Why Is Exposure Good for Anxiety

Common Exposure for Anxiety Mistakes: Misunderstanding What You’re Exposing Yourself To

Most people think exposure for anxiety means facing external situations, driving on the highway, being home alone, or attending social gatherings. But that’s not quite right. The real exposure for anxiety is to your internal experience: the uncomfortable thoughts, overwhelming emotions, and physical sensations that arise in these situations.

When you drive on the highway, the exposure isn’t to the highway itself, it’s to how you feel when you’re there. This distinction is crucial because it shifts your focus from trying to control external circumstances to learning to navigate your internal landscape.

How Does Exposure for Anxiety Actually Work?

Exposure for anxiety relies on two key mechanisms. The first is habituation, essentially getting used to something through repetition. But the more important mechanism is inhibitory learning, where you learn that you can actually tolerate and move through difficult internal experiences without engaging in your usual rescue behaviors.

Both mechanisms depend on a fundamental truth: all internal human experiences are temporary. Think about it. Every time you’ve been scared, anxious, angry, or sad, that experience eventually ended. Your brain isn’t designed to stay laser-focused on one feeling forever, which is why we have entire industries dedicated to teaching focus and attention.

Why Exposure for Anxiety Should Feel Scary

Here’s where many people get stuck with exposure for anxiety. They understand they need to face their fears, but then spend tremendous energy trying to make the experience less frightening. This completely undermines the process.

Exposure for anxiety is supposed to be scary. That’s not a bug, it’s a feature. You’re not learning to live without anxiety; you’re learning that you can be anxious and still do what matters to you. The fear isn’t something to eliminate during exposure for anxiety; it’s the very thing you’re learning to be with.

The Control Trap

Another common mistake with exposure for anxiety is attempting to control the internal experience during exposure. You might choose to be intentionally triggered (which is brave), but then bring along your ice pack, call your safe person, or engage in mental rituals to manage the discomfort.

This approach backfires because you end up learning that you can only handle difficult situations with your safety behaviors intact. Instead of building genuine confidence, you reinforce the belief that you’re fragile and need special accommodations.

Different Types of Exposure for Anxiety

Exposure for anxiety isn’t always about doing something scary. Sometimes it’s about not doing the thing that temporarily relieves your distress. For someone with panic disorder, exposure for anxiety might mean going somewhere triggering. For someone with generalized anxiety or OCD, exposure for anxiety might mean not ruminating, not seeking reassurance, or not Googling symptoms when worrying thoughts arise.

The key is recognizing that rumination, excessive problem-solving, and reassurance-seeking are often forms of avoidance, ways to escape the discomfort of uncertainty or difficult emotions.

Getting Exposure for Anxiety Right

While knowing about anxiety isn’t the same as recovering from it, understanding the theory behind exposure for anxiety is crucial for applying it effectively. Without this foundation, you might inadvertently work against yourself or give up prematurely when exposure for anxiety could genuinely help.

Remember, exposure for anxiety requires courage and commitment to these principles. It’s challenging work, but when done correctly, it can teach you that you’re far more resilient than your anxious mind would have you believe.

Links Of Interest

• My Exposure Explained workshop (mentioned in this episode)
• My Substack
• Find my “Practical Mindfulness for Anxiety Recovery” Groups
• My Panic Attacks Explained Workshop
• My Agoraphobia Explained Workshop
• My Panic and Agoraphobia Recovery Guidebook
• Follow me on Instagram
• My YouTube Channel
• Disordered – With Josh Fletcher

Disclaimer: The Anxious Truth is not therapy or a replacement for therapy. Listening to The Anxious Truth does not create a therapeutic relationship between you and the host or guests of the podcast. Information here is provided for psychoeducational purposes. As always, when you have questions about your own well-being, please consult your mental health and/or medical care providers. If you are having a mental health crisis, always reach out immediately for in-person help.