Started exposure therapy

I took the plunge and started exposure therapy with a therapist. I haven't done an exposure yet, only been to a couple of sessions. But I feel like this was a big first step.

Awesome 🙆. I hope you achieve what your looking for. Im actually doing some version of exposure therapy but through a self help book and im noticing results so it does work. Just remember to always be honest with yourself and your therapist so that you can get to the core of your anxiety issues. Your very brave for doing this, good luck.

Good stuff. I am doing my own kinda home grown version as my therapist isn't exactly forthcoming with assistance on it. Can you talk a bit about the kinds of exposures you are doing as and when you do them (it might help me come up with ideas too )

Thanks, and good luck, it has been very helpful for me so far.

What frequency are you doing them, and how many etc per day?

Oh also @Rainyfall if you need some motivation and help to get out there and do the tasks I might be able to provide some useful insight, so fee free to shoot me a pm (I am actually all nice and friendly really )

Good for you!

I haven't started the exposures yet, just met the therapist last week.

Exposure therapy was very helpful for me especially if done with mindfulness and acceptance (ACT). It's great you are doing this. Keep us posted. It really does help.

Oh yeah, that's the right way to improve! Exposure therapy is probably the hardest but also the most effective way to improve. I like exposuring myself with little but decisive steps. Like looking other people longer in the eyes, asking more questions to my course instructor and generelly trying to be more assertive. I also try to overcome my anxiety by doing things I generelly fear (like visiting new gyms or locations). The first step we have to make is to accept that we all experience much anxiety in specific regards. This is okay. We just have to confront ourselfs with them. If we do it, will not only overcome our anxieties sooner or later, but we will also feel a little bit more ALIVE in our half dead livelihoods. Yes, notice that fear is also something that keeps inner emptyness at a bay. If you also confront yourself with your fears you will also feel mentally stronger and alive afterwards.

I'm happy you have the support of your therapist, dear thread starter, since exposure therapy is something really hard to do on your own. You need someone you can relate to and count on, that will permanently motivate you to keep practicing. Otherwise, there is a chance you will be disappointed, give it up and be even more sad in the end.

is that when you practice being social with your therapist around? I almost did that. I think it's crazy and good that they could actually do that. She was talking about me approaching people in public like the mall and asking questions to start a conversation. That's crazy how people even do that, especially when males do that with girls.

It really isn't helpful if it doesn't start at a simpler level. For me, it was simply to look at someone eye to eye for a few seconds. Then after that, maybe say hi and nothing else even if they don't acknowledge me. Then after that maybe something about the weather. It took a very long time. It is a slow and gradual process of increasing the risk and fear but always within the context of ACT (acceptance). It is a long struggle. If you get impatient and go too fast, it might not work.