Exposure experiences

Hi BR,

Great question...and way to go on pursuing this very effective method of defusing anxiety/panic!

For me, returning to places that and circumstances that were previous triggers for me...or even just random places where panic happened to occur was key.

Stores with fluorescent lighting...or even places with bright overhead lights such as our church were problematic for me, but since I couldn't really avoid these...and continue my life/routine as I wanted/needed to...I had to face them again and again.

Exercise was another challenge. I had trouble with the physical sensations of increases heart rate and body temperature, breathlessness, ect. since these were similar to an attack. I had zero chance of avoiding these however, since I am an althete of sorts by trade!

...so more exposure!  If I ran into trouble during the experience...I would slow down if exercising for example...but NOT stop.  Or if I was in a certain place and wanted to flee...I would close my eyes and slowly count up to a minute or more while breathing.  If I could make it that long...I could push for another minute, then another...and pretty soon I knew I could endure as long as I needed to.

Now, I simply tell myself that I can get through any challenge that is before me. I have done it before, and I can do it again...there is no stopping me.:)

This confidence comes with the foundation that you are laying for yourself...you can do it!!

Keep us posted.:)

S.C.

Hi

Well done on using exposure therapy it is a very effective way of beating your anxiety but can be tough going.

I am using exposure therapy at the moment I have social anxiety and have recently joined a table tennis club which I goto once a week. For the first couple of weeks my anxiety was sky high but the more I went the easier it has become. The main thing I think with exposure therapy is to pick something which you feel is achievable because if you through yourself in at the deep end you will struggle so as you said small steps are the way forward.

Keep us posted.

Hibee

I have for about 11 years now, since my husband died lived in my own little world. I shut out the outside world, stopped going to church, stopped going out with friends, stopped going to school. Stopped living. This became very comfortable for me.

I tried therapy several times in the past 11 years (and for years before that even) but I never stuck thru it, I would always quit after 2 to 4 sessions thinking it wasn't helping. Well 9 months ago, I started therapy again, still stuck in my own little world and not leaving my house except to the grocery store. I didn't feel like therapy would help this time either, but I decided to give it a try anyway and promised myself this time I would graduate therapy.

I went to my therapist for a couple months when she said she thought it would be good for me to start a group, I wasn't too excited about that. I don't like to venture out of my comfort zone and really didn't like people. Well after a couple more months of her saying it, I finally gave in and started a group. Unknown to me, I liked it. LOL

I am now currently in 2 groups a week at the mental health place I go to, I was in 3 but just graduated from my anxiety class last week. I also ventured out to a new group last week, outside of my clinic for art therapy. This is something I would of NEVER saw myself doing 9 months ago.

I also go out just about every weekend with at least one of my boys to do something.

I guess the moral of this long post lol is to just DO IT! Get out of your comfort zone and try it, no one is saying you have to keep doing it, but it won't hurt to try it once or twice, you might just be amazed at the results. :)

Hi AngelLisa

Your story is inspiring!! I'm so proud of you for deciding to give therapy another chance 9 months ago and so so glad that you did. Now you've even graduated from your anxiety class look how far we've come! Considering that you've been in "retreat" for 11 years this is a huge deal. This brings to mind something I've read somewhere....it goes like the amount of time you've struggled does NOT necessarily equal to the amount of time you'll take/need to recover.

Thanks for sharing this makes me want to keep going. Small steps at a time n I will go far...