Exposure therapy

[overcome.]

I had to do this recently with my psychologist, it's real daunting but can help also. It helped me slightly, but it was only a minor situation in comparison to what I'm going to have to face soon I guess. This was for a phobia that's panic attack related.

 

[zlench]

I have forced myself to go to places where it's full of people because it has helped slowly it's getting easier lately but just take your time to deal with exposure therapy.

 

[TooShyShy]

EXPOSURE THERAPY...hmmm i know someone who was afraid of girls...the ones he liked anyways and he had to say hello or good morning to start with this one girl he thought was pretty and he kinda knew her alittle too just never really spoke to her unless she initiated, then he hda to do it everyday instead of hiding from her or saying nothing to her at all.

HE then graduated to asking a question ''how ya doing?" or saying something else to her when he walked by her, anything..small talk to the girl..unfortunately he took 3 steps forward and then 2 steps back, he couldn't get passed the ''good morning'' or ''how ya doing?'; and just kept being around her but not talking to her and then eventually avoided all together..he gave up!!!!The anxiety was too much for him i guess.

Then he tried it with another girl as well..not attracted to her but a girl none the less but she was not very receptive and i don't think he cared about her at all..he should have stuck with the first one i told him HE LIKED HER AND SHE REALLY SEEMED TO LIKE HIM!!!!!!!!!!!!

Thats what i know about Exposure Therapy.

 

[jonas89]

Im in exposure therapy and works great for me in both for panic attacks and S.A.
It sounds really crazy at first, but it works and is hard tho.

 

[seafolly]

I think you can do this on your own and map out what suits you best. Take the concepts and cater it to yourself knowing what pushes the right way. It's not going to feel good, that's for sure. But I think the benefits can be worth it if done correctly.

 

[sevenroses]

I guess Exposure therapy only works if you change the way you think about the situation. If you don't change the way you think about the situation you would feel the same amount of anxiety each time you do an exposure and it's get you nowhere.

 

[LazyHermitCrab]

it sounds frightening.... i'm guessing you just go out there and do something and hope for the best? how fun

 

[panicgirl]

How are you ever going to overcome a fear if you aren't exposed to it? The best way to get over something is to face it head on... when you do this, the therapist will help you through it, so that when you face it in the real world, without a therapist present, you will know how to cope with it.

 

[Waybuloo]

I went to a group therapy once where the therapists made us go outside walk around campus in single file. Most of us looked down or uncomfortable so that drew even more attention to us. I suppose it didn't feel so bad knowing you weren't the only one suffering but still....
For me though being in the same room as those people and exposing myself was bad enough. Exposure therapy is a proven method, I believe in the concept of it, but it hasn't worked for me as well as I hoped.

This may be related and unrelated, but the only thing that has worked for me in shifting my perception of myself, is to have an impromptu speech infront of two strangers (therapists), and watch it back on film. Even though I felt anxious I saw on screen how personable and alive I looked. That made me see how well I could hide my fears. Also I worked shifts in a fast food joint that was quite intense, all the staring and talking with strangers made me not care much about other anxieties in my life at that time. With exposure, you have to keep it up, constant stimulation is the key. I have since relapsed and it is hard to get back that momentum again.