Exposure therapy?

[[Go...]]

Does exposure therapy do anybody any good in benzo w/d, or is it just increasing the suffering? Any thoughts?

[[WU...]]

I think before doing any exposure therapy one would need to develop a sense of indifference to our symptoms, otherwise I think suffering will increase by adding frustration and fear

[[Re...]]

Hello @[Go...]! I have been doing exposure therapy from quite early on.  I believe it does work to some extent. You will know your limits better, and you will see the progress more. It was very very hard for me, but I happy I did it/basically still doing it. 

I am not sure I would be able to go to a store, or a Café, a pool, spend time with some people, do some very basic things without this. It is hard to tell if healing has taken place or the exposure worked. The important this is they did. 

If you try, please do a very gradual exposure, be gentle to yourself.  There is no rush. Even if you fail sometimes, be very proud of yourself, and make sure you try again. It is okay. I still fail every day and I am very hard on myself - but this is not needed. At the beginning, you can try with a family member, or girlfriend, this makes it easier. 

You will see, how your world slowly becomes bigger and bigger, Gonzo. Many of us do this every day with you, we should just practice how to engage life for a while together.

[[Kr...]]

@[Re...]are you a therapist? Can you tell me if exposure therapy is safe for everyone? You seem to have a lot of experience with this?

[[...]]

Hi Gonzo2504

I did exposure therapy with a therapist that specializes in anxiety for the first 3 months of my taper.

 

in beginning of my taper all the symptoms were new and very frightening.  The exposure practice gave me a little more space and made my reactions less intense.
 

 

My doctor had me do little steps which felt nearly  insurmountable at the time, but it became my safety line through the initial overwhelm of tapering clonazepam.
 

I am still tapering and still have anxiety, OCD and agoraphobia 🤪 but these are less much debilitating than before the therapy

[[...]]

Yes exposure therapy is valid. It's just learning. 

Keep in mind we've been damaged by a chemical. Do not push too hard. It reves symptoms in the short term. It's like exercise. Make sure you have plenty of time to rest afterwards. 

You'll learn what you can do. The key is not to get complacent with the damage and laying around. You have to push a little even though you don't feel like it. 

And don't let others push you.

[[ns...]]

On 12/03/2024 at 13:14, [[G...] said:

Does exposure therapy do anybody any good in benzo w/d, or is it just increasing the suffering? Any thoughts?

Exposure therapy is awesome!

Is a challenge sometimes but yes, getting out in public, challenging yourself to walk thru a store for example, telling myself, I'm safe, I'm uncomfortable but I'm ok, breath, tune out the noise and get moving. 

I've done this several times and I love it!

It feels so good to feel normal for a minute. 

Sometimes it's tough, if I'm having a hard week, or it's cold out it can be pretty tough.

Best to choose your battles but don't change your plans on these scheduled trips.

Your healing, your teaching your brain to re engage in life!

Ns

[[Re...]]

@[Kr...]I am definitely no therapist, to answer your question. I have been hit so hard with agoraphobia /social phobia, that I had to dig deep into the topic, that is all. 

[[Go...]]

On 15/03/2024 at 22:29, [[n...] said:

Exposure therapy is awesome!

Is a challenge sometimes but yes, getting out in public, challenging yourself to walk thru a store for example, telling myself, I'm safe, I'm uncomfortable but I'm ok, breath, tune out the noise and get moving. 

I've done this several times and I love it!

It feels so good to feel normal for a minute. 

Sometimes it's tough, if I'm having a hard week, or it's cold out it can be pretty tough.

Best to choose your battles but don't change your plans on these scheduled trips.

Your healing, your teaching your brain to re engage in life!

Ns

@[ns...]How far along you in your w/?

[[ns...]]

2 hours ago, [[G...] said:

@[ns...]How far along you in your w/?

Hi Gonzo2504, 

I'm at .08 lorazepam so getting really close to being done but it's been really tough!

Had my worst couple days yet. The further down I go the worse it's getting but I know I need to slow the cuts down a little. 

I can barely walk. I've been numb from above the waste down for months and figured put it's my back. 

The symptoms have really revved up so I'm taking a break for a bit.

Try that exposure therapy every time you get a chance. Encourage yourself, be proud of yourself for the accomplishment and do it over and over until it becomes part of your life to be put in the world again!

Take care 

Ns

[[B1...]]

I did ERP - exposure and response prevention therapy - and its helped massively. I did natural exposures though rather than forced exposures. For the thoughts you are having Gonzo, I highly recommend connecting with an OCD therapist for ERP.