Exposure and Response Prevention Therapy

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KEY POINTS

• Exposure and response prevention therapy helps you deal with your anxiety and fears by exposing you to something that upsets you and helping you practice new ways of responding. Over time, you are able to stay relaxed when you are exposed to something that used to upset you.
• Trained mental health specialists provide this type of therapy. ERPT often takes 10 to 20 or more sessions to be effective.

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What is exposure and response prevention therapy?

Exposure and response prevention therapy (ERPT) is a treatment that helps you change thoughts, feelings, and behaviors that cause distress and problems for you. ERPT helps you deal with your anxiety and fears by gradually exposing you to something that upsets you while practicing new ways of responding. You learn ways to relax, such as breathing exercises. Over time, you are able to stay relaxed when you are exposed to something that used to upset you.

When is it used?

ERPT can help with:

• Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)
• Anxiety and panic attacks
• Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
• Phobias
• Hoarding
• Eating disorders
• Drug and alcohol abuse

What happens during a therapy session?

The therapist will ask you questions about how often the problem happens, how severe your reaction is, how long it lasts, and what seems to cause it. The therapist will work with you to set goals and develop a treatment plan. If many different things cause you distress, you will start with those that are easier and gradually work up to those that are harder for you.

If you have OCD, for example, you may wash your hands all the time because you are afraid of being dirty. The ERP therapist might have you imagine touching something dirty. You learn new ways to control your anxiety, like doing breathing exercises. Once you feel relaxed thinking about something dirty, your therapist may have you touch a dirty doorknob. Then the two of you might stand at the sink without washing hands until the anxiety goes away. Over time you do things that are a little harder for you, and they no longer cause anxiety and fear.

ERPT often takes 10 to 20 sessions to be effective. You may have assignments to do at home between sessions.

How can I find a therapist?

Trained mental health specialists provide ERPT. Ask the therapist if they know ERPT when you make the first appointment. To find a therapist, check with:

• Your healthcare provider
• Your clergyman, school teachers, or school counselors
• Friends or family members who have been in therapy
• Your health insurance company
• Your employee assistance program (EAP) at work
• Local mental health or human service agencies
• Professional associations of psychologists, psychiatrists, or counselors