Immersion exposure is not used much any more since it only increases tolerance where CBT actually cures. In this case I think it is jumping on the bandwagon when the parade is past. I could not rightly preach tolerance as anything but a coping skill when there is a cure available. I do preach tolerance but only as a lead up to CBT. I still look at all exposure as a test not a cure, but that is me and my definition of cure is different than some. CBT has become a phrase to cover a lot of things it is not. Relaxation and coping are only lead ups to not needing them at all. Therapy they are but you would have to bend Cognitive Behaviour for them to be thus. Cognitive therapy and behavioural therapy used to be different schools till they got merged because the two work better together. Therapy by definition is treatment leading up to relief or cure. So therapy in CBT is only that. Therefore legally many things could be CBT. So the object would be to use CBT to get past the need for it. What ever works. So far changing thought patterns is the only thing that does this. It is the only thing that can remove the need for doing CBT. Only it can make the leap from therapy to cure. The fact that cure requires the periodic use of therapy is irrelevant. What constitutes cure anyway. Exceeding normal certainly should, but what is normal. To go round in circles relaxation and coping would fit the category then. And they do as therapy but not as cure to my way of thinking. They may be to some one else's thinking if they can therefore be their definition of functional. To each his own and I always did aim high.
I wonder if anyone has used cold showers as exposure?
An athlete named Joel Runyon states he promotes the use of cold showers to toughen one's ability to tolerate discomfort, and has a website. He's even spoken at the popular "Tedx" conferences, which are on youtube.
I think I see his point,, since the feelings of confidence would be transferable...
