In a word yes. Exposure isn't the answer, it is reinforcement of the answer. If you are able to cope with a panic situation, then and only then will exposure do you any good. It is like this you have a safe circle. You know that it is a safe circle. You can step out of the circle only if you have another safe one to step into or you can drag your safe circle with you. This is coping. This is tolerance of the situation. So now you know what you can put up with. Stick a foot out of that safe circle into a near panic situation. Drag your safe circle over you. ( coping ) If it is something you can cope with, then take another step into a near panic situation. You managed to cope with the last one can you drag your safe circle over this one too. If not then you need to work on your relaxing and coping skills so you can. Or use the xanax.
The problem with exposure is attitude. If you fail and accept failure then you have let a dragon loose, But if you fail and accept it is temporary, and believe you can still do it, the dragon sleeps on. If you succeed the dragon goes back in his cage where he can not bother you. All about you, not the dragons. How you look at your exposure dictates how successful it is.
Is this confusing? If it is please say so. I will try harder to explain it.
I also have never had a panic attack that lasts only 10 minutes - that wouldn't be so bad if it were the case! I think the worst part of panic usually lasts about 30-60 minutes for me, with it taking a couple of hours to fully "come down" from a bad panic attack.
Davit - in terms of doing something that bothers you to prove there is no reason for it to bother you or inducing panic to prove there is no reason to panic - isn't that was exposure is? Several of my exposure experiments have induced panic attacks or near panic attacks, and I wonder sometimes how effective this is because usually my fear is of fear itself - so if I'm afraid of having a panic attack, then go into a situation and have a panic attack, isn't my worst fear coming true? How do I learn not to be afraid of these situations this way? Am I taking steps that are too big too fast?
One, I keep hearing that panic attacks usually last only ten minutes. This is more like a nightmare instead of a panic attack. Mine would peak at about ten minutes or less and continue in that heightened state from one to three hours, with my heart rate coming down finally at the end. Even when I started to be able to tell them to go away they still were more than ten minutes they just dissipated faster. Some people describe having panic all day. I have had constant agitation that lasted for days, but with out the heightened heart rate that comes with panic but with the other symptoms. I lost weight during this period because I could not eat or sit still. Not a good way to lose weight.
Introceptive exposure: This is not something I would recommend you do without someone with you or if you do not have coping skills in place. The same as I do not believe exposure can work with out coping skills in place. But I can understand the thought behind it. Doing something that bothers you to prove there is no reason for it to bother you. Basically inducing panic to prove there is no reason to panic. Every one has to do this, but I think it belongs at the end of the program. Just my opinion.
There are two ways to teach a child to swim. Throw him in the water and let him learn, or teach him how first and let him enter the water on his own. I favour the second myself.
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