> repeated exposure to it will desensitize you to it
Not necessarily, as someone who has a difficult anxiety that I have to deal with very often, being exposed to the situation doesn't make me any less fearful of it.
I think it's similar to one thing I learned about dog training. If your dog starts freaking out and barking uncontrollably at another dog, because they're afraid, once you get them away there's a sense of relief. "Oh good, I got away. Whatever I did that time definitely worked."
It takes an active approach to pierce through anxiety and fear. Repeatedly becoming terrified of something will more likely just make us feel bad, and helpless. Actively perceiving something frightening as tolerable is the kind of exposure that helps.
It will if you do it right. I had panic disorder. You probably need to gradually increase the stimulus and set your goals lower. If you're panicking in the situation then you've started at too intense of a level and need to work up to that over time. Don't give up. You can do it.
Another key thing a lot of people don't know is that you need good sleep in between stimulus exposures. Also, you probably need a shitload more exposure than you think. Persistence is what will save you.
Then why would you try to get rid of it. Fear is a tool that protects us from dangerous situations. If something is actually dangerous, then it would be rational to be afraid of it. It doesn't make any sense whatsoever to desensitize yourself to cobras unless you're literally a herpetologist or snake handler, for example.
Because even though it’s justified it’s still extremely inconvenient on a day to day level. Basically yes it is like I’m a cobra handler who is scared of cobras
Snake handlers shouldn't be afraid of cobras though. It's still a risk of course but it's not dangerous in the sense that it's dangerous for a normal person because of their education and experience. They've done the exposure therapy.
If your situation isn't actively harming you and is only a risk, then exposure therapy will work.
It takes an active approach to pierce through anxiety and fear. Repeatedly becoming terrified of something will more likely just make us feel bad, and helpless. Actively perceiving something frightening as tolerable is the kind of exposure that helps.