During systematic desensitization, also called graduated exposure therapy, you work your way up through levels of fear, starting with the least fearful exposure. This approach also involves the use of relaxation techniques. Both of these features make it different from other desensitization techniques, such as flooding. Systemic desensitization involves three main steps. Classical conditioning, sometimes associative learning principles, is the underlying theory behind this process.
The goal is to overcome a phobia by replacing feelings of fear and anxiety with a state of calm. You might learn a few different relaxation exercises in systematic desensitization.
These exercises could be used on their own or in combination with each other. This hierarchy typically involves 10 levels of fear. Once you have relaxation techniques and a hierarchy of fears, you can start gradually exposing yourself to your fears.
A typical first step is thinking about the thing you fear. Once you begin feeling afraid or anxious, use relaxation techniques to regain a sense of calm. Repeat the process until you no longer feel anxious.
Some people move through low levels quickly and have a hard time overcoming higher levels. The most helpful relaxation technique can also vary. You might find visualization helps you relax the most, for example.
Regardless of your fear or the length of time you spend working through each level, the principles remain the same. When you think about giving the wrong answer in class or having to ask to use the restroom, you feel sick and your heart races. You avoid speaking in class or participating in college activities to avoid embarrassing situations. You begin imagining yourself vocally greeting people, practicing deep breathing when you feel anxious, until you can remain calm.
A desensitization hierarchy is constructed and the patient works their way through, visualising each anxiety provoking event while engaging in the relaxation response. The number of sessions required depends on the severity of the phobia. Usually sessions, up to 12 for a severe phobia. However, there may be practical reasons why in vitro may be used. First, the patient is taught a deep muscle relaxation technique and breathing exercises.
This step is very important because of reciprocal inhibition, where once response is inhibited because it is incompatible with another. In the case of phobias, fears involves tension and tension is incompatible with relaxation. Second, the patient creates a fear hierarchy starting at stimuli that create the least anxiety fear and building up in stages to the most fear provoking images.
The list is crucial as it provides a structure for the therapy. Third, the patient works their way up the fear hierarchy, starting at the least unpleasant stimuli and practising their relaxation technique as they go. When they feel comfortable with this they are no longer afraid they move on to the next stage in the hierarchy. If the client becomes upset they can return to an earlier stage and regain their relaxed state. The client repeatedly imagines or is confronted by this situation until it fails to evoke any anxiety at all, indicating that the therapy has been successful.
This process is repeated while working through all of the situations in the anxiety hierarchy until the most anxiety-provoking. Thus, for example, a spider phobic might regard one small, stationary spider 5 meters away as only modestly threatening, but a large, rapidly moving spider 1 meter away as highly threatening.
The client reaches a state of deep relaxation, and is then asked to imagine or is confronted by the least threatening situation in the anxiety hierarchy. Wolpe successfully used the method to treat an 18 year old male with a severe handwashing compulsion. The disorder involved a fear of contaminating others with urine. The session focuses on visualization and reaching a state of mental clarity. The patient will learn how to use this and muscle relaxation during fearful situations.
At first it may be very difficult to learn how to remain in a relaxed state and frame the anxiety — which is why the counselor will begin with imaginary exposure. They will teach the patient how to use their anxiety hierarchy to break the barriers down and manage the phobia. When the patient begins to focus on the action that causes the distress and then implements the strategies that were taught to them by the counselor, it will lead to desensitization.
Critics argue that Systematic Desensitization is a character generalization and that the patient's conflict cannot be determined by implementing the narrow treatment techniques. There is a concern that the therapy requires a wider basis of conditioning. How does systematic desensitization work?. Did you find an inaccuracy? We work hard to provide accurate and scientifically reliable information.
Target Behavior: Anxiety when interacting with my boss. At home the night before I go to work, thinking about my boss. Driving to work, thinking about my boss. Walking into the building, thinking about my boss.
Entering the office or the room where I work. Greeting and talking to those I work with about the boss. Seeing the boss from afar. Passing the boss. Smiling at the boss. Saying hello to the boss and exchanging greetings.
Asking the boss a short question about my job. Asking the boss a more detailed question. Listening to the boss give instructions and then performing them. Talking with the boss on a more personal level.
