A cognitive behavioural therapist will normally work with various types of exposure methods pertaining to our particular anxiety disorder. When wc begin to work with our avoidance behaviour we will probably feel anxious and the ‘what ifs’ may return. In only a few seconds the ‘what ifs’ can create a mountain of fear and anxiety which seems insurmountable. We may forget any management strategies we have learnt, and become caught up in the automatic cycle of thinking.
It is most important to realise that we will feel anxious and frightened when working with a CBT program. By accepting this we can work with it, not against it.
As an example, part of our CBT program may include doing the shopping alone. This can be broken down into easy steps. To begin with, we can go to the shop early in the morning. We will feel more comfortable in letting the anxiety and attack happen if the shop is not too crowded. As we become more confident in letting it happen, we can begin to shop at different times of the day.
If part of our program means going to dinner or the theatre, we can ask to be seated by an aisle or an exit, or both-not so much for a quick getaway, but to help break down the feeling of being trapped. The aisle or exit is there if we do need to leave quickly. If we work with our thinking and let the anxiety and attack happen, we will find we won’t have to leave.
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