Systematic desensitisation

• Systematic desensitisation uses classical conditioning to unlearn the phobic response to a situation, by creating a new response - relaxation
• Three components to systematic desensitisation:

  Fear hierarchy

  Relaxation training

  Reciprocal inhibition
• Fear hierarchy - rank the phobic situations from least to most scary
• Relaxation training - individual is taught relaxation techniques such as breathing exercises, muscle relaxation strategies or mental imagery techniques
• Reciprocal inhibition - exposing the patient to their phobic situation while they are relaxed.
• According to systematic desensitisation, two emotional states cannot exist at the same time, this is a theory called reciprocal inhibition.
• If a person is unable to be both relaxed and anxious at the same time, relaxation should overtake fear.
• During reciprocal inhibition, the patient starts at the bottom of the fear hierarchy, and when the patient can remain relaxed in the presence of the least feared stimulus, they move on to the next level. This continues until they are relaxed in the most feared situation, and at this point systematic desensitisation is successful and a new response to the stimulus has been learned.