Systematic Desensitization and Phobia Treatment
How Wolpe’s Desensitization Therapy is Used to Treat Specific Phobia
Aug 23, 2009
Systematic desensitization is used to treat specific phobias, such as fear of heights or spiders. Desensitization can also be used by parents to help their children overcome certain fears and anxieties.
Definition of Systematic Desensitization
In simple language, systematic desensitization assumes that phobias are learned (through a process called classical conditioning) and that they can be unlearned. Systematic desensitization is the process used to help people unlearn them, by using controlled exposure to the object of the phobia. It helps take away the person's sensitivity (i.e. desensitizes them) to the feared object.
Systematic Desensitization Steps to Overcome Fear and Anxiety
In preparation for the process of systematic desensitization, the phobic person must learn skills to relax the mind and body at will. This can be done through hypnotherapy, or by regularly practicing deep breathing and progressive muscle relaxation.
The Systematic Desensitization Hierarchy
Next, the phobic person makes a list of small, manageable steps that can be taken to expose him or herself to the object of the phobia in the form of a hierarchy, from least scary to most difficult.
For example, if the person is afraid of spiders, the hierarchy might look like this:
- Think about a spider;
- Look at a silly drawing of a spider;
- Look at a serious drawing of a spider;
- Look at a photo of a spider;
- Look at an empty spider web;
- Touch an empty spider web;
- Look at a real spider in a box;
- Hold the box with the spider;
- Look at a real spider, not in a box, from across the room;
- Look at a real spider from halfway across the room;
- Look at a real spider up close;
- Let a spider crawl on something you are holding, and so on.
How to Use the Phobia Hierarchy
The individual begins with the step that causes only a small amount of very manageable anxiety. Only the phobic person can gauge this. It is extremely important that the anxiety is small and manageable.
The phobic person should stay in this exposure step for a time, then follow these steps:
- Retreat - Retreat or stop even though the anxiety is low;
- Relax – Use relaxation skills to relax further;
- Recover – Restore a sense of calm and well-being;
- Repeat - Repeat the exposure in the same hierarchy step.
The phobic person keeps repeating the exposure at this hierarchy step until it no longer causes any anxiety. Then the person proceeds to the next step in the hierarchy and repeats the process until that step no longer causes any anxiety, and so on.
Systematic desensitization can help people with a phobias overcome their fears by providing a method of gradual exposure to the fear. There are important steps to remember when doing desensitization. If done incorrectly, it could make the phobia worse; therefore, it is advisable to consult an expert to help treat a phobia.
This article is for information purposes only. Anyone with troubling symptoms should seek in-person advice and care from a doctor or mental health professional.
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