Anxiety disorders are the most common mental illness in the United States today, with approximately 40 million adults struggling with symptoms. Unfortunately, they often go undiagnosed and untreated due to several factors, including misperceptions about anxiety, how it affects people, and how to treat it.
At Garrett Counseling, we are dedicated to helping our patients deal with anxiety using different treatments. Exposure therapy for anxiety is one such technique that has shown results in helping anxious patients cope with their situation.
We use this therapy to help patients confront their fears and reduce anxiety by gradually exposing them to what they are afraid of. It has been proven effective at reducing symptoms of phobias, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), social anxiety disorder (SAD), panic disorder, and specific types of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD).
Who is Exposure Therapy For?
So who needs exposure therapy? While the treatment can primarily help patients with anxiety deal with their fear and symptoms, it can also work for other groups of people, such as;
- Anyone struggling with PTSD
- People with phobias
- Patients with panic disorder
- Anyone with social anxiety disorder
- Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) patients
- Generalized anxiety disorder patients
So How Does Exposure Therapy for Anxiety Work?
It works by safely and gradually changing a person’s response to a feared object or situation so the brain can learn new responses to old problems. The goal is to replace irrational fear with rational thoughts and actions.
CBT exposure therapy for anxiety allows people with anxiety disorders to function normally despite their fears. People with PTSD may be more likely to benefit from exposure therapy than from medications alone because it addresses emotional and physical reactions.
The treatment helps people cope with trauma-related reminders without feeling as much fear or helplessness, making it easier for them to work through painful memories without feeling overwhelmed.
What Can You Expect From Exposure Therapy for Anxiety?
It is a treatment method that teaches your brain to replace your anxiety with a more appropriate response to make you feel safe again.
The theory behind exposure therapy is simple: to make you less afraid of something, you need to be exposed to it repeatedly until your body no longer responds strongly.
In other words, your mind learns that there’s nothing scary about public speaking or spiders after being exposed to them so many times.
This process can take weeks to months, depending on your anxiety.
The goal of exposure therapy for anxiety disorders is to reduce feelings of fear and avoidance by gradually exposing yourself to whatever triggers your symptoms. This might include social situations like parties or presentations, physical situations like heights or flying, or even emotional situations like feeling angry or sad.
When is exposure therapy not recommended?
People with a phobia or a pathological fear of panic attacks are unlikely to benefit from exposure therapy. They could potentially worsen their anxiety symptoms by trying to confront what they fear. Individuals with bipolar disorder should also avoid exposure therapy, as can patients in recovery from anorexia nervosa, who must avoid exposing themselves to situations that trigger starvation-related thoughts and feelings.
Conclusion
Exposure therapy can help you to recognize that your anxious feelings are not dangerous. Try some of these exercises and incorporate them into your daily routine. Practice makes perfect, so do it often! Garrett Counseling is here for you to address all your needs concerning exposure therapy for anxiety. You can schedule a consultation and learn more about how exposure therapy works, what conditions it is used for, and if it might be right for you. If you still have trouble understanding how to control your anxiety, don’t hesitate to get in touch with us here. We’d be happy to help you get on track with controlling anxiety once and for all.