Dr Becky Spelman, the Private Therapy Clinic
Exposure therapy is a type of CBT (cognitive behavioral therapy) in which your therapist exposes you to your fears gradually. This therapy helps you overcome things, places, activities, and situations that trigger anxiety and panic attacks.
Exposure therapy helps you identify your capability to confront your fears. When your therapist gradually exposes you to your fears, you will learn more realistic beliefs and become comfortable with your fear that causes panic attacks.
The use of exposure therapy for panic disorders is considerably higher all over the world. According to advanced research statistics, 65% of therapists in the United States use interoceptive exposure therapy for panic disorders, 88% of therapists use in-session exposure therapy to treat anxiety disorders, 97% of therapists in the Netherlands use exposure therapy to manage anxiety disorders, OCD (obsessive-compulsive disorder), and other mental health problems.
Identifying the Triggers: Recognize Panic Attack Symptoms
Panic attacks usually start with a sudden fear of something going wrong or a sense of impending danger. You can have a panic attack anywhere and anytime- while sleeping, driving, studying, or in the mall. It peaks in a few minutes, leaving you fatigued and worn out after it subsides.
The following are the symptoms of a panic attack:
● Rapid heartbeat with palpitations
● Sweating
● Intense fear of loss of control
● Choking and suffocation
● A feeling of tightness in the throat
● Chest pain
● Abdominal cramps
● Trembling or shivering
● Shortness of breath
● A feeling of detachment or unreality
● Nausea
● Dizziness
● Numbness and tingling
Panic attacks are associated with intense fear of having another panic attack. This fear triggers panic attacks again. You may avoid certain situations or activities that cause panic attacks. This is where exposure therapy comes into play, that slowly exposes you to your fear and helps you overcome it in a controlled and safe environment.
How Does Exposure Therapy Work in Panic Attack Management?
Exposure therapy for panic disorders is a step-by-step procedure, and its technique usually depends on the targeted condition.
Steps of exposure therapy include the following:
1-During your first session, your therapist will identify your triggers and fears. After identification, he will start exposing you to your fear.
2-Most therapists use a graded approach. First, your therapist will show you a glimpse of stimuli or a mild version of your fear. He will guide you on how to overcome your fear.
3-Overtime, he will desensitize you by exposing you to more feared stimuli under his observation and guidance.
4- The duration of exposure therapy and number of sessions depends on your response and progress.
Your therapist will help you apply cognitive skills to control negative thoughts that dysregulate your brain physiology and cause panic attacks. You will learn new coping skills like cognitive restructuring, breathing retraining, or relaxation techniques when exposed to feared stimuli. These skills will help you overcome panic attacks.
What are the Types of Exposure Therapy for Managing Panic Attacks?
There are different ways to use exposure therapy in managing panic disorders, including:
This therapy reverses the vicious cycle, which triggers panic attacks first, then leads to anxiety and avoidance. Your therapist will help you unlearn things that cause panic attacks. Then, he will re-introduce you to that situation gradually while teaching you new coping skills. He will increase your exposure to the feared stimuli gradually; it might cause slight anxiety but not in excessive amounts.
Panic attacks are associated with misinterpretation of physiological symptoms. You may feel a sense of imminent danger, a medical catastrophe, or loss of control. In reality, these symptoms are similar to physiological symptoms experienced in routine work like exercise, running, or excitement. This therapy triggers physical symptoms of panic attacks like hyperventilation, increased heartbeat, and shivering. You will learn although these physical symptoms make you uncomfortable, but they are not harmful.
This therapy involves facing feared stimuli that cause panic attacks in real life. For example, your therapist will ask you to hold an object you fear. He will guide you on how to overcome your anxiety and control negative thoughts that cause panic attacks.
Imaginal exposure therapy involves imagining those situations that cause panic attacks and learning how to overcome them. Your therapist might ask you to imagine the scenario that triggers your panic attacks and help you learn new coping skills.
Research studies support the role of exposure therapy in the management of panic attacks. In 2018, Christina et al. studied the efficacy of exposure therapy in the treatment of panic attacks. Eight patients suffering from panic attacks had three sessions of exposure therapy. Six patients showed a significant reduction in panic attack symptoms, while four patients had remission.
Another study by Ignacio et al. demonstrated the effect of in vivo exposure therapy in patients with panic disorders. Most patients had high satisfaction scores, a significant reduction in symptoms, and overall satisfactory experience after in-vivo exposure therapy using location-based technologies.
Take the first step toward Panic Attack Relief!
Panic attacks might be daunting for you, but exposure therapy can provide substantial benefits. It offers a path to reclaim control over your body and break free from the suffocating grip of panic attacks.
In addition to exposure therapy, you can receive support from No Panic. No Panic is here to help you. Connect with us today to access expert resources, find a qualified therapist, and join a community of individuals who have triumphed over panic. Don’t let panic define you; take your first step for a brighter, anxiety-free tomorrow.
Does exposure therapy work for panic attacks?
Exposure therapy has been proven to be effective in the management of several mental health problems, including panic attacks, anxiety disorders, PTSD, and phobias.
What therapy is good for panic attacks?
Exposure therapy, a type of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), is good for panic attacks. During exposure therapy, your therapist exposes you to your stimuli and teaches you different ways of thinking and behaving to manage panic attacks.
Can I do exposure therapy on my own?
Some people tend to expose themselves to mild anxiety and learn to overcome it gradually. For example, speaking in front of a crowd. However, it is not recommended to do exposure therapy on your own if you have severe anxiety. It is helpful to consult a therapist for exposure therapy.
How to stop panic attacks?
You can stop panic attacks by practicing breathing exercises, managing stress levels, and eating a healthy diet. Reassure yourself that physical symptoms of panic attack are not harmful. Moreover, psychotherapy, including CBT and exposure therapy, is also helpful.
What causes panic attacks?
Panic attacks occur due to negative thoughts that dysregulate normal physiological activities in the brain. Triggers of panic attacks include stress, intense physical activity like over breathing and exercise, excessive caffeine intake, or even a fear of having a panic attack.
Moses, K., Gonsalvez, C. J., & Meade, T. (2021). Utilisationand predictors of use of exposure therapy in the treatment of anxiety, OCD and PTSD in an Australian sample: a preliminary investigation. BMC Psychology, 9(1).
Bergmark, C. (2019). Brief Therapist-Guided Exposure Treatment of Panic Attacks: A Pilot Study – Christina Bergmark Hall, Lars-Gunnar Lundh, 2019. Behavior Modification.
Miralles, I. (2020). Enhancing In Vivo Exposure in the Treatment of Panic Disorder and Agoraphobia Using Location-Based Technologies: A Case Study – Ignacio Miralles, Carlos Granell, Azucena García-Palacios, Diana Castilla, Alberto González-Pérez, Sven Casteleyn, Juana Bretón-López, 2020. Clinical Case Studies.
What Is Exposure Therapy. (2017, July 31).
