<P> There is empirical evidence that exposure therapy can be an effective treatment for people with generalized anxiety disorder, citing specifically in vivo exposure therapy, which has greater effectiveness than imaginal exposure in regards to generalized anxiety disorder . The aim of in vivo exposure treatment is to promote emotional regulation using systematic and controlled therapeutic exposure to traumatic stimuli . </P> <P> Exposure therapy is the most successful known treatment for phobias . Several published meta - analyses included studies of one - to - three hour single - session treatments of phobias, using imaginal exposure . At a post-treatment follow - up four years later 90% of people retained a considerable reduction in fear, avoidance, and overall level of impairment, while 65% no longer experienced any symptoms of a specific phobia . </P> <P> Agoraphobia and social anxiety disorder are examples of phobias that have been successfully treated by exposure therapy . Agoraphobia is a fear of being in situations where escape might be difficult or that help wouldn't be available if things go wrong, originating from the Ancient Greek term "Agora" or Marketplace, while social anxiety disorder is an anxiety disorder characterized by a significant amount of fear in one or more social situations . Such fears can be very debilitating in themselves, and in addition patients often worry about showing anxiety and losing control in public . </P> <P> Virtual reality exposure (VRE) therapy is a modern but effective treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). This method was tested on several active duty Army soldiers, using an immersive computer simulation of military settings over six sessions . Self - reported PTSD symptoms of these soldiers were greatly diminished following the treatment., Exposure therapy has shown promise in the treatment of co-morbid PTSD and substance abuse . </P>

When is exposure therapy not recommended as a treatment strategy