Exposure therapy is a type of psychological treatment that helps people confront their fears by exposing them to the feared objects, activities, or situations in a safe environment. The goal of exposure therapy is to reduce fear and decrease avoidance of the feared objects, activities, or situations. Exposure therapy has been scientifically demonstrated to be a helpful treatment or treatment component for a range of problems, including phobias, panic disorder, social anxiety disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, posttraumatic stress disorder, and generalized anxiety disorder. There are several variations of exposure therapy, including:
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In vivo exposure: Directly facing a feared object, situation, or activity in real life. For example, someone with a fear of snakes might be instructed to handle a snake, or someone with social anxiety might be instructed to give a speech in front of a small group of people.
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Imaginal exposure: Vividly imagining the thing, situation, or activity that is feared. For example, if someone has post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), they might be asked to repeatedly imagine the traumatic event that caused their PTSD.
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Virtual reality exposure: Using virtual reality technology to simulate the feared object, situation, or activity. For example, someone with a fear of flying might be exposed to a virtual reality simulation of a plane ride.
Exposure therapy is typically conducted under the supervision of a trained professional. It is important to note that exposure therapy can be difficult work and may cause people to feel and confront things that they have worked hard to avoid. However, exposure therapy has been found to be effective at treating a variety of types of anxiety disorders, including PTSD and phobias.
