Does Non-Avoidance = Exposure? No! Anxiety Disorder Treatment Principles for OCD, Panic, Social Anxiety, & Phobias.

On November 29, 2011, in CBT, ERP, by Steven J. Seay, Ph.D.

Anxiety Principle of the Day: Non-Avoidance is not equivalent to exposure.

Although exposure is predicated upon the purposeful non-avoidance of anxiety-related stimuli, non-avoidance of anxiety triggers is not equivalent to exposure.

What is non-avoidance?

I liken non-avoidance to being in a particular place at a particular time. Essentially, it involves being in a situation in …  (read more)

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Exposure Therapy’s Most Common Mistake: All Eggs in the Habituation Basket

On November 4, 2011, in CBT, ERP, by Steven J. Seay, Ph.D.

Many people have an incomplete understanding of exposure therapy…

…be it exposure and response prevention (ERP) for OCD, intentional mistake practice for social anxiety, or interoceptive exposures for panic disorder…

This is true for exposure newbies, seasoned exposure veterans, and even some good CBT therapists.

This limited understanding is based on the following flawed …  (read more)

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Health-Related Anxiety: Symptoms, Disorders, & Treatment

On September 9, 2011, in Health Anxiety, by Steven J. Seay, Ph.D.

Think about the most significant health scare you have ever experienced. Then multiply this experience by a factor of about 10. Unfortunately, this is a daily reality for many individuals suffering from health-related anxiety, a debilitating condition that can have devastating effects on one’s mood, relationships, and ability to function in academic and professional …  (read more)

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Agoraphobia – Symptom Attacks, Triggers, Panic, & Avoidance Behaviors

On September 7, 2011, in Agoraphobia, Panic, by Steven J. Seay, Ph.D.

Let’s dispel a common misconception about agoraphobia. Agoraphobia is not a fear of the outdoors. Many people mistakenly believe this myth, due to the word’s Latin roots.  Because agoraphobia can be broken down into the roots agora (“marketplace”) and phobia (“fear of”), many people assume that agoraphobia is a “fear of the marketplace” or a fear …  (read more)

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