Lesson 7- Treating Phobias

Question 1

What are the 2 ways of treating phobias?

Answer 1

1) Systematic Desensitisation (gradual)

2) Flooding (immediate)

Question 2

Which psychologist came up with Systematic Desensitisation?

Answer 2

Wolpe (1958)

Question 3

What is Systematic Desensitisation?

Answer 3

Systematic Desensitisation- behavioural 🏃‍♂‍ therapy- reduce/diminish phobia- through 👍 classical conditioning (counter conditioning). Replace anxiety 😦 and fear 😟 with calm, relaxed 😌 responses- reciprocal inhibition (inability to experience 😊 😔 emotions at the same time- ✖️ coexist … one replaces the other)

Question 4

What is the process of Systematic Desensitisation?

Answer 4

1) Hierarchy of Fear- situations ranked 📶- constructed by therapist and patient together
2) Relaxation Techniques- PMR (progressive muscular 💪 relaxation)- sit quietly, comfortably, close 👀- hold 💪 - extreme tension- relax- 🦶 ⬆️- breathe deeply, meditate, imagine 😌 situations
3) Gradual exposure- 🆙 Hierarchy of Fear- relaxation technique- each stage- when comfortable- move on- repeated exposure- phobia eliminated- many therapy sessions

Question 5

What are the evaluation points of Systematic Desensitisation?

Answer 5

👎- not always practical 🧪 - difficult to arrange/control- e.g. phobia of 🦈- questions effectiveness
👍- less traumatic therapy (flooding)- less psychological 🧠 harm, less upsetting 😢, more ethical
👎- only symptoms addressed- underlying causes remain- symptoms may return or Symptom Substitution (abnormal behaviours replaces)
👍- Klosko et al. (1990)- 87% panic free after SD- 50% medication- 36% placebo- effective therapy compared to others

Question 6

What is Flooding?

Answer 6

Flooding- direct/immediate exposure to phobic object- extreme situation- no gradual build up✖️📶- done ‘in vivo’ (real life) or virtually (not as good)

Question 7

What is the process of Flooding?

Answer 7

1) Fully informed (written 📝) consent required
2) Patient put in extreme situation with phobic object
3) Phobic responses- stopped ✋ quickly⚡️- avoidance not possible- forced to face
4) Extinction occurs- patient learns phobic object harmless
5) Relaxation 😌 achieved- exhausted 💤 by own fear 😧 response

Question 8

What are the evaluation points of Flooding?

Answer 8

👎- highly traumatic experience- possible ⏰ & 💴 wasted- patient unwilling- complete treatment
👍- quick therapy- … cost 💵 effective & patients free of symptoms A.S.A.P
👎- less effective for social phobias (e.g. public speaking)- cognitive 🧠 therapy better
👍- Ost (1997)- stated flooding effective and rapid⚡️- immediate⚡️improvement 🆙- exposure outside therapy sessions (applied to daily life)