Listening to the boss evaluate my work. Talking to and taking an order from the boss when he ' s very rushed or brusque-acting. Target Behavior: Anxiety when interacting with strangers or those I don ' t know very. Seeing a stranger from a distance. Walking through a group of strangers. Seeing a stranger walking towards me. Passing a stranger. Looking at a passing stranger who is also looking at me.
Smiling or nodding to a stranger I ' ve often passed. Being spoken to be someone who sits near me in class. Talking to a class member I don ' t really know abut the course material in a small classroom discussion. Being approached by and talking to someone in my class. Being approached by and talking on a more personal level with someone I know slightly. Meeting one stranger. Meeting two or three strangers.
Meeting a group of strangers Talking briefly with a stranger I just met. Talking at length with a stranger I just met.
Talking briefly with two or three strangers. Talking at length with two or three strangers. Talking briefly with a group of strangers. Talking with a group of strangers I just met. Introducing myself and initiating conversation with strangers. Target Behavior: Anxiety when interacting with a certain person.
Smiling at the person. Saying hello to the person. Asking the person how he is. Asking the person a short, factual question e. Asking the person a more detailed question that takes longer to answer.
Telling the person a short experience I had. Asking the person ' s opinion on a non-anxiety arousing topic. Telling the person my opinion on a non-anxiety arousing topic. Asking the person two or three questions and responding to his answers. Telling the person something about myself, like my family. Talking back and forth with the person for a long time about a factual topic.
Talking back and forth with the person on a more personal level. Approaching the person and beginning a long conversation. Target Behavior: Fear of speaking up in class. At home, the night before I go to class. Driving to school before the class. Walking to my class. Walking inside the classroom. Looking around at the people in the room.
Walking in and saying hello to someone in the room. Sitting down in the front row. Catching the professor ' s eye and smiling.
Nodding or agreeing with a comment made in class. Asking the professor a question from the front of the room. Asking the professor a question from the back of the room. Answering a short question from the front of the room. Answering a short question from the back of the room. Answering a longer question. Making a comment on a particular point to the class. NOTE: This hierarchy was designed by a student for himself. He was 23 and had never had a date.
Being with a member of the opposite sex who is a member of the family. Being with a member of the opposite sex who is not a member of the family. Seeing a less attractive member of the opposite sex that I know not so well. Smiling at a less attractive member of the opposite sex that I know not so well. Saying "hi" or "hello" to a less attractive member of the opposite sex. Talking to a less attractive member of the opposite sex for a short time. Conversing with a less attractive member of the opposite sex for a long time.
Capitalize on free information when conversing with a less attractive member of the opposite sex. Utilizing open-ended questions in a conversation with a member of the opposite sex, who is less attractive. Seeing a moderately attractive member of the opposite sex I know well. Smiling at a moderately attractive member of the opposite sex I don't know well. Saying "hi" or "hello" to a moderately attractive member of the opposite sex.
Talking to a moderately attractive member of the opposite sex for a short time. Listening to a moderately attractive member of the opposite sex for a short time. Conversing with a moderately attractive member of the opposite sex for a long period. Capitalizing on free information when conversing with a moderately attractive member of the opposite sex. Utilizing open-ended questions when conversing with a moderately attractive member of the opposite sex.
Seeing a very attractive member of the opposite sex that I know not so well. Smiling at a very attractive member of the opposite sex that I know not so well. Saying "hi" or "hello"to a very attractive member of the opposite sex that I know not so well. Talking to a very attractive member of the opposite sex that I know not so well. Listening to a very attractive member of the opposite sex that I know that so well.
Conversing with a very attractive member of the opposite sex for a short time that I know fairly well. Conversing with a very attractive member of the opposite sex for a long period that I know fairly well.
Smiling at each other. Eye-to-eye contact. Asking for initiating activities together. Asking, " Could I walk you out to your car.
In asking for a phone number, give yours first. Asking him or her for a date. Asking him or her for a dinner date. Putting your personal feelings forward. A You have a warm and sensitive nature about you. Saying, " You are very beautiful. Saying, " Being close with you sure makes me feel nice inside. Saying, " I would like to get to know you better.
Saying, " I am beginning to like you a lot. Coming to grips with your feelings about him or her for the moment. Opening up and saying what you feel about him or her. Express compliments and feelings about the other person.
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