rate how exposure help you to overcome social phobia
- Thread starter genius
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freestylemonster
Banned
I voted 10/10. I think a lot of people don't think it works because they think that after hanging out with people like 2 times and they'll start to see a difference. It doesn't work that way. Our minds see socializing as threatening so we need to change that which takes a veeeery loooong time!
I've been slowly getting better for the last few years. I even have my first girlfriend now
and I can honestly say that I didn't get better by staying away from everyone!
I've been slowly getting better for the last few years. I even have my first girlfriend now
and I can honestly say that I didn't get better by staying away from everyone!
If you do it right, it can do wonders. Read fuzzylogic's new posts on CBT, he explains it very well how to do it correctly.
For me, it cured my social anxiety at one point... of course it was the first time that happned, and it lasted for a few days. Haven't done such exposure therapy since then, but I'm working up the courage to do it
For me, it cured my social anxiety at one point... of course it was the first time that happned, and it lasted for a few days. Haven't done such exposure therapy since then, but I'm working up the courage to do it
EscapeArtist
Well-known member
^^^ what did you do for exposure to cure your social anxiety before??
Danced like nobody was watchin' (with several females)... and realized that indeed no one was watching - despite me not being a good dancer. And I also realized that the girls really liked me (they were touching me and letting me touch them while dancing ). It was great... realizing those two things (but REALLY realizing that - your brain accepting that as truth both consciously and subconsciously) basically cured my SA for a few days. I ****ed up though and started doing things that make me depressed/anxious, so I fell back again (what a ****in idiot, I could've been over this already xD, oh well, I still look forward). I'm afraid of doing that again... but I know someday I will
(with several females)... and realized that indeed no one was watching - despite me not being a good dancer. And I also realized that the girls really liked me (they were touching me and letting me touch them while dancing ). It was great... realizing those two things (but REALLY realizing that - your brain accepting that as truth both consciously and subconsciously) basically cured my SA for a few days. I ****ed up though and started doing things that make me depressed/anxious, so I fell back again (what a ****in idiot, I could've been over this already xD, oh well, I still look forward). I'm afraid of doing that again... but I know someday I will sevenroses
Well-known member
I think exposure did help me a lot but not as much as changing my inaccurate thoughts or beliefs. If you still have those maladaptive thoughts you can basically do all the exposure you want but wont have any progress. You have to change those maladaptive thoughts first then do the exposure to disprove and correct inaccurate beliefs.
^ Indeed . And that's exactly what "exposure therapy" is. It doesn't mean just doing something... how would doing something like talking to an attractive girl help if you are extremely nervous/panicking? That would only make it worse.
I think that's what people miscomprehend about exposure therapy... it's not "just doing" things... you have to do it in a way in which you know how things really are happening and not having the experience distored by anxiety (because that's what anxiety does - shrinks your brain).
Read fuzzylogic's posts on CBT... he explains exposure very clearly (For anyone who is interested in trying it).
Here: http://www.socialphobiaworld.com/search.php?searchid=325381
. And that's exactly what "exposure therapy" is. It doesn't mean just doing something... how would doing something like talking to an attractive girl help if you are extremely nervous/panicking? That would only make it worse.I think that's what people miscomprehend about exposure therapy... it's not "just doing" things... you have to do it in a way in which you know how things really are happening and not having the experience distored by anxiety (because that's what anxiety does - shrinks your brain
).Read fuzzylogic's posts on CBT... he explains exposure very clearly
(For anyone who is interested in trying it).Here: http://www.socialphobiaworld.com/search.php?searchid=325381
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sevenroses
Well-known member
Also when you do exposure the best tip is to do a hierarchy of exposures or a checklist. So its nice to master low challenge exposures like talking one on one with a friend first before you try to medium challenge exposures like talking to a group of 4 people etc. Eventually you want to work your way up to be comfortable in high challenge exposures. There`s a greater success rate in conquering fears with a gradual climb rather than doing high challenge exposures right off that bad.
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