ERP and Fear: Why Avoidance Fuels Anxiety (and How to Break Free) | Praise Podcast

Avoidance feeds anxiety. Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) shows how small steps facing fears can create freedom and calm through neuroplasticity. Tune in for more! 🎧

https://momo634.com/p/erp-avoidance-fuels-anxiety

#bible #inspiration #motivation #motivational #inspirational #MentalHealth #faith #anxiety #ERP #OCD #exposure #faithoverfear #fear #science #therapy #neuroscience #neuroplasticity

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00:00:00 --> 00:00:03 Avoidance feeds anxiety.

00:00:04 --> 00:00:05 Exposure and Response Prevention,

00:00:06 --> 00:00:07 ERP,

00:00:07 --> 00:00:13 shows how small steps facing our fears can create freedom and

00:00:13 --> 00:00:14 calm through

00:00:14 --> 00:00:15 neuroplasticity.

00:00:16 --> 00:00:16 Tune in for more.

00:00:20 --> 00:00:20 Hello,

00:00:20 --> 00:00:23 and welcome to Momo 634,

00:00:23 --> 00:00:27 a bite-sized podcast that's chock-full of inspiration,

00:00:27 --> 00:00:28 motivation,

00:00:28 --> 00:00:30 and positivity,

00:00:30 --> 00:00:33 straight from the intersection of faith and mental wellness.

00:00:34 --> 00:00:36 Please like, share, and subscribe.

00:00:37 --> 00:00:42 Momo 634, motivational moments just for today.

00:00:52 --> 00:00:52 A while back,

00:00:53 --> 00:00:55 I posted an episode entitled,

00:00:55 --> 00:00:56 Yes,

00:00:56 --> 00:00:58 You Can Do Hard Things,

00:00:58 --> 00:01:04 because I had faced down one of the absolute most dreaded

00:01:05 --> 00:01:06 things on my fears list.

00:01:07 --> 00:01:12 And this podcast was born as a result of processing the aftermath.

00:01:14 --> 00:01:17 In the couple of episodes I've done on the introvert,

00:01:17 --> 00:01:18 extrovert,

00:01:18 --> 00:01:19 ambivert continuum,

00:01:20 --> 00:01:23 I've shared that though I may present as an extrovert,

00:01:24 --> 00:01:26 I'm really an ambivert.

00:01:26 --> 00:01:31 And one of the things I dread most is high on the introvert list,

00:01:32 --> 00:01:33 phone calls,

00:01:34 --> 00:01:38 particularly when I don't know the person or the outcome is uncertain.

00:01:39 --> 00:01:43 The anxiety just ramps up several notches,

00:01:43 --> 00:01:46 and I can feel it flooding my system.

00:01:47 --> 00:01:50 Today, I had to make one such phone call.

00:01:51 --> 00:01:52 I'd been putting it off,

00:01:52 --> 00:01:57 that avoidant behavior inherent in OCD that I've mentioned in a

00:01:57 --> 00:01:58 few episodes.

00:01:59 --> 00:02:03 But with a looming deadline and a short holiday week,

00:02:04 --> 00:02:07 I needed to roll up my sleeves and get her done.

00:02:08 --> 00:02:12 Though not a formal foray into exposure and response

00:02:12 --> 00:02:12 prevention,

00:02:13 --> 00:02:14 ERP,

00:02:14 --> 00:02:16 the mechanism is similar.

00:02:17 --> 00:02:21 Face the fear in small doses to retrain the brain,

00:02:21 --> 00:02:24 to not fall back into its compulsions,

00:02:25 --> 00:02:28 and to dispel the lie that something bad will happen if you

00:02:29 --> 00:02:30 don't comply with OCD's

00:02:31 --> 00:02:31 lies.

00:02:33 --> 00:02:35 And of course, the call wasn't horrible.

00:02:36 --> 00:02:40 The person I spoke to was very nice and very helpful.

00:02:41 --> 00:02:43 And the issue got resolved.

00:02:45 --> 00:02:48 I had been willing to walk away from something helpful because

00:02:49 --> 00:02:49 of my fear.

