exposure without a hierarchy, which can overwhelm the user and increase avoidance.

  2. 40% fail

    Others recommend distraction techniques (e.g., music, breathing) that can become safety behaviors themselves.