Eksponeeriteraapia

Eksponeeriteraapia, also known as exposure therapy, is a type of psychotherapy that helps people face their fears. It is a common and effective treatment for anxiety disorders, including phobias, panic disorder, social anxiety disorder, and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). The core principle of exposure therapy is to gradually expose individuals to the feared object, situation, or thought in a safe and controlled environment.

The process typically begins with a therapist helping the patient identify their specific fears and create a hierarchy of feared situations, ranking them from least to most anxiety-provoking. The therapy then progresses by exposing the patient to these situations, starting with the least frightening ones. This exposure can be done in several ways. In vivo exposure involves confronting the feared situation in real life, such as a person with a fear of flying taking a short plane trip. Imaginal exposure involves vividly imagining the feared situation. Virtual reality exposure uses technology to simulate feared environments. For OCD, exposure and response prevention (ERP) is a specific type where individuals are exposed to triggering thoughts or situations and then prevented from performing their usual compulsive rituals.

The goal of exposure therapy is not to eliminate fear entirely, but to help individuals learn that their feared outcomes are unlikely or manageable, and that the anxiety they experience will decrease over time with repeated exposure. This process, known as habituation, allows the brain to learn that the feared stimulus is not a genuine threat, thereby reducing the fear response. Therapists provide support and coping strategies throughout the process, ensuring the patient feels safe and in control.