The Behavioural Approach to treating Phobias

Systematic Desensitisation

This is used to gradually reduce feelings of anxiety through classical conditioning. If a person can learn to relax in the presence of the phobic stimulus they are cured. 

For example, if a person has a fear of snakes, they may firstly sit in the presence of images of snakes, then move on to a toy, then hold the toy, then watch a film, then visit the zoo, then hold a snake.

There are three processes in systematic desensitisation.

1. The Anxiety hierarchy - this is when a therapist and client put together a list of anxiety provoking situations from least anxiety provoking to the most anxiety provoking

2. Relaxation - the therapist teaches the client to relax as much as possible. This can be done by focusing on slow breathing exercises and/or visualising clam scenes

3. Exposure - finally the client gets exposed to the stimulus in small steps while in relaxed state. The therapist and client then slowly move up the hierarchy with gradual exposure. 

Watch this video to see more on systematic desensitisation - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qDiCfMNgtFg


Flooding

This is the total opposite of systemic desensitisation and involves exposing people to the phobia fear without any gradual build up. It is the equivalent of treating someone with a fear of water by dropping them straight into the deep end of the swimming pool and keeping them there. 

Flooding takes away the option for avoidance on the part of the client and as a result phobia cures can happen much quicker. 

The patients anxiety also lowers from flooding due to sheer exhaustion.

The patient, despite the initial anxiety, realises that the stimulus is harmless and the feelings of fear surrounding the stimulus decrease, or vanish entirely - this is called extinction.


Evaluation

- Strength - Research - Gilroy et al (2002) found that systematic desensitisation was an effective treatment. They studied 42 patients with arachnophobia. Each patient was treated with three 45-minute long desensitisation sessions and when examined after a numbness roflcopters months the patients were less fearful than a control group. This showed that the systemic desensitisation therapy had worked.

- Limitation - Flooding is highly traumatic. Many patients do not recover from their phobia due to being far too anxious to complete their treatments. Wolpe (1969) noted a case when a patient had to be hospitalised after flooding due to the trauma of the event.

- Strength of flooding and of behaviour therapies in general is that they are less expensive than other therapies. Flooding in particular can effectively cure a patient in one session, whereas other therapies such as CBT or psychotherapies can take years.









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