# Exposure Therapy & Affective Filters: Questions



## mattseanbachman (Apr 20, 2007)

Hey,

This is my first time here ("hi"). I am wondering about exposure therapy first off. I'm getting little to no benefits from practicing exposure therapy, and this is becoming a pretty big problem, because I'm moving to a city in three months. How can I structure my therapy so that I get the most out of it?

Secondly, I am trying to work, through therapy, on my affective filters that are causing me a lot of problems related to my anxieties. Mainly, they are emotional depravation, abandonment, and entitlement. Does anyone know of any statements that challenge these filters? I am having a hard time thinking of some.

Thanks,
MSB


----------



## yeah_yeah_yeah (Mar 27, 2007)

Hi Matt

Thats a pretty big question. You will get some useful tidbits of advice here. On top of that I think you need a structured program to work through. You can't really 'wing' exposure techniques - they need to be graded. If you start too high you will only reinforce your anxiety. Exposure is a core part of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy. With SA, trying to just 'do' exposure is a bit like trying to paint a building with a toothbrush and no ladder. It'll take forever and you'll miss a lot of the most important bits.

'Exposure therapy' is a short term approach developed for phobias. Alone it works great for fear of heights, spiders etc. As a standalone approach for SA it is only one part of the equation - it is much more complex. 

In the long term, you need to address the thoughts and beliefs that underlie your expectations (another way of naming those affective filters you were talking about) that you take to each social encounter, and which actually mould it as you go.

A good CBT book with a section on social anxiety / social performance anxiety / social phobia will give you strucutred guidance on how to apply these techniques, or better yet, find a therapist.

But for now? If you aren;t being helped by exposure, tune it down. Exposure isn't just about having enormous balls and doing the hardest thing you can find. Don't go expecting to chat up that hottie in the cafe first - start by saying 'hi' to the old dear on the street, or talking to a clerk.

After your exposure you need to understand and learn from the experience in a structured way, before going out and turning it up another notch. Think of yourself as a bottle of Bollinger, gradually maturing with time. Just don't go too far and pop the cork off before you're ready ....

Ross


----------

