Mindfulness Combined With Exposure Therapy for Anxiety Sensitivity

This trial is testing a new approach called Interoceptive Training Enhanced Mindfulness (ITEM) that combines two proven techniques: mindfulness training and exposure therapy. The study will compare this blended approach to exposure therapy alone to see which helps veterans better manage anxiety sensitivity—a condition where people fear that their body's stress signals (like racing heart or dizziness) will cause serious harm.

Exposure therapy works well for anxiety sensitivity, but many people find it hard to tolerate because it's uncomfortable. Mindfulness is popular and easier to accept, but its effects are often modest. This trial explores whether combining the two approaches could give people the benefits of exposure therapy while making it more bearable and easier to stick with.