NJM
If you shoot the tiger and they are not common then the thought is gone and so is the panic. This is a temporary belief and though it stays in memory it does not become a core belief. but if you do not know or some one constantly tells you there are tigers even though there aren't you will build a core belief that gives you something to fear even though there is no reason. This is why the panic comes often and comes hard when there is a trigger in place. The stronger the core belief and the more unreasonable it is the harder to break the cycle as you put it. Breaking the cycle only postpones the potential for another attack.
Burying the core belief works better for this and that takes exposure.
I totally disagree with introceptive exposure in those with long term core beliefs. With out coping skills in place and relaxation skills in place it can set back or increase the fear of trying.
You can take a bunch of non swimmers and throw them in deep water and some will swim and some will drown. I don't think the gamble is worth it, I would rather send them in with life jackets. Chances are that none will drown.
This is too close to the attitude of some that say it is just in your head so get over it. Of course it is in our heads but in the case of well established core beliefs it will take more than just a quick shock to get it out. Introceptive exposure is akin to getting back on a horse when you get bucked off, if you do it right away it works but if you wait a week and think about it it only gets harder. Better to learn why the horse bucked you off so you know what to expect.
Just my opinion but coming from some one that had life long anxiety and years of panic attacks every night I think that if you threw me in the deep water I would have drowned.
The object is not to get used to panic attack situations but to build the thought that they are false and for this it takes a change of perception, attitude and belief. Just getting used to them is only a coping skill and only a step towards getting rid of them. There is a big difference between normal panic and panic attacks.
There are so many degrees of anxiety and panic attacks varying from a simple fear to a full blown unreasonable panic so strong it hides the reason it is there.
This is a good program and takes people though it step by step and with the group for support and explanation there have been massive improvements.
Here for every one,
Davit.