In: Psychology
Antonio has a fear of heights. He is consulting with a therapist so that he can take a trip to visit his cousin, who lives in Europe.
A) What is systematic desensitization?
B) How is systematic desensitization different from counterconditioning?
C) What is the most important feature of systematic desensitization?
Systematic desensitization can be defined as a behavioral therapy that is based upon the basic principle of classical conditioning and it gradually exposes the person to the fearful stimulus and substitutes the feelings of fear and anxiety by the relaxed response. The client is first taught about deep relaxation techniques and breathing exercises like JPMR, etc. Then a fear hierarchy is created in order to understand which situation creates the least fear and anxiety and which one creates the highest anxiety and fear in the person and it provides a structure to the therapeutic process. Then the client is gradually exposed to such scenarios following the hierarchy, starting from the situation that induces the least anxiety and practicing relaxation and breathing techniques and when they are completely comfortable with the present situation only then they can move up to the next hierarchy level of the fear-inducing situation.
Systematic desensitization is different from counterconditioning as Counterconditioning means training an individual to display a behavior that is different than his current reaction to a stimulus. Desensitization is the process of exposing the individual to a stimulus beginning at a very low intensity and helping them reduce their fear gradually exposing them to the fearful situation and helping them accept with it and dealing with those and working up to the hierarchy while using deep muscle relaxation techniques as well as breathing exercises.
Desensitization is making the person less sensitive and it strives to eliminate or reduce the exaggeration emotional response a person has to any stimulus they are extremely fearful of. whereas Counterconditioning is reteaching to have a pleasant feeling or response to the thing they are having issues with associating the fearful thing to something positive
Most important feature of systematic desensitization is that it makes the client engaged in some or the other type of relaxation exercises, breathing exercises and gradually exposed to an anxiety-producing stimulus