Exposure Therapy is a form of behavioral therapy designed to help individuals face and overcome anxiety or fear by gradually exposing them to the feared object, situation, or memory in a safe and controlled manner.
Key Points:
- Uses: Primarily effective for phobias, PTSD, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), and social anxiety.
- Approach:
- In Vivo Exposure: Direct, real-life confrontation of a feared situation (e.g., riding an elevator).
- Imaginal Exposure: Re-living or visualizing traumatic events or feared scenarios in one’s mind.
- Interoceptive Exposure: Purposefully inducing bodily sensations of panic (e.g., hyperventilating) to learn new responses.
- Goal: Desensitize the individual to triggers, reduce avoidance behaviors, and build coping skills.
