Exposure Therapy

[FearofUnknown]

Exposure Therapy is facing your fears but does it help or does it make things worse?

Is it safe to return to where trauma has been or it dangerous to let yourself back to a traumatic environment?

I am planning on returning to my old workplace as part of Exposure Therapy to see if I can comprehend the regretful event that took place there better. But will it just make matters worse, seeing how things have changed after I've abruptly left work? Should I return there for a visit or not?

Please read my story here: https://saneforums.org/t5/Our-stories/I-quit-work-by-accident/td-p/1742388 

[Former-Member]

My psychologist and I have had more than one discussion about Exposure Therapy @FearofUnknown.  she has said it is a therapy that takes time to prepare for, full trust in the person who is working with you and takes a long time. She has said it can have lots of benefits but is not for everyone.

During first appointment with psychiatrist I used to see, he started exposure therapy with me.  No pre-warning, no preparation, no nothing.  His approach was extremely uncomfortable for me and badly triggered me.  His approach resulted in negative, flow on impact on me for days after.

from lots of reading I’ve done, it appears exposure therapy can have positive outcomes provided it is done in a slow, gradual process.

[SleeplessRaven]

@FearofUnknown 

I think what @Former-Member has said about having someone working with you who you trust and can help guide is important. It’s also important for you to know where you are at personally in processing what’s happened. 

I addressed a number of people from my past who were the cause of some of my trauma, without guidance - just me working through my own issues and trying to come to terms with them. It only worked out in my favour because I was able to control my own reactions and triggers in the face of something that was otherwise extremely triggering. On the flip side, there’s also a number of abusers I will never be able to confront, because I don’t think it’ll ever be safe for me to do so. 

If you are doing this and your ex boss brings up the past or confronts you in a way that triggers you, can you be confident in yourself for it to not be more traumatic, or do you think it’ll help you work through it? 

[SweetMonster]

@FearofUnknown 

For me my exposure therapy has been breaking it down into smaller triggers. And i even helped my son with one - as mine are a bit too triggering to write about today.

Eg. My son had a traumatic school experience and refused to return.

Some of the ideas we brainstormed with his psychologist

- put uniform on at night for 5 mins and build up time (he never did this)

- drive past the school on a non-school day

- drive into the school on a non-school day

- park at the school on a non-school day

- drive past while school in classes

- drive past while school kids on recess/lunch break 

You start to see that its a slow build up. And we never jumped to the next step until he was comfortable first. Its ok to be anxious - it was about rebuilding trust and a feeling of safety. And in his particular situation, having autonomy over the process.

He eventually allowed an at-home school meeting but never returned to THAT school. It took almost a year to get him into another school and he is kicking some amazing goals - attendance is still not one if them though.  Oh and his school was on my route to/from work so I needed extra travel time to accommodate the times he ended up at my workplace. *and that's okay*