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Exposure work help

9 years ago 0 +0 / -0 2508

Hi nanodog..Just wanted to say Welcome to the support group. By the way I went slowly with the exposure and still do. No need to push it past the point of no return. Taking it slow and easy and breaking in down into small steps works the best for me. You'll find and know what works best for you. We are all a little different in our approach and that's really quite ok...Red:)

9 years ago 0 +0 / -0 6252

Like I said it is a common way to do exposure. I just don't agree with it. I'd rather make something non existent than to have to fight it all the time, even if I win the fight each time. If you study how the brain works you will discover that things in memory stay there so they always have the potential to be accessed. Cognitive restructuring makes access more difficult by changing access by positive thought so the trigger doesn't access panic thoughts instead of having to deal with them. The trigger is still a trigger, it just doesn't trigger panic. Concern is still there just not worry or panic so there is no need for coping skills. Exposure then only becomes panic if you dig hard and come up with negative thoughts to feed the panic. Which you can let go of by going back to the positive answers that are in memory.

This restructuring is coding a positive pathway in memory so the trigger follows the desired path. Much like access in a computer. Each code can only do one thing. It is actually a lot more complicated than this but the principle is simple.

I personally know six people that are between 80 and 95% recovered. Most are off their meds or close to it. So it is certainly possible.

As I have said here before, what ever works for you, the object is to get better and forums are for support, venting and just saying hi so the world knows they are not alone. And we are not alone. Something like one on ten have panic attacks bad enough to need help. One in four people have some form of mental problem from major to very minor.

Davit.

PS, I have to do it this way, I have not been able to build tolerance through exposure. I'm not strong enough.

9 years ago 0 +0 / -0 219

Hi and Welcome Nanodog,

I have been thrown into situations where I was in a state of Panic in exposure therapy and it is not a healthy way to do exposure. In my personal situation it set me back two months on my recovery. It took away everything I learned here and made me feel bad. There is no reason whatsoever for that when you can do exposure therapy at your own pace under less stressful levels. There are so many resources online that will tell you either way is the best way. The best way, is what is best for you with exposure and only you can determine that. If something isn't working for you, you have the choice to change it. If I seen a therapist who wanted me to have a panic attack while doing exposure therapy, I would say goodbye without looking back. I'm here because I choose not to have another panic attack ever again and it's working. I haven't had a panic attack in a couple of months. I still have anxiety, but now it is manageable. When I first came here, I was having panic attack after panic attack. Honestly, it felt like they never stopped for over a month. I worked hard on the assignments and can proudly say now, I am 90% recovered. Possibly 95%, but there is always room for improvement.

If its your main goal, stick around, do the assignments at your own pace. I'm looking forward to hearing about your recovery.

9 years ago 0 +0 / -0 2

Thanks for the response. I am not sure if any of us really even know if 100% is possible or not. I'd be quite happy with the 95% you have managed to achieve. I go to a place that specializes in panic disorder and they swear up and down all day long that exposure is the way to 100%. They claim to have helped many people achieve it. The goal being to expose yourself to the worst panic over and over until it is no longer scary. Running away from it or masking it just makes things worse. That I agree with. But the goal there is absolutely not to be relaxed and comfortable doing exposures. Exactly the opposite. If you are not having a panic attack then the exposure is not difficult enough. I think this panic center website falls in line with their teaching as well, but like you said most of us are just too scared to take it that far. I am still hoping I will get there someday. It is my main goal in life right now.

9 years ago 0 +0 / -0 6252

Welcome nanodog

Well that certainly is one way to do exposure, in fact it is a common way as found on the net. I think it is bit out dated. Keep in mind this is my opinion based on my experience. I differ in that I believe exposure is a marker of ability not a cure. I believe exposure is a test of how well the rest of CBT is working. If it isn't then exposure will fail.

It works like this, if your relaxation techniques are working and if your coping skills are working then they will handle exposure but you will still notice you are doing exposure. This is the behavioural side of CBT. The cognitive side, changing thought patterns leaves the trigger intact but with no power so it means something different and exposure becomes irrelevant because the trigger now means something else so all exposure does then is show you how well you have changed thought patterns. This is using all of CBT. The cognitive part is referred here to as changing negative to positive. Can you look at what caused panic now and see it as not important other than as a fact, not a trigger? If not then save your money and work on the cognitive half of CBT first.

My therapist has tried to get people together but can't. People are scared. The only place it happens is in the psych ward and only because they have no way out.

If you look around a store or restaurant or any public place you will see people doing exposure and using coping skills.

Fidgeting, toe tapping, polishing silver ware, looking out the window and any number of other distractions. A lot of these people don't even know they have an anxiety disorder. Cognitive restructuring takes away the anxiety so coping skills are no longer necessary.

I don't take medication anymore, nor do I have panic attacks or need coping skills at least 95% of the time or more. 80% is considered recovered. Not good enough I think. I'm aiming for 100% although at 95% life is good, very good.

Davit.

9 years ago 0 +0 / -0 2

It sure would be nice to have a group of other sufferers in my city, that would be willing to do exposure work with me and I could do exposure work with them. This is so difficult because we have no one to inspire us and we feel very alone. There maybe a lot of people in the world with panic disorder but I can tell you I know only one person and that person is me. My therapist will do exposure work with me, but it will cost me $180 an hour and she really does not know what it is actually like to feel like this. I have worked extremely hard over the last 5 months to get off all medications and stop carrying Xanax around. I am doing pretty good actually. I remember one-year ago I was on Lexapro and Xanax and still was afraid to do things. So If I am going to be afraid anyway, I might as well be off the meds and give myself a real chance to beat this. Just wish I could get over my fear of having a panic attack. I think the only way out is through it. Just keep facing it and facing it and showing it that you are not afraid and it will eventually go away.

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Exposure work help