Anxiety problems are almost an epidemic nowadays and, because it is such a complex disorder, the truth is that it cannot be faced from a single perspective. Exposure Therapy is one of the most effective for treating any phobia and, consequently, also anxiety. Phobias and anxiety always come hand in hand without really knowing who got there first or who called whom. In any case, the best way to face your fears is with Exposure Therapy. In this article we tell you what it consists of and how it can help you.
What is Exposure Therapy
- If you suffer from a phobia, an anxiety disorder or frequent panic attacks, you will have already realized that you live in a state of continuous fear. Fear does not leave you at any time pending the occurrence of the situation or the stimulus that triggers the panic. And it is very good that you resort to motivating phrases of the type “overcome your fears”, but it is not convenient that you do it on your own.
- We warn that self-help is not as effective as they tell us in the first steps of a psychological disorder, so it is better that you put yourself in the hands of a professional, that you banish the prejudices that still remain about going to the psychologist and that you discover what, in this case, Exposure Therapy can do for you and your mental health.
- Exposure Therapy is part of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and its objective is to break avoidance behavior. Are you wondering what avoidance behavior is? Well, what we all do in a situation that causes us fear, anguish or anxiety, the first reaction to what we consider a danger that is none other than to flee, escape or avoid.
- In principle, avoiding what you think is a danger has no negative consequences, in fact, on some occasions it can save your life. But in cases of phobias or when anxiety is overwhelmed, the perception of that danger is distorted. And, in addition, there are many situations that can scare you that you will not always be able to avoid. It looks perfect when you suffer from a phobia that ends up limiting your entire life. Also in Obsessive Compulsive Disorder or Generalized Anxiety.
- Avoidance behavior is explained very well by Andrés M. Pérez-Acosta in his work on Fundamentals of Exposure Therapies against Phobias for the University of Talca (Chile): “Avoidance in principle is a relatively normal and adaptive behavior. But if it stops being exaggerated, by changing the daily routine of the individual, then a phobia appears”.
Thus, Exposure Therapy will help you face those situations that terrify you without the need to avoid them.
How Exposure Therapy Works
- Exposure Therapy provides a safe and controlled environment by the psychologist, let’s take this into account first. The task is complicated, since it involves gradually transforming the sensitivity of the stimulus by directly or indirectly contacting the situation that causes fear, anxiety or anguish. How dare you look at a spider if you have arachnophobia? Well, from the hand of a professional.
- In reality, it is about relearning how to relate to that specific situation so that it does not cause you those levels of anguish or anxiety. Exposing yourself to the feared situation until you reduce the anxiety that it causes you is not something you can do on your own and not at once, that is why Exposure Therapy proposes a gradual and progressive coping method.
- With this therapy you realize step by step that exposing yourself to the feared situation or stimulus does not produce as many negative consequences as you thought. With this, catastrophic and obsessive thoughts are reduced and at the same time your self-concept increases, you see yourself more and more capable of facing that situation.
- Although one of the most interesting gifts of Exposure Therapy is received at the end, when you discover that you can get on that plane, that elevator, that it’s okay to attend a massive concert, that you can eat that food you had a phobia of or that you can meet that animal you fear without anything bad happening. And the gift is emotional acceptance, that is, you learn to tolerate certain negative sensations without having the need to avoid or control them.
Types of Exposure Therapy
There are different ways to put Exposure Therapy into practice depending on the disorder to be treated and also on the person. All are done gradually, checking that at each step, anxiety or fear are reduced.
Imagination Exposure Therapy
What is it that makes you so afraid that it can lead to a panic attack? Whether it’s going out, having an illness, meeting an animal, getting on a plane, or any other situation or stimulus, you can start by imagining it. With the supervision of the psychologist, the exposure in imagination encourages you to face the feared situation but in a very safe and controlled environment. You are imagining it; it is not happening in reality.
Live Exposure Therapy
At some point you will have to go from the mental plane to the real plane and you will have to live that situation that scares you. Remember that you will always have the support of the psychologist, so nothing bad can happen to you. And you don’t have to do it all at once, either. If, for example, airplanes scare you, you can start by spending time in an airport to get used to the situation. And little by little, with cognitive restructuring, you can get closer to that plane and overcome your phobia.
Imaging Exposure Therapy
Very similar to the exposure in imagination is the exposure in images. When we talk about phobias of objects and animals, we already pointed out that the anxiety or panic attack does not only occur with real contact, but through images, on television or in a publication, all the symptoms can be triggered. And this goes for doing the reverse path, that is, you can overcome your fears starting by facing them through an image.
Virtual Exposure Therapy
New technologies are also at the service of mental health and provide very effective tools for Exposure Therapy. Would you be so afraid of getting on a plane if you know you are doing it in a virtual simulation? I sure don’t. Then, from the virtual world to the real world, there is only a small step to take.
How Exposure Therapy can help you face your fears
The fact that there are different therapies in Psychology makes the treatments more personalized. If you are wondering how Exposure Therapy can help you, we will tell you. This therapy is especially indicated for cases of phobias, but also for any anxiety problem. Exposure Therapy is very effective for Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and Eating Disorders.
In addition, this therapy manages to improve many aspects of your life, starting with self-esteem, which is reinforced with each step you take in therapy. Facing your fears makes you stronger, you trust yourself and your abilities more and it even reveals abilities that you were unaware of. And because it is part of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, it can help you completely transform your perspective on life, moving you away from your deep-rooted thoughts and helping you discover the great difference between pain and emotional suffering.
But as we always warn, you don’t play with mental health. Don’t leave it in the hands of wellness gurus and contact a professional.