Exposure-based therapy works by helping a person be able to face and gain control of their fears or traumatic memories, while also building relaxation and coping skills. Exposure-based therapy is effective for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), stress disorder, social anxiety, and other phobias. When paired with response prevention, it is also highly effective for obsessive compulsive disorder.
Exposure-based therapy involves building a list of anxiety provoking situations and lessening the anxiety response through real life or imagery-based exposure to the situation. It is important to note that this is always done with the patient in control of the pace of exposure and the ability to stop the exposure.