🧗♂️ Facing Fears Step by Step
Build confidence by taking small, steady steps
What It Is
Avoiding what makes us anxious can bring short-term relief but keeps fears alive in the long run. Graded exposure means facing fears gradually—starting small, practising often, and working up to tougher situations. Each step retrains your brain to see that you can handle it.
How To Do It
List Specific Fears
Write down what situations or sensations trigger your anxiety. Be concrete: driving on busy roads, making phone calls, entering a crowded shop. You can’t face what you haven’t named.
Rank from Easier → Harder
Order your list from least to most stressful (1 = easiest, 10 = hardest). Example:
Sit in the car with the engine off
Drive around the block
Drive to the next town
This becomes your exposure ladder—your training plan.
Repeat Exposure Until It Feels Easier
Start at the easiest step. Stay in the situation until your anxiety drops—don’t escape early. Practise several times until it feels manageable before moving up the ladder. Keep breathing steady and focus on what’s actually happening, not what might happen.
Step 4 — Move to the Next Step
When one level feels easier, go to the next. If anxiety spikes, drop back a step and repeat. Progress isn’t about zero fear—it’s about staying calm enough to finish the task.
Why It Works
Teaches your body and mind that fear fades without avoidance. Builds confidence and control over time. Prevents the fear cycle from growing.
Try This (Practice Plan)
Pick one mild fear—something that rates 3 out of 10.
Practise it daily for a week until your tension drops by half.
Then move up one step.
Keep a simple record of what you tried, how long you stayed, and how your anxiety changed.
Small wins build lasting confidence.
🏥 In an emergency, call 000. If you’re struggling or need more support, talk to your GP or call Lifeline 13 11 14. This information supports wellbeing but is not a substitute for professional care.
Developed in the Northern Mallee for the Northern Mallee — practical, evidence-based, and community-driven.