00:02:50 --> 00:02:54 And that would have come at a cost to me and my family.

00:02:55 --> 00:02:57 And let OCD have a win.

00:02:59 --> 00:03:01 So what exactly is ERP,

00:03:01 --> 00:03:05 and why is it considered the gold standard for OCD treatment?

00:03:07 --> 00:03:10 Exposure and response prevention is a therapeutic approach

00:03:11 --> 00:03:12 often used for anxiety

00:03:13 --> 00:03:14 as well as OCD.

00:03:15 --> 00:03:18 The science is simple but profound.

00:03:18 --> 00:03:23 When we repeatedly face a feared situation without performing

00:03:23 --> 00:03:24 the usual avoidance

00:03:24 --> 00:03:25 or safety behavior,

00:03:26 --> 00:03:28 or in the case of OCD for some,

00:03:28 --> 00:03:34 acting out a compulsion, our brains learn something new.

00:03:34 --> 00:03:39 Instead of danger, it begins to tag the experience as safe.

00:03:40 --> 00:03:43 Think of it like retraining your nervous system.

00:03:44 --> 00:03:46 Each exposure is a rehearsal for calm.

00:03:47 --> 00:03:52 The amygdala, the brain's alarm system, fires less over time.

00:03:53 --> 00:03:54 while the prefrontal cortex,

00:03:55 --> 00:03:57 the part that reasons and regulates,

00:03:57 --> 00:03:58 grows stronger.

00:04:00 --> 00:04:02 As we've discussed in previous episodes,

00:04:02 --> 00:04:06 this retraining and rewiring is called neuroplasticity,

00:04:07 --> 00:04:09 the brain's ability to change.

00:04:11 --> 00:04:15 But ERP isn't about flooding yourself with fear or pushing past

00:04:15 --> 00:04:16 your limits.

00:04:17 --> 00:04:20 It's about gentle, repeated practice.

00:04:21 --> 00:04:27 Facing fears in small steps with compassion builds resilience.

00:04:28 --> 00:04:31 Science shows that avoidance strengthens anxiety,

00:04:31 --> 00:04:33 while exposure weakens it.

00:04:35 --> 00:04:36 And here's the paradox.

00:04:36 --> 00:04:40 Courage doesn't mean the fear disappears immediately.

00:04:41 --> 00:04:45 It's trusting that your body and brain can learn something new.

00:04:45 --> 00:04:51 And the lies, anxiety, and OCD spew are just that.

00:04:52 --> 00:04:55 Thoughts that can't always be trusted in the fear of the moment.

00:04:57 --> 00:05:01 Fear begins to lose its grip when we stop running from it.

00:05:02 --> 00:05:06 So whether it's touching a doorknob when contamination fears

00:05:06 --> 00:05:08 rise or speaking up

00:05:08 --> 00:05:11 when social anxiety tells you to stay silent,

00:05:12 --> 00:05:16 ERP is about choosing presence over avoidance.

00:05:17 --> 00:05:20 Each step is one step closer to freedom.

00:05:22 --> 00:05:25 Remember the words of Isaiah 41 10.

00:05:26 --> 00:05:28 Do not fear, for I am with you.

00:05:29 --> 00:05:32 Do not be afraid, for I am your God.

00:05:32 --> 00:05:34 I will strengthen you.

00:05:34 --> 00:05:36 I will surely help you.

00:05:36 --> 00:05:40 I will uphold you with my right hand of righteousness.

00:05:42 --> 00:05:44 What small fear could you face this week?

00:05:45 --> 00:05:47 Chime in and share below.

00:05:51 --> 00:05:52 Thanks for listening.

00:05:53 --> 00:05:56 To have episodes and or the daily Bible verse emailed,

00:05:56 --> 00:05:59 subscribe at momo634.com.

00:05:59 --> 00:06:03 To receive bonus perks and support this podcast,

00:06:03 --> 00:06:06 please become a premium Substack subscriber.

00:06:07 --> 00:06:07 Additionally,

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00:06:15 --> 00:06:15 Have a blessed day.