This is hard to say as only you can determine what is too much for you. I think generally if you are already partaking in these activities then don't START to avoid them. But if you have been avoiding them for some time now then slowly start exposing yourself to them. When doing exposure work you should have mid range anxiety. It is also important to set some goals for yourself.
So where are some areas you would like to improve? Which areas would you like to focus on first?
This is where I differ since there are two schools of thought on exposure, you will have to decide which is right for you. One is doing exposure till the saturation numbs you to the situation. The thought behind this is that if you do it enough you will get used to it. It actually works for some but the problem as I see it is that it is still there.
The other way is to build relaxation skills and coping skills so that when you do exposure it is a marker of how well these skills let you handle the exposure situation. I prefer this one because by building these skills you can make the exposure null. You can take the fear out of it rather than just building a tolerance. The first assumes you will build the skills because of it. The second assures you have the skills before it. I prefer the second, but it depends on personality which will work best.
Hi. I have recently been wondering about exposing myself to my feared situations instead of avoiding them, the thing is: Should on my daily basis I already have to expose myself to situations I fear anyway like going to school,buy thing in the grocery store etc. so should I continue to face this situations with a high level of anxiety or just expose myself to one situation at a time by doing a graduate exposure therapy as CBT says?
