Conquering Anxiety: Exposure Therapy
Hi everyone! I hope you are doing well. It is a new week and that means it is time for another post in the Conquering Anxiety series. Now comes the post as mentioned earlier on exposure therapy. So far we have been exploring how anxiety impacts our lives, reflecting on what things can be like if we can overcome it, learning about the cycle of anxiety, practicing tools that can help us while we confront our anxiety, and exploring the role of diet and exercise. These posts acted as a foundation for our post of the week so if you have not taken part in all those, please follow the order of the series.
Today we will talk about exposure therapy!
Why exposure therapy?
Exposure therapy is highly successful for people dealing with anxiety, with 60-90% of people reporting no or mild symptoms after treatment. Adding CBT, relaxation techniques, and other treatments can make it even more effective (Data taken from EBBP.org)
What is exposure therapy?
Simply put, it is a treatment method in which people are equipped with coping tools (like the ones we covered earlier) and asked to confront their fears. The trick however is to evaluate where you stand with your specific fear and just push a bit past that. For example, if you are terrified of driving and never touched your car after your accident or an unpleasant incident, start by just sitting in the car for 5-10 minutes, you should not drive it on a highway the first day because that is way past your comfort zone.
While getting out of the comfort zone is crucial it should be done within reason and with the support of coping tools so that the person benefits from the experience. So you are picking a battle that you can win and you are going in armed!
Here are key mistakes to avoid.
- Picking a task that is way beyond your current level (You will not go for a 10-mile run if you have never run in your life, similarly, we should build our tolerance to these challenging tasks, bit by bit)
- Going in with no coping tools (Coping tools help you stay in the moment and aid in regulating your nervous system)
- Not being consistent with your efforts. Pick something small but keep on working in the direction of conquering your anxiety, and make it a habit.
📺Watch a video on the exposure Hierarchy
Here is an example of what exposure hierarchy looks like.
Source: Stork, M. B. (n.d.). Exposure therapy for social anxiety: A practical guide to lasting change
Task for members
- Pick something you currently experience anxiety around and wish to conquer and create an exposure hierarchy for it based on the information shared both in the video and the image above. Share with us your steps and tell us what step can you take this week towards conquering your fear.
Task for listeners
- Share one resource on exposure therapy from a reputable source. Please make sure its total reading time or if its a video, its under 5 minutes.
- Respond to one member on this thread with encouragement and support.
Further Reading
Navigating the Comfort, Discomfort, and Panic Zones: A Guide to Growth
❗Disclaimer! Check with your therapist or other health care provider to see if exposure therapy is the right choice for you.
📌I am looking for users who have done some work on managing their anxiety and are open to sharing what worked for them with us. This will be included in our learning from others post. Please reach out in PMs if you would like to contribute to that post.
This post is part of the Conquering Anxiety series, you can find all posts of the series here.
Talking in public places is an anxiety I am forever working on. I don't use exposure hierarchies because they stress me out.
This week I am going job hunting and so will need to expose myself to new people and embarrassing myself.
Hey, I'm all good till point 6. But my struggle starts from point 7 till 10 in your given example.
I have tremendous anxiety about exercise and being injured. I have been obese and never seriously exercise for long, but I want to get control of this fear and make healthy choices so I can make lasting change. I want to be strong and healthy.
10. Do a 10k walk/run
9. Do a 5k walk/run
8. Jog for short intervals during an outdoor walk
7. Go on a planned walk with a friend or family member
6. Share with others that I am exercising and learning new ways to take care of my body
5. Try a new workout type in my app, not just walk/stretch
4.Do a stretching workout and follow it with a walking workout
3. Do a yoga or gentle stretching workout for 5-7 minutes
2. Use my app to set new goals, add a widget on my phone for reminder
1. Go back into my workout app and look at my steps for the last week
Here is a video that has helped me:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m3-O7gPsQK0
@yellowPineapple3652
Thank you for sharing with us. I can empathize with that challenge.
I hope you were able to make some progress!
@yellowPineapple3652
It's understandable why you would feel anxious about getting injured when exercising. You have a very good reason to feel worried. However, it sounds like taking baby steps and looking at realistic types of exercise might be a good fit.
I couldn't find any video on exposure therapy and CPTSD. Then I found this video, at 3:47 long that explains why.
https://youtu.be/qBe1DKFGCdg?si=AM3wUJsd27ye4aFI
I also found that finding the right therapist, doctor or counsellor can change everything, yet can also be like finding an albino unicorn.
Finding the right fit takes a level of advocacy, action and esteem that many are needing help with in the first place.
This catch-22 creates a cycle that slowly erodes whatever good was left in the person even though they're trying their best.
The generation gaps, housing crisis and any cycles from abuse can add fuel to this fire, making it even harder to navigate.
I'm not sure how to move forward on this session right now as it's become a lot more layered all the sudden. Will probably percolate.
@communicativePond1728
It can be challenging to find the right expert! You point out an important contradiction.
@Hope I've found listening, compassion, rock bottom, my natural cycles, Tara Brach's RAIN, BK's the work, c.a.r.E., 4D's, HALT, meditation, self care, workbooks and self help books, workshops, In The Rooms app and website, embracing and working with little inner progresses forwards, practicing asking for help, researching ways to do things, forgiving people that don't deserve it (including me) focusing on the positive, grounding, gratitude, determination and perseverance are all probably just some of the general type of keys required for changing from old reactions of blame-shame to more healthy and peaceful love-above responses that generates more good energy and vitality in my life.
@Hope for conquering social anxiety:
10.Participate in a school activity/competition.
9. Ask teachers questions.
8. Call customer service for information on an online purchase.
7. Order from a menu.
6. Answer questions at doctors appointment.
5. Ask a bus driver for directions.
4. Have a quick chat with a neighbour.
3. Ask a worker where an item is kept.
2. Pay at a store myself
1. Take deliveries from the door
I have social anxiety when it comes to family gatherings but you'd never guess because when I push myself through and show up, I end up going up to everyone even if we haven't met in order to be polite. If nobody is dancing to music I will start dancing around and get people to be silly with me. I just remind myself "people really don't care if you dance around and be silly at a party" and if they do, that's not a big deal nor should I think it is. I end up having fun and glad that I went out. Memories like that with close ones aren't going to be made if I stay cooped up and shut in!
@kerryg WOW - that is a healthy (and memory-making) and brave way of dealing with social anxiety! I like that you KNOW what it is - and that you are able to "push through." I used to get social anxiety when I had to go to a business mixer at work. UGH! But I made a deal with myself to speak with three people I didn't know. I met a lot of people that way! But go you speaking to everyone! That is some really great work. I think it's great that you are willing to dance and be vulnerable even though you might feel anxiety and that you recognize how it's benefitted you!
@Hope Here is a 4-minute video about exposure therapy. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mlJy85EQrCI
@Hope I experience anxiety with watching some movies which include romantic scenes or scenes of molestation or so.
So my steps can go like :
1. Talking with some of my cousins or friends (guys) having a causal conversation with them.
2. Watching a small drama with my sister.
3. Maybe going on a picnic with a couple😅.
4. Watching small scenes of the things that trigger me for some days along with coping techniques.
5. Finally I hope I'll be able to watch a whole movie without getting panic attack.
@Blahblah1805
Hmm, I can understand that. I think these steps are really helpful and thank you blah for sharing with us.
@Hope
exposure-therapy.pdf (montrealcbtpsychologist.com)
Social Anxiety Exposure Worksheets
Social-Anxiety-Exposure-Worksheets.pdf (simplypsychology.org)
