Exposure therapy for anxiety disorders.

[tomorrow]

It is rightly said that the best way to defeat fear is to face it. I think the crux of Exposure Therapy is this message.  It exposes phobic individuals to the same situation that frightens or makes them nervous, but in a controlled and well planned manner.  For example a person suffering from Arachnophobia  (fear of spiders) is first exposed to an image of spider and at an advanced stage he will  be able to touch a live spider without fear.  In modern science it is becoming more effective with the help of computers via virtual reality exposure. 


Do you think it will go well with all types of anxiety disorder patients?

 

[Lyndra]

I'm not sure. As part of treatment it can work very well, but for example, in the phobia treatment I did, they start by talking through it, answering questions about what phobias are and why the reaction occurs, followed by hypnotherapy and then carefully stepped-up exposure: images, caged, and then free-roaming until it gets to the point where you touch one. I'd make sure it is done by professions, as amateurs trying to do it can make matters worse.

Flooding on the other hand (Over-exposure therapy) can go both ways: either it cures a minor phobia or it makes a bad one much worse. I know of one person who simply went catatonic after exposure to the phobia source. They stayed that way for four hours after the phobia item was removed. That did not cure the phobia.

 

[Concernedgal]

I will soon have to face my phobia of being a passenger in a car. This is called "amaxaphobia". The fear does not mean that I don't trust the driver because I do. It's the general fear of being in a car. It's the movement of the car and the feeling of being enclosed and if I do have a panic attack, I can't control it as well because i'm not the 1 driving. I suppose you could say that I don't have control, does that make sense? I will soon have to face this this fear traveling on Christmas eve. I am so not looking forward to this. Keep in mind that I am not on anti anxiety medication. After 15 years of suffering my anxiety and depression, I finally found the courage to seek professional help. So maybe we will get it all figured out before then and treatment can begin.

 

[Zeesi]

I don't necessarily think that this type of therapy will work for everyone, especially when anxiety is involved. I don't really like the one-size-fits-all type of message that it has to it.
I truly believe that certain things are just part of our individual, inherent make-up, and that no amount of therapy can cure it. That's my personal opinion.

We all know that everyone is different, so it is hard to believe that one type of therapy can be a fix for everyone. This kind of belief about certain therapies being a cure-all that will work for anyone, especially the "all you have to do is face your fears and you'll be okay" type of therapy.
In my opinion, this type of thought gives too much credence to the people who are out there who say, "there is nothing wrong with you, you can be cured, so get over it."

 

[Zeesi]

I will soon have to face my phobia of being a passenger in a car. This is called "amaxaphobia". The fear does not mean that I don't trust the driver because I do. It's the general fear of being in a car. It's the movement of the car and the feeling of being enclosed and if I do have a panic attack, I can't control it as well because i'm not the 1 driving. I suppose you could say that I don't have control, does that make sense? I will soon have to face this this fear traveling on Christmas eve. I am so not looking forward to this. Keep in mind that I am not on anti anxiety medication. After 15 years of suffering my anxiety and depression, I finally found the courage to seek professional help. So maybe we will get it all figured out before then and treatment can begin.

Pardon me, may I be a bit curious here and ask you... Are you going on this trip because you have made the decision, on your own, that you want to face this fear? Or, are you going because you feel pressured into going? Do you feel awkward about putting your foot down and saying "No, I'm not going" because it's Christmas and you feel obligated to make the trip?

 

[Concernedgal]

I feel obligated and I feel I must face this ,both. Let me explain. Every year on christmas eve my mother in law throws a Christmas eve party. We have to drive there. As your already aware, being a passenger in a car is 1 of my biggest fears. The obligation I feel is the not hurting anyone's feelings. I would feel guilty if I didn't go. On the other hand... I am still struggling with this decision to go to the party. Today I had an awful panic attack, I actually had 1 that made me faint today... that has never happened to me before. Anyway. On one hand, I could hurt my loved ones if I don't and if I do go... I might have panic attacks once again in a car. I mean nobody's twisting my arm to go but, I just don't like hurting anybodys feelings either. What would you do if you were in my shoes?

 

[Zeesi]

I feel obligated and I feel I must face this ,both. Let me explain. Every year on christmas eve my mother in law throws a Christmas eve party. We have to drive there. As your already aware, being a passenger in a car is 1 of my biggest fears. The obligation I feel is the not hurting anyone's feelings. I would feel guilty if I didn't go. On the other hand... I am still struggling with this decision to go to the party. Today I had an awful panic attack, I actually had 1 that made me faint today... that has never happened to me before. Anyway. On one hand, I could hurt my loved ones if I don't and if I do go... I might have panic attacks once again in a car. I mean nobody's twisting my arm to go but, I just don't like hurting anybodys feelings either. What would you do if you were in my shoes?

You fainted? Oh my gosh.

Girl, don't ask me for my advice, because I'll tell you in a minute to stay home, but that's not what you want to hear... or maybe it is. People ask me to do things or go places all the time, and if I don't feel like it, I say NO.
They don't react favorably, let me tell you, but oh well.

I read something somewhere that said we will often tell ourselves "no" in order to tell others "yes". I know all about that life, and did that for many years, but I try my best not to do it anymore. I still do it though, constantly, because I don't value myself as much as I should.
Not so much when it comes to going somewhere I don't want to go, or doing something that I don't want to do, because I'm pretty good about standing up for myself when it comes to that type of stuff, but in dealing with other things, like with my landlord, or rude family members, I sometimes hold a lot of stuff in.

