6. Interoceptive Exposure
The third exposure technique is known as interoceptive exposure, which is mainly used to treat anxiety and panic disorders. It is the exposure to various bodily sensations that trigger panic and anxiety. The sensitivity that is experienced due to certain sensations often causes unhealthy or unnatural responses. When these physical feelings occur, those suffering will experience anxiety symptoms such as shortness of breath, tight chest, or trembling, to name a few. As with the other exposure techniques, this exercise will do its job by bringing on the awful feelings and forcing them to face it head-on by analyzing the feelings and rationalizing their natural reaction.
An example of an interoceptive exposure activity would be drinking something that contains caffeine and once the effects are noticeable, working through the anxiety symptoms that are brought on by the caffeine. That is why the controlled environment of a therapist’s office is ideal for exercises of nature. Through this process, the patient will find that with time they will become more tolerant of the feelings and result in less panic or anxiety as they continue to train both brain and body.