Exposure to "worst case scenario" very effective in treating social anxiety

[Olm the Water King]

The Strange, Surprisingly Effective Cure for Social Anxiety - The Atlantic

What Is Social Anxiety?

...

Hofmann: Initially, we use speaking in front of the rest of the group. In the seventh or eighth session, we go on to do more individualized exposure treatments, constructing something that we would call a “social mishap” exercise. We expose them to their worst-case scenario. For example, if someone is not engaging in any dating behaviors because they are concerned about being rejected, we would ask them to go to a restaurant and ask every woman at the table for her number. And obviously, he would get rejected a lot, and that's the purpose of it.

Khazan: That’s crazy! That sounds so intense. What do they say to the women?

Hofmann: We script it very clearly. We say, you’re going to go in there now, and say the following: “Hi, I like your face. Would you like to go out with me? Would you like to give me your number?” And she would obviously say, “No, go away, you freak,” or something, and that would be desirable. That would be perfect.

Or other examples might be, inconveniencing people, so let’s say go to a coffee shop and you spill your coffee and you say, “I'd like to have a new one.” Or you go to a book store and ask for a book on the joy of sex. You do something that is over the top that nobody likes to do, that violates their personal social norms and engages them in re-evaluating their maladaptive beliefs. And it’s very effective. It’s very successful. People speak to this treatment, they love it.

 

[Cloudpatrol]

 

[Cowardly]

Scary, to say the least.

And yes, I can see the effectiveness.

 

[free electron]

This treatment makes sense, but I don't think it is reachable to everyone. When someone is really anxious about something, they can't do it no matter what... but for the least serious cases it can definitely work.

 

[Coriolis]

I misunderstood at first when I read the thread title. I was thinking more along the lines of just imagining the worst case scenario for a given situation and planning for that before proceeding. This is how I approach most things, and once that worst case has been accounted for and I know what I would should it happen, I feel much better about all the other possibilities.

 

[ThaumaturgicTheorist]

Possibly the weirdest thing I've heard in a while, I don't really see how that could help anyone. But apparently it does.

 

[ceecee]

Possibly the weirdest thing I've heard in a while, I don't really see how that could help anyone. But apparently it does.

Facing a fear is very effective, it always has been. I wouldn't expect this technique would work for everyone but I'm not surprised that it works, and works well in some people.

 

[iwakar]

I habitually, almost ritually, do things that frighten me on a regular basis to overcome them. It has helped me tremendously in overcoming social anxieties and the like. I overcame my fear of elevators by forcing myself to go on them every time I encountered one and now I don't even blink.

 

[Yama]

I've tried this before and all it does is give me a heart attack and make me feel stupid.

 

[IndigoViolet11]

Once my friend (not anymore) was having a hard time afraid she would say bad things or foul language. The psychologist wrote down a piece of bad foul language and told her to say whatever is on that piece of paper.

 

[ceecee]

I've tried this before and all it does is give me a heart attack and make me feel stupid.

Did you do it alone or with a professional? Did you discuss it with anyone?

 

[Yama]

Did you do it alone or with a professional? Did you discuss it with anyone?

Not with a professional, no. And not as extreme as what's in the op--quite tame compared to that. Just with a friend and trying to strike up random conversations with people I don't know. So not quite worst case scenario honestly. I get really flustered and fake and panicky and end up feeling like an idiot since I have so much trouble doing something so basic and simple. I imagine actually trying the worst case scenario thing would just about kill me. I have gotten a little better in the past few years, though--I'll actually order my own food at restaurants and approach an employee for help and stuff like that now. A few years ago I couldn't even do that. So a little progress, but no miraculous recovery or anything like that. I tend to carry the embarrassment awkward social interaction causes me with me for years afterward.