Exposure Response Therapy

Exposure Response Therapy is one of the only types of therapies that really got me to a healthy point of recovery. But it’s also my least favorite type of therapy.

The point is to expose yourself to things that cause immense amounts of anxiety to prove to yourself that there is nothing to be anxious about. The more you do it, the more your anxiety level goes down for a specific exposure.

I worked with a specialist in this area and some of the exposures were pretty funny when you think about it. For example:

Day 1: Walk to the mailbox

Day 2: Walk to the mailbox and open it

Day 3: Walk to the mailbox and take out a letter

Day 4: Evaluate if you blew up and prove the intrusive thoughts wrong. You did not blow up. Anxiety goes down!

Day 5: Continue getting mail every day until there is no anxiety

Exposure therapy increases your anxiety before it gets better and it’s a very long process. But in the end, it has improved my quality of life.