Therapy & treatment
Exposure Therapy
Exposure therapy helps people gradually and safely face feared situations, thoughts or memories so that anxiety decreases over time. Learn how it works and what it treats.
What is exposure therapy?
When we fear something, avoiding it brings short-term relief but can make fear stronger over time. Exposure therapy, a type of CBT, helps break this cycle by guiding you to face feared situations, objects, thoughts or memories in a gradual, controlled way — so you can learn that you can cope and that feared outcomes are less likely than they seem.
Types of exposure
- In vivo exposure: facing real-life situations.
- Imaginal exposure: vividly imagining a feared situation or memory.
- Interoceptive exposure: deliberately bringing on harmless physical sensations, such as a raised heart rate, often used for panic disorder.
- Exposure and response prevention (ERP): facing obsessional triggers while resisting compulsions, used for OCD.
How it works
You and your therapist build a “fear ladder,” ranking situations from least to most anxiety-provoking. You start with lower steps and move up as confidence builds, practicing between sessions.
What it treats
Exposure therapy is effective for specific phobias, panic disorder, social anxiety disorder, OCD and PTSD.
Related therapy approaches
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Find the right support
Compare types of care — from online therapy to psychiatry — and learn what to consider before choosing a provider.
Explore care optionsWhen to seek professional help
Consider talking with a doctor or licensed mental health professional if symptomslast for more than two weeks, keep coming back, or make it harder to manage work, school, relationships or daily tasks. You don’t need to wait until things feel severe — getting support early often makes things easier.
If you’re thinking about harming yourself or are in immediate danger, call your local emergency number. In the US, call or text 988 (Suicide & Crisis Lifeline).Crisis resources in other countries.
Explore care optionsFrequently asked questions
Is exposure therapy frightening?
References
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About this article
Written by
ExploreMentalHealth Editorial Team
Our editors research and write every article using government health agencies, professional medical organizations and peer-reviewed research, following our published editorial standards.
- First published
- September 9, 2026
- Last updated
- September 21, 2026
- Last medically reviewed
- Review pending