CASE STUDIES
INTEROCEPTIVE EXPOSURE
You may think that you aren’t worried about any of these sensations involved in the Interoceptive Exposure exercises.
One woman said that she didn’t feel the need to do the exercises because she wasn’t bothered by any of those particular symptoms.
However she was very reluctant to do the exercises. Later we discovered that she was worried that the exercises could TRIGGER the panic symptoms she DID fear – a sense of dread, derealisation and so on. So in a sense she WAS avoiding certain physical activities so it was a good exercise to get her to gradually face that so she could investigate what ACTUALLY would happen.
You will know if these exercises would be helpful by your willingness or reluctance to do them. If you would rather not do them then there is likely some hidden fear you have been avoiding.