Therefore... I can sort of relate to what you are going through, but then again, you should stand up for your health. If you don't, who will? Since I find it very difficult to stand up for myself in certain situations, what you are going through is kind of heartbreaking for me, when we put our own self last and someone else first, even if it really hurts us.

I know you feel obligated, and if you do decide to go, I hope that you have a wonderful, happy and blessed time; it is Christmas after all, and it is nice to get together with family.

 

[Concernedgal]

Thank you for your advice. I think i'll stay home this year. You may not have said it in words but, I do agree with you... the only obligation I have is to myself ad my happiness. And about the fainting spell .. good lord girl I never experienced anxiety like that . I don't remember much about this but, a friend of mine that works with me said that I was talking to her 1 minute and the next... she saw my eyes rolling in the back of my head and I just fell. I woke up feeling nervous and anxious and I went to work and I thought to myself , breathe, just breathe . Well... the paramedics said that I passed out because my anxiety was so bad and my heart rate was up so high that it was too much for me. They explained that I passed out because blood wasn't circulating in my brain. So your body falls to force blood to reach your brain. Thank you for your support.

 

[Zeesi]

Thank you for your advice. I think i'll stay home this year. You may not have said it in words but, I do agree with you... the only obligation I have is to myself ad my happiness. And about the fainting spell .. good lord girl I never experienced anxiety like that . I don't remember much about this but, a friend of mine that works with me said that I was talking to her 1 minute and the next... she saw my eyes rolling in the back of my head and I just fell. I woke up feeling nervous and anxious and I went to work and I thought to myself , breathe, just breathe . Well... the paramedics said that I passed out because my anxiety was so bad and my heart rate was up so high that it was too much for me. They explained that I passed out because blood wasn't circulating in my brain. So your body falls to force blood to reach your brain. Thank you for your support.

I think that staying home is a good idea if that is what you want to do.
That fainting spell sounds really scary. I can't even imagine. One minute you're fine, the next you're waking up. Good grief.

I always tell my son, your body will give you an answer to certain questions sometimes long before your logical mind can process the information.
Make sure you listen, and if you choose not to listen, make sure that you are aware of what you are doing.

I once had a job where everyday before going to work I would get a stomachache. Eventually I quit that job because deep down I knew it wasn't the place for me. I was logically trying to push that information to the side, and just tough things out, but my body would not let me get off that easy. My body was screaming 'stop going to that job!!'

It is always interesting to me how people are perfectly fine with you, until you tell them NO. Then all of a sudden you find out who your real friends are.

I remember years ago, my son was in private middle school and had been there for 2 years. I had fallen on financial hard times, and made the mistake of letting my "friends" at the school know; you know, school staff, fellow parents.

Staff told me that my son would be able to continue to attend the school next year, which alleviated some of my fears regarding my financial problems. The cost was about 1, 100 a month, which is very reasonable for the area, but reasonable or not, I got to the point where I couldn't pay it.

Well, cut to several months later...

The day before the last day of school, the 'educators' at the school had got together and decided that the school was no longer a fit for my son, and they wanted to discuss it with me in a formal meeting the next day, on the last day of school.

In an informal setting, the office manager, principal and co-director/owner told me that I should show up tomorrow for the formal meeting, and also bring my son to school on the last day, for the end of the year school picnic/carnival/fair.

My answer to them was 'if we are not going to be allowed to come back to the school next year, then why should we come tomorrow on the last day?' (Because you say so?)

The co-director told me, and I've never forgotten these words, "If you love your son, you'll come tomorrow and attend the meeting?"
Do I need to tell you that neither me or my son showed up on the last day of school?

I mean, just let that marinate for a second... if I don't do what you tell me to do, then I don't love my son??

Really?

What the staff wanted was closure. What I wanted was to protect my son.

They wanted to tie the situation all up with a neat little bow. Have a formal meeting. Tell me their thoughts. But I was done.

And since they all talk amongst themselves, I knew that probably more than one parent knew what was going on. Would they tell their kids?
My son and I might have shown up to the last day festivities with everyone gossiping behind our backs, all of my son's peers knowing he wasn't coming back the next year? No thanks.

Anyway... Happy Holidays

 

[Concernedgal]

What a bunch of back stabbing snobs. TheY could of handled that situation better. And them saying "if you love your son , u will attend tomorrow? " are you kidding me? What right did they have to tell you how to love your son? He's your son and only you know how to raise them. The whole situation yo went through was unnecessary. Just tell me what the deal is and no stupid meetings or discussions.you know what i'm saying? Geez.

 

[Zeesi]

I know right, but then on

What a bunch of back stabbing snobs. TheY could of handled that situation better. And them saying "if you love your son , u will attend tomorrow? " are you kidding me? What right did they have to tell you how to love your son? He's your son and only you know how to raise them. The whole situation yo went through was unnecessary. Just tell me what the deal is and no stupid meetings or discussions.you know what i'm saying? Geez.

I know, right? They started treating me kind of shady in the last few weeks of school, too,
prior to the whole "day-before-the-last-day-of-school" shenanigans. I should have know then that things had changed.

But on the other hand, they are "professionals" and I have to give them credit for providing great services at the school. My thing with them was, we are all already here; why do I need to come back tomorrow? So that we can all sit down around a large table and have this same discussion that we're having right here, right now, standing up in the front office?

You're right,"just tell me what the deal is..." and we can keep it moving. No need to create a big production when something small will do.

 

[Concernedgal]

It's like you've said before though. They just wanted closure. Closure they didn't deserve. It may be true that the services they provided were great. But, I still believe that they could've handled things better.