Treatment of phobias

Question 1

Systematic desensitisation (4 steps)

Answer 1

1. Therapist teaches patient relaxation techniques for e.g breathing excercises- slowing heart rate or relaxing tension in muscles
2. Construct hierarchy of fears- range from imagined fears that evoke mild anxiety to scenes that evoke intense fear
3. Begin desensitisation, patient relaxes and vividly imagines fear-arousing scenes starting with those that are only mildly anxiety-provoking. Proceeds through the levels in hierarchy (may have to come back to step before if failed to stay in state of calmness of level above)
4. The Therapist encourages patient to confront fears (beginning with mild ones) in real life