What is Exposure Therapy: Does It Work?

Overview

Fear, shock, and fears may silently influence everyday life restricting options, associations and self-esteem. Lots of individuals seek evidence-based interventions that do not merely control the symptoms, but make them gain control. Among the most researched treatments applied to the modern day psychotherapy is the exposure-based treatment that is known to help individuals to confront fears in a safe and effective way. However, what is it, and does it actually work?

What is Exposure Therapy?

Exposure therapy is a programmed or designed evidence-based psychological therapy that is aimed at ensuring that individuals face feared situations, thought, or memories in a secure and controlled manner. Instead of avoiding triggers, individuals learn to confront them step by step under the supervision of a professional therapist and thus, the brain gets to know, that they are not as harmful as they can possibly be.

This method is typically employed in the treatment of anxiety disorders, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), panic disorders and specific phobias. The exposure therapy is based on cognitive-behavioral principles and is supported by diagnostic models of the DSM-5 and American Psychological Association clinical guidelines.

Types of Exposure Therapy

Exposure therapy is never a one size fits all treatment. The approach is personalized by therapists according to the diagnosis and level of comfort of the individual, as well as his or her objectives. Common types include:

• In Vivo Exposure: Explicitly experiencing the real-life feared events, e.g., driving or socializing.

• Imaginal Exposure: Retelling or detailing traumatic memories or feared situations, which is frequently applied in PTSD.

• Interoceptive Exposure: Intentionally inducing physical arousal (e.g. raised heart rate) to lessen fear of body symptoms.

• Virtual Reality Exposure Therapy (VRET): Virtual technology is applied to the simulation of environments where real exposure is not possible or available.

Both approaches are meant to lessen fear avoidance and assist the nervous system to rebalance its reaction to fear.

The Exposure Therapy Process

The exposure therapy is generally collaborative:

1.  Assessment and Education: The therapist describes the functioning of anxiety and the usefulness of exposure.

2. Creation of the Fear Hierarchy: You, jointly, enumerate feared situations, beginning with least distressing to most distressing.

3. Gradual Exposure: You can start off with easy challenges and build gradually to the harder ones.

4. Response Prevention: Avoidance and safety behavior are minimized to enable actual learning to take place.

5. Review and Reinforcement: The review of progress, and reinforcement of coping skills are carried out to achieve long-term success.

The sessions are done slowly in order to secure emotional safety and confidence as opposed to overwhelming.

Does Exposure Therapy Work?

Yes, studies have always indicated the exposure therapy is very effective. Numerous clinical trials indicate that they have a great deal of symptom reduction in anxiety disorders, PTSD, and OCD. Many individuals feel much better in the long run and this is especially when exposure therapy is done as it is required.

The mechanism behind its effectiveness is the brain learning mechanism. Exposure to fear repeatedly and in a controlled manner suppresses fear responses due to a process known as habituation and inhibitory learning. In time triggers become ineffective and trust is built. Although the procedure may be uncomfortable initially, the majority of the participants claim that the reward greatly outweighs the short-term pain.

The factors that determine success include expertise of the therapist, commitment and consistency of the patient but in the case of many, exposure therapy is life changing.

Conclusion

Exposure therapy is a well established structured therapy that assists one to overcome fears instead of residing with them. The symptoms can be minimized, confidence restored, and lives regained by gradually facing anxiety triggers in a conducive setting. You should seek professional help to overcome fear, trauma or avoidance that might be holding you back.

Get on the road to a permanent cure now.

Contact Solutions Healthcare to get to know more about evidence-based therapy.

Make a confidential appointment now and begin your healing process by calling (386) 866-3600.