What is a fear ladder?

A fear ladder is a list of the situations you fear, listed from the least scary to the scariest. In order to do this, you need to rate each situation on the fear thermometer. A fear thermometer helps you identify how much fear you have of a specific situation or thing.
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What is an anxiety ladder?

1. Grab a piece of paper and draw a ladder on the left-hand side. Each rung/step represents a situation that makes you anxious. 2. Starting with the top rung, write down the situation that scares you the most next to it - even if you think it's 'silly' - it's not silly if it scares you.
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How do you make a fear ladder for OCD?

Fear Ladder Building: Getting Started
  1. Make eye contact and Say "Hi" to people while walking.
  2. Start a conversation.
  3. Join a conversation.
  4. Have an awkward pause during a conversation.
  5. Give a presentation in front of a few people.
  6. Give a presentation in front of a large group.
  7. Make mistakes while giving a presentation.
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What is a fear hierarchy list?

A fear hierarchy is a ranked list of the youth's fears and concerns, with the least feared at the bottom of the hierarchy and the most feared at the top.
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How does fear hierarchy work?

A fear hierarchy is a list you make of the triggers that make you feel afraid or anxious. After you write them down, you rank them--from the one that makes you feel least fearful or anxious to the one that scares you the most.
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Exposure Therapy: Fear Ladder



How do you do a fear ladder?

  1. Make a list. Make a list of situations, places or objects that you fear. ...
  2. Build a Fear Ladder. Once you have made a list, arrange things from the least scary to the most scary. ...
  3. Facing fears (exposure) Starting with the situation that causes the least anxiety, repeatedly engage in.
  4. Practise. ...
  5. Reward brave behaviour.
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How do I desensitize myself to triggers?

If you'd like to try this approach on your own, the following tips can help:
  1. Familiarize yourself with relaxation techniques. ...
  2. List at least two items for each level of fear on your hierarchy. ...
  3. Practice exposing yourself to your fear each day. ...
  4. Remember to stop and use a relaxation exercise when you feel anxious.
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Does PTSD cause fear?

In PTSD, a traumatic event causes a fear reaction that is excessively expressed. Based on DSM-V criteria, excessive fear can be seen as the physiological reactions to trauma cues and the alterations in physiological arousal and reactivity.
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What's it called when your scared of open spaces?

Agoraphobia is a fear of being in situations where escape might be difficult or that help wouldn't be available if things go wrong. Many people assume agoraphobia is simply a fear of open spaces, but it's actually a more complex condition. Someone with agoraphobia may be scared of: travelling on public transport.
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Can you do ERP therapy on your own?

By beginning ERP on your own without a therapist, you risk starting on an exposure exercise that you're not ready for, which is on par with lifting weights that are too heavy for you without proper form and a spotter. 3. OCD therapists will teach you how to identify and resist all compulsions.
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What is the fear ladder in CBT?

A fear ladder is a list of the situations you fear, listed from the least scary to the scariest. In order to do this, you need to rate each situation on the fear thermometer. A fear thermometer helps you identify how much fear you have of a specific situation or thing.
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What are suds in OCD?

Your therapist might use a scale called the Subjective Units of Distress Scale, or SUDS scale, to rate your anxiety, ranging from 0 (completely relaxed) to 100 (the worst anxiety you can imagine feeling) when you encounter the thing you fear.
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What is it called when you have a fear of falling?

Ptophobia. Phobic fear of falling and its clinical management.
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What is spider phobia called?

Arachnophobia is an intense fear of spiders. Many fears seems reasonable. We all try to avoid things that make us feel uncomfortable.
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What is exposure based therapy?

Exposure therapy is a psychological treatment that was developed to help people confront their fears. When people are fearful of something, they tend to avoid the feared objects, activities or situations.
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What is the fear of the dark?

Nyctophobia is an extreme fear of the dark. This phobia is very common among children but can affect people of all ages. People with this specific anxiety disorder may have trouble sleeping, have panic attacks and may avoid leaving the house after dark.
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What is the most common phobia?

Arachnophobia – Arachnophobia is possibly the most well-known of all phobias. It is the fear of spiders, or arachnids. Estimates put arachnophobia at affecting roughly 1 in 3 women and 1 in 4 men.
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What is fear of rain called?

Ombrophobia is an intense fear of rain, from intense weather to a drizzle. An ombrophobe might worry about acid rain, germs in rain, floods or other dangers. Ombrophobia is a type of anxiety disorder that can cause symptoms and emotions that affect daily life. But certain types of therapy and medications can help.
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What are the 5 signs of PTSD?

PTSD: Top 5 signs of PTSD you need to know
  • A life threatening event. This includes a perceived-to-be life threatening event. ...
  • Internal reminders of a traumatic event. These signs of trauma typically present as nightmares or flashbacks. ...
  • Avoidance of external reminders. ...
  • Altered anxiety state. ...
  • Changes in mood or thinking.
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What are the 5 stages of PTSD?

What are the five stages of PTSD?
  • Impact or Emergency Stage. ...
  • Denial/ Numbing Stage. ...
  • Rescue Stage (including Intrusive or Repetitive stage) ...
  • Short-term Recovery or Intermediate Stage. ...
  • Long-term reconstruction or recovery stage.
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What does childhood trauma look like?

Traumatic experiences can initiate strong emotions and physical reactions that can persist long after the event. Children may feel terror, helplessness, or fear, as well as physiological reactions such as heart pounding, vomiting, or loss of bowel or bladder control.
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Why is desensitization harmful?

Desensitization may be one of the most dangerous consequences of violence exposure because it is believed to lead to violence perpetration and additional violence exposure as youth begin to experience emotional numbing, view violence as normative, and lose inhibitions about using violent behavior (Garbarino et al., ...
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What is Post Traumatic stress Disorder?

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a disorder that develops in some people who have experienced a shocking, scary, or dangerous event. It is natural to feel afraid during and after a traumatic situation. Fear triggers many split-second changes in the body to help defend against danger or to avoid it.
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How can you tell if someone is being triggered?

Responses to Triggers

You may feel strong emotions such as anger, fear, anxiety, sadness, numbness, or feeling out of control. Being triggered may primarily show up in how you behave; you might isolate yourself from others, become argumentative, shut down emotionally, or become physically aggressive.
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