Treatment without exposure therapy

[turtleiam]

Hi Everyone,


I've wondered if you can be successfully treated without going through exposure therapy? I've made HUGE stride over the last year. However, I quit going to therapy because we just weren't getting anywhere & I was feeling good. This was a mutual decision between my therapist & me. We had done CBT, but without any sort of exposure therapy. I feel so much better, however, I'm not as "cured" as I want to be when I'm face with a sv* in the family.


So, my question is . . . do I need to do the exposure therapy in order to get over the hump & be an emet in remission? [img]smileys/smilies_01.gif[/img]


susan

[sage]

That's a really tough question to answer over the internet, turtle. I could say that based on my experience/knowledge I would say that theoretically it's possible. However if you are cured, then you'd be able to look at pictures, videos, etc. which is what gradual exposure is all about. Why not just look at them gradually, rather than using some other method to be cured (psychoanalysis or whatever) that could take 10 years?


When you say you'd done CBT but without exposure that sounds like C without the B! (Cognitive therapy - restructuring your thoughts without Behavioral therapy...gradually changing your behavior toward the feared thing.)


I think in some cases for instance in children there is no need for exposure therapy. Healing the child's general anxiety and attachment issues is all that's needed to calm down both the child and the family, usually mother. Then the phobia disappears. But with adults it can be more complicated.


Sorry I'm rambling now - watching Barak Obama on TV while I'm writing - lol.

[turtleiam]

Sage, I think you've answered more than one question for me. [img]smileys/smilies_01.gif[/img] I had to flat out ask if we were doing CBT & my therapist said, "yes." I didn't see it, but what we talked about helped as I know (I'm pretty sure) that my phobia is because of a lack of self worth & self trust. We talked some about emet, but more about my life in the past & current situations. This definitely helped, but never got me over the hump of considering myself an emetophobe. I felt like we went as far as we could go.


So, I either need to find a new therapist to take me further, or do this on my own. I'm not opposed to exposure therapy. I just need to make it a priority and get it going. I know you have a web site for this. Hope I'm not asking the same 'ole question . . . is this something Icould possiblysuccessfully do on my own, orwouldone (any individual) needsome professional guidance? Now would be a great time for me to do this as I do have the time & I KNOW it is possible to re-learn how to react. I want to get TOTALLY "mentally" fit!!


Thanks for your input!!


Susan

[sage]

Sorry in the lateness of response, turtle - I've been away for a week.


Yes, you can do it on your own although of course, like anything else, you get what you pay for - lol. Meaning, it's always better to have a professional but I for one did most of the exposure on my own, then met with my therapist weekly to talk about it, and about my mother and such. (If it's not one thing, it's your mother, eh? - lol)


But the point is, you can make good progress on your own, certainly. If you run into snags, I'm usually around also. Good luck!

[turtleiam]

Thanks Sage. I'm definitely going to give it a shot! You made me lol ~ it probably is mostly about my mother. Hopefully someday my daughter will have glorious things to write about me!


I'll let you know how it goes &call on you if I need to. Thanks for the offer!


Susan