How Is Systematic Desensitization Used To Treat Phobias
Joseph wolpe a pioneer of behavioral therapy developed a technique called systematic desensitization for the treatment of anxiety related disorders and phobias.
How is systematic desensitization used to treat phobias. This therapy aims to remove the fear response of a phobia and substitute a relaxation response to the conditional stimulus gradually using counter conditioning. One part of the cbt treatment process that s often used to treat simple phobias involves gradual exposure to your fear so you feel less anxious about it. Systematic desensitization is a type of behavioral therapy based on the principle of classical conditioning. Treatment using systematic desensitization tends to take longer than in vivo exposure and appears to be more effective at changing subjective anxiety than at reducing avoidance.
The process of systematic desensitization can be defined as learning to stay relaxed while visualizing increasingly stressful situations. Based on the principles of classical conditioning the systematic desensitization technique is proved to be excellent in dealing with different phobias and anxiety disorder such as panic disorder. There are two behaviourist therapies used to treat phobias systematic desensitisation and flooding. Using this method the person is engaged in some type.
It was developed by wolpe during the 1950s. Systematic desensitization a set of procedures designed to reduce unwanted negative emotional reactions to stimuli that initially produce fear or anxiety has been successfully used to treat fear of. Both therapies use the principles of classical both therapies use the principles of classical conditioning to replace a person s phobia with a new response relaxation. Cbt is a type of counselling that can help you manage your problems by changing the way you think and behave.
Systematic desensitization is an evidence based therapy approach that combines relaxation techniques with gradual exposure to help you slowly overcome a phobia. Systematic desensitization is a behavior therapy technique that can be used to treat anxiety and fear related disorders. This technique is based on the principles of classical conditioning and the premise that what has been learned conditioned can be unlearned. According to systematic desensitization a learned response e g.
Relax when seeing a spider can be induced. Fear of spiders can be unlearned through classical conditioning and a new response e g.