[Trace14]

Has anyone tried Prolonged Exposure Therapy? I'm doing that now. The first two sessions were hard, but the third one was very hard and triggering. I hope this is not going to be how it goes for the rest of the sessions.

[growlycat]

What makes it prolonged? Beyond the point where you can tolerate it?

My last t helped with my driving phobia with gradual exposure. We would spend a whole session getting on the highway and exiting and re entering. Merging onto highways is one of my biggest parts of my phobia.

[Trace14]

Originally Posted by growlycat

What makes it prolonged? Beyond the point where you can tolerate it?

My last t helped with my driving phobia with gradual exposure. We would spend a whole session getting on the highway and exiting and re entering. Merging onto highways is one of my biggest parts of my phobia.

It might be how long the program is or it might be that you have to repeat the trauma 3 times, then listen to it daily, I'm not really sure.
So did the exposure therapy help? Was it long term help?

[growlycat]

Yes long term it has helped. However it is slow going for me. I can see the changes and name them but some parts of the phobia I am still working on. Unfortunately my new t cannot get in the car with me for liability reasons. Last t worked in s university system that seems to cover him.

However new t is certified in hypnotherapy so I am trying that now. So far exposure therapy was more effective but I'll post again if hypnotherapy does anything.

[AnxiousGirl]

I did prolonged exposure for my fear of needles. At first I wasn't even able to say/hear the word and by the end of it I had a blood test done. Mind you I've been scared of needles all my life and just recently am able to handle it better (still get scared to get one but not to the extent it was before). So yes it did help but it was terrifying. Now I'm doing the same thing to a much bigger fear I have and so far it hasn't been going well at all. One session I'll face the fear then the next I won't and it's gotten to the point where T suggested we work on something else before the exposure. But in the end it does work. So just keep at it but if it's hard tell your T, they know best.

[Trace14]

Originally Posted by growlycat

Yes long term it has helped. However it is slow going for me. I can see the changes and name them but some parts of the phobia I am still working on. Unfortunately my new t cannot get in the car with me for liability reasons. Last t worked in s university system that seems to cover him.

However new t is certified in hypnotherapy so I am trying that now. So far exposure therapy was more effective but I'll post again if hypnotherapy does anything.

Please do keep me posted on the hypnotherapy, not sure how that would work on trauma but it might help. Glad to hear you got some relief from the exposure therapy though.

[Argonautomobile]

I do some limited exposure therapy for a medical phobia. It sucks and I hate it, but I can't deny it's been helpful.

Prolonged exposure for trauma always struck me as cruel, honestly. But I don't really know much about it--whether it's proven to be effective or supported by the literature.

I hope it's helpful for you. Good luck!

[growlycat]

Yes I will be sure come back and say the results.

So far I'm a little dissapointed in hypnotherapy but I've only had one session. He said I'd need at least three stretched out over a number of weeks while listening to a recorded session in between. He has not recorded it yet but he will next time.

[Trace14]

Originally Posted by AnxiousGirl

I did prolonged exposure for my fear of needles. At first I wasn't even able to say/hear the word and by the end of it I had a blood test done. Mind you I've been scared of needles all my life and just recently am able to handle it better (still get scared to get one but not to the extent it was before). So yes it did help but it was terrifying. Now I'm doing the same thing to a much bigger fear I have and so far it hasn't been going well at all. One session I'll face the fear then the next I won't and it's gotten to the point where T suggested we work on something else before the exposure. But in the end it does work. So just keep at it but if it's hard tell your T, they know best.

That's good to hear that it helped you out. The VA is pretty popular for using this treatment for PTSD. So I guess they know what they are doing.

[Trace14]

Originally Posted by Argonautomobile

I do some limited exposure therapy for a medical phobia. It sucks and I hate it, but I can't deny it's been helpful.

Prolonged exposure for trauma always struck me as cruel, honestly. But I don't really know much about it--whether it's proven to be effective or supported by the literature.

I hope it's helpful for you. Good luck!

Yes, it feels cruel and extremely triggering but maybe that's the point I need to get to in desensitizing from the trauma. I've been putting off listening to the tape today.

[satsuma]

Exposure for trauma? Surely it doesn't mean deliberately being in a traumatic situation?
My T helped me to reduce trauma by limiting such situations, and recognising them as traumatic.

[Trace14]

Originally Posted by satsuma

Exposure for trauma? Surely it doesn't mean deliberately being in a traumatic situation?
My T helped me to reduce trauma by limiting such situations, and recognising them as traumatic.

Yes, having to relive that trauma three times in a row and now I have to listen to the tape of that once a day everyday, until next appointment. At least yesterday I didn't cry when I listened to it. I think I detached myself from it.

[satsuma]

Originally Posted by Trace14

Yes, having to relive that trauma three times in a row and now I have to listen to the tape of that once a day everyday, until next appointment. At least yesterday I didn't cry when I listened to it. I think I detached myself from it.

Oh dear! I'm not a T, and hope I'm not saying the wrong thing g, but that really doesn't sound like a good idea to me. How can it be helpful?
I thought exposure therapy was for when someone is very frightened of something which actually is not going to harm them, and it will make their life easier to not be frightened of it any more. E.g. my friend did that kind of therapy for her phobia of spiders. Now she doesn't have a panic attack each time she sees a spider, and it has made her life easier.
But with trauma, it is very normal and human to be very frightened and upset in that situation. So how can it be helpful to keep on re-living it?
Do you find it helpful?
Sorry I might not have understood this! I don't want to make things worse for you!

[Trace14]

Originally Posted by satsuma

Oh dear! I'm not a T, and hope I'm not saying the wrong thing g, but that really doesn't sound like a good idea to me. How can it be helpful?
I thought exposure therapy was for when someone is very frightened of something which actually is not going to harm them, and it will make their life easier to not be frightened of it any more. E.g. my friend did that kind of therapy for her phobia of spiders. Now she doesn't have a panic attack each time she sees a spider, and it has made her life easier.
But with trauma, it is very normal and human to be very frightened and upset in that situation. So how can it be helpful to keep on re-living it?
Do you find it helpful?
Sorry I might not have understood this! I don't want to make things worse for you!

They do use this type of therapy for phobias a lot. But the Veterans Administration here in the USA uses it a lot for a PTSD therapy. From what I hear it's been very successful, also EMDR, plus medications. I think by emotionally experiencing the trauma it's suppose to desensitize you to the emotional pain. I haven't found any really bad reviews on it. But it's very hard to do. I guess it depends on how much you want to put into it to find relief.

[satsuma]

Originally Posted by Trace14

They do use this type of therapy for phobias a lot. But the Veterans Administration here in the USA uses it a lot for a PTSD therapy. From what I hear it's been very successful, also EMDR, plus medications. I think by emotionally experiencing the trauma it's suppose to desensitize you to the emotional pain. I haven't found any really bad reviews on it. But it's very hard to do. I guess it depends on how much you want to put into it to find relief.

Thank you for explaining. I hadn't heard of that method. I hope that it does help and that you find relief. It sounds very hard.

[Trace14]

Originally Posted by satsuma

Thank you for explaining. I hadn't heard of that method. I hope that it does help and that you find relief. It sounds very hard.

Sure no problem. It's not something that I've seen discussed much here and some of the responses were from terrified of the idea to totally against it. I almost backed out because of some of the responses here on PC. But then I remembered that I do have some control over it and if it's too bad I can always bolt It's not a 100% therapy, but worth a shot.