Exposure Therapy

[16sundayz]

I suggested to my psychologist that we try exposure therapy for my anxiety and dissociating and he replied back with inducing a scenario that will bring it. I'm not sure exactly what he means but was wondering if anyone here has tried exposure therapy? If you have what's involved? What happened? How did you find it? Did you think it helped/worked?

[Nurse_Jenn]

Hi 16sundayz,

Thanks for posting. I have both worked with people and been on the other end of exposure therapy. Each therapist will practice slightly differently. I have found a summary of Exposure Therapy on the Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists website called yourhealthinmind.org

"Exposure therapy is sometimes part of CBT. It’s where you gradually confront a situation that makes you anxious. First, you make a list of all the things you’d like to do, but currently can’t. Then you start by doing the easiest thing, and gradually work your way up to the hardest.

For example, if you are anxious about train travel, your list might look like this:

• 1. Spend some time on the train platform
• 2. Travel one stop with a friend
• 3. Travel one stop alone
• 4. Travel to the city alone at a quiet time
• 5. Travel to the city alone at a busy time."

This is just one example of how exposure therapy might work. It can also be done for specific phobias such as fear of dogs for example. The main premise is to find a situation or an occurrence that brings on your anxiety and in a staged and controlled way, start 'exposing' yourself to an aspect of the trigger on a regular basis and then increase the grade of the exposure (with the support of your therapist).

You can read a lot about Exposure Therapy on the internet but it might be best to talk to your psychologist and get them to define if for you as people practice this technique in different ways and of course, it would also be tailored to your individual needs.

My personal experience with Exposure Therapy: Well, I unfortunately developed a fear of flying after a particularly bumpy landing. I developed some panic symptoms. I decided to work with a CBT Coach on reducing my worry about flying. My goal was to continue to fly regularly and not avoid air travel based on my new fear. In my sessions, I explored aviation and risks in travelling by plane and rationalised this by looking at the risk of travelling by car. I also spent alot of time listening to the landing of a plane in a headset (while not flying) as the noises that a plane made were triggers to panic. Once I understood what the noises were and when to expect them, I was able to reduce my worry a lot. It definitely helped for me but my experience was a specific fear.

I wish you best on your healing journey. Sometimes you have to try a technique before you know whether it will work or not.

Wishing you the best possible outcome,

Nurse Jenn

[Bulus Shabbaz]

Another day of exposure therapy. I am slowly getting more confident where I can go further and spend longer outside. Think of the anxiety as like spidey senses, which interpret every situation as a threat. It isn't just the internal voices, it's also sensory. The heat affects me, sudden changes in ambience, a gust of wind, a strong smell, dogs barking for a long time, a car going past, walking past people laughing. I am a ball of anxiety which I am trying to balance. I haven't been anxiety free for more than say half an hour for over a decade now. However, there are things which make my life worthwhile, such as connecting with a piece of music. The highs and lows of love. Dark humour. Seeing an Indian woman smile. Appreciating irony. A really good cup of coffee. Having a profound philosophical epiphany and finding out that someone already thought of it. Philosophy, spirituality, science, and learning something new every day.