How exposing yourself to your fears can tame your anxiety

Scientific American · Amanda Loudin · 2026-10-23 13:00 UTC

It is possible to take lessons from exposure therapy and apply them outside the clinic, experts say

The first time Kevin MacKenzie scrambled up a slide, a steep stretch of rock exposed by weather and geological forces, in the Adirondack Mountains, he swore he’d never do it again.

But the 56-year-old did do it again—and again and again. After multiple climbs, he became more comfortable, and today he even helps rescue other climbers who find themselves stranded midway up a rock face.

What MacKenzie has achieved is similar to a clinical technique called exposure therapy, a research-backed approach to taming a multitude of anxieties by exposing a person to their fears in a controlled way. “My fear never disappears,” MacKenzie says, “but repeated exposure has taught me I will have similar outcomes every time.”

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