Drinking alcohol or using other drugs whenever you are in a situation that makes you 
anxious will prevent you from learning that your anxiety will decrease even without the 
drug or alcohol. When designing exposure practices, we recommend that you not drink 
alcohol or use drugs during the practice. If you want to have a glass of wine or a beer at 
a party, try to wait until after your fear has decreased somewhat.
A STEP-BY-STEP OVERVIEW FOR CONDUCTING 
EXPOSURE-BASED TREATMENTS
The main steps involved in any exposure-based treatment program are initial assessment, 
planning appropriate practices, carrying out the practices, and taking steps to maintain 
the improvements over the long term.
Initial Assessment
We discussed the issue of assessment in chapter 3. To plan effective exposure prac -
tices, you will need to know the situations and sensations that you fear and avoid as 
well as becoming aware of the different variables that affect your fear level. When you 
completed the exercises in chapter 3, you probably identiﬁed a number of variables 
that affect your fear level when you are in a social or performance situation that causes 
you to feel uncomfortable. You should review the relevant sections of chapter 3 before 
 beginning your exposure practices.