Exposure therapy works best with a graded ladder of small, concrete actions ordered by SUDs (subjective units of distress). Build yours here — rungs 1 is barely a thing, rung 10 is the real challenge.
Exposure work can intensify anxiety before it helps. If your SUDs regularly spike above 80/100, or if you're working with trauma, do this with a qualified therapist. This tool is a starter, not a substitute.
Avoidance shrinks your world. Each avoided call / meeting / conversation makes the next one harder. A graded ladder reverses that — small wins stack up, and what felt impossible becomes routine.
If rung 1 still spikes above 60, you need a smaller rung 1. The ladder should start below your current capacity. Repeated success on a rung is the signal to move up.
Self‑directed exposure isn't appropriate for trauma, OCD with compulsions, or panic disorder — work with a qualified clinician for those. This tool is for the smaller avoidance patterns that hold everyday life back.
Fine — but don't skip past it. Easy wins wire in the success. Skip to "challenging" and you wire in another failure.
Usually 1–3, depending on rung size. A rung that drops by half on the next attempt is ready to leave.