Treatment for phobias

• systematic desensitisation


  three critical components to SD:

  • fear hierarchy - rank phobic situation from least to most terrifying
  • relaxation training - uses breathing techniques, PMR or mental imagery
  • reciprocal inhibition - two emotional states cannot occur at the same time
• Flooding


  exposes the individual to the anxiety inducing stimulus immediately. done over an extended period of time in a safe and controlled manor

  they are unable to avoid their phobia and through continuous exposure anxiety levels will decrease leading to extinction
• Systematic desensitisation AO3


  + research support - McGrath - 75% patients successfully treated with SD

  + research support - Gilroy - 42 patients with arachnophobia, 3 session of SD each, 33 months later those treated with SD less fearful than control group

  +more ethical in nature

  -cant treat all phobias - ineffective in treating evolutionary phobias that have an innate bias
• Flooding AO3


  + cost effective - takes less time to get a positive result

  -highly traumatic - Wolpe - patient became so anxious they needed hospitalisation

  -less useful for more complex phobias - social phobias and agoraphobia