Treating phobias

• Systematic desensitisation

  > Relaxation - taught to use muscle relaxation techniques or breathing exercises

  > Hierarchy of anxiety - Work with therapist to create a graded scale starting with what scares them the least to what scares them the most

  > Gradual exposure - Client id gradually exposed to the least feared situation, encouraged to put relaxation techniques into practice (reciprocal inhibition). Only move beyond stage when fully relaxed

  >Complete treatment when able to move freely between stages with no anxiety
• Systematic desensitisation AO3

  :) RTS Gilroy

  > 42 people who had systematic desensitisation for spider phobias in three 45-minute sessions using gradual exposure

  > At both three months after treatment and thirty-three months after treatments, the systematic desensitisation group were much less fearful than a control group who were treated with a therapy that did not use exposure to a phobic stimuli as part of the therapy

  > Reassociating phobia with relaxation rather then fear
• Systematic desensitisation AO3

  :( Requires motivation and commitment

  > Patients must attend sessions and be exposed to anxiety provoking situations

  > If patients stop attending therapy it is ineffective and anxieties will return

  > Unlike drug therapy which requires little motivation and commitment

  > Therefore limiting the appropriateness of systematic desensitisation
• Systematic desensitisation

  :) Patients have high control over their own therapy

  > Create their own hierarchy of anxiety and only move on when they feel relaxed

  > Unlike flooding which can be quite traumatic - immediate exposure

  > Therefore suggesting systematic desensitisation is an appropriate treatment for phobias
• Flooding

  > Immediate exposure to their most feared stimulus and must stay in its presence

  > They will experience high levels of anxiety and panic as they are unable to avoid the stimulus. They remain exposed to it until the anxiety response is exhausted and starts to decrease

  > This lasts around 2-3 hours

  > This is known as extinction and the patient learns the phobic stimulus is harmless
• Flooding AO3

  :) Highly cost effective

  >Therapy is found to be effective and not expensive

  > Can work in as little as one session due to immediate exposure and extinction unlike SD which can take up to 10 sessions

  > Therefore flooding may be regarded as a more appropriate therapy to use in the real world
• Flooding AO3

  :( Can be seen as unethical

  > Patient may experience extreme anxiety as they are exposed to their most feared phobic stimulus for 2-3 hours

  > Although full informed consent is gained from patients, SD could be seen as more ethical

  > The traumatic nature of flooding means drop out rates are higher then SD, reducing the appropriateness and effectiveness of flooding