behavioural approach to treating phobias

systematic densensitisation

what is systematic desensitisation?

• takes place over weeks or months

• gradual, stage based process

• works alongside principles of CC, by reversing the mechanisms of CC to revert the conditions stimulus back to the neutral stimulus

3 steps of desensitisation

1. relaxation

2. anxiety hierarchy

3. exposure

2. anxiety hierarchy

• patient and therapist work together to construct an anxiety hierarchy, list of situations that involve the phobic stimulus from least to most frightening

1. relaxation

• breathing exercises help to calm the patient physiologically by slowing down and controlling the breathing

• visualisation involves the patient mentally placing them in a calming environment

3. exposure

• while in a relaxed state, the patient is exposed to phobic stimulus starting at stage 1 of anxiety hierarchy

• patient moves up the hierarchy stage by stage, continually checking fro signs of panic and slowing down when necessary

• aim of exposure is for patient to move to top of hierarchy while being relaxed and in control

strengths

• supported by Gilras et al who studies 42 participants who has SD as treatment for spider and found at 3 and 33 months after therapy, they were less fearful and in control of their phobia than the control group without SD, supporting effectiveness

• successful with patients who have a vivid imagination an can imagine their phobias, so for some phobias it is a valid method

weaknesses

• doesn’t treat the cause of the phobia, only the behaviour, so the phobia could return, or another phobia may replace the original phobia

• some patients my struggle with phobias outside therapy sessions, and without guidance from the therapist, they may still be fearful, therefore reducing the external validity of the treatment. (a more effective treatment may be using a combination of biological and behavioural treatment)