Exposure therapy is an evidenced-based intervention that is used in treating social anxiety disorder. In exposure therapy, individuals must face their fears directly instead of using avoidant behaviors. It is grounded in the idea that once the individual faces their fears, they will be able to change their behaviors and reduce their symptoms (Rodebaugh, Holaway, & Heimberg, 2004). There are various types of exposure therapy that may be used in treating a client. In vivo exposure includes the client directly exposing themselves to the source of their fear. For social anxiety, the client may attend a social gathering where he may be around strangers. Imaginal exposure is when the client imagines the source of their anxiety or fear. For instance, …show more content…
Then during sessions, the client is exposed to their fear using one of the strategies associated with exposure therapy stated previously. The goal is through exposure and facing the discomfort, the client will learn habituation. Habituation occurs when the client has allowed themselves to experience their fear without avoiding it thus reducing their symptoms naturally (Rodebaugh, Holaway, & Heimberg, 2004). This process is gradual and occurs over the course of several sessions. Exposure therapy also include homework for the client to complete and later discuss with a professional in …show more content…
There is a higher chance that clinicians will defer to cognitive behavioral therapy in treating social anxiety under the guise that it is more effective and has longer lasting results. Based on the research there is not a significant difference between the two forms of therapy. Studies that compared the use of cognitive behavioral therapy and exposure therapy in the treatment of social anxiety found that exposure therapy helped reduced symptoms such as anxiety and help to improve functioning (Hofmann, 2008). Furthermore, studies have found that using cognitive behavioral therapy in addition to exposure therapy does not result in greater reduction of symptoms (Feske & Chambless, 1995). Also comparing cognitive behavior therapy and exposure therapy found that cognitive behavioral therapy was not more effective. (Hoffman, 2004). These findings suggest that exposure therapy alone is effective and a valid treatment method for social anxiety (Feske & Chambless,
According to Alice Boyes, an exposure hierarchy understanding triggers (could refer back to the thought records) and then listing ways to go about exposing yourself to those triggers. For example, a person with social anxiety could put number one as giving a speech in front of peers, and then the last one could be just asking someone for directions. Number one being their worst fear and then working their way up the list until they feel confident enough to tackle it. To modify this, Boyes suggests giving each level a point system so that if the client asked directions but they were still very anxious about it they could have that experience a 2/10 and once they get to 10/10 confidence level they can move on to a higher stressor. This helps simplify the process of recovery and lays out a general plan of action.
For a person diagnosed with agoraphobia, there are a number of restrictions and consequences associated with the disorder. A serious consequence is the incidence of severe and paralysing panic attacks. In the early stages of agoraphobia people suffer recurring panic attacks when in certain public places or situations. These attacks cause the person to feel generally uncomfortable in public settings. Eventually, fear of the recurrence of the panic attacks results in an obvious reluctance or refusal to enter all situations associated with the attacks. Other consequences of agoraphobia may include fear of being alone, fear of being in places where escape might be difficult, feelings of helplessness, dependence on others and depression. These consequences place many serious restrictions on a person with this disorder. Agoraphobia causes people to restrict their activities to smaller and smaller areas in order to avoid crowds, and open and public places or situations. This may finally lead to the inability of a person to leave their home without suffering a panic attack.
“Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), specifically exposure therapy, has garnered a great deal of empirical support in the literature for the treatment of anxiety disorders” (Gerardi et al., 2010). Exposure therapy is an established PTSD treatment (Chambless & Ollendick, 2001) and so is a benchmark for comparing other therapies (Taylor et al, 2003). “Exposure therapy typically involves the patient repeatedly confronting the feared stimulus in a graded manner, either in imagination or in vivo. Emotional processing is an essential component of exposure therapy” (Gerardi et al., 2010). “Exposure therapy in the virtual environment allows the participant to experience a sense of presence in an immersive, computer-generated, three-dimensional, interactive environment that minimizes avoidance behavior and facilitates emotional involvement” (Gerardi et al., 2010). This therapy has been thought to be more effective because it better accesses people’s emotions to their traumatic event. EMDR is where the participant was asked to recall the memory and its associated and then lateral sets of eye movements were induced by the therapist moving her finger across the participant's field of vision (Taylor et al., 2003).
In general, Social Anxiety Disorder, or Social Phobia, is defined as an anxiety disorder characterized by an overwhelming amount of anxiety and excessive self-consciousness in everyday social situations (“Social Phobia,” 2014). These individuals have trouble with basic communication and interaction, often to the point where they can physically feel the effects of their anxiety. Profuse sweating, stomach ache, and nausea are not uncommon occurrences when a person with Social Anxiety Disorder is placed in an uncomfortable situation. There are several hypothesized causes of Social Anxiety Disorder; however, one of the most
Having anxiety is common and a part of everyday life however; there is a huge difference between a fear and a social phobia or anxiety disorder. The difference and important distinction psychoanalysts make between a fear and a phobia is “a true phobia must be inconsistent with the conscious learning experience of the individual” (Karon 1). Patients with true phobias “do not respond to cognitive therapy but do respond well to psychoanalysis and psychoanalytic therapy” (Karon 2). Social phobia is a serious anxiety disorder that should not be taken lightly or mistaken as a fear you will simply grow out of the older you get. Social phobia has the power to destroy lives and can prevent people from living and enjoying their life to the fullest. Social phobia is a disabling condition that often starts between the ages of early childhood and late adolescence. The origins of social phobia can be linked to “traumatic social experiences and social isolation” (Hudson118-120). Social phobia is treatable however; research and statics show that not many seek help.
Social Anxiety Disorder was first recognized by the American Psychiatric Association as a disorder in 1980 (1). It is characterized by such physical symptoms as increased heartbeat, blushing, dry mouth, trembling and shaking, difficulty swallowing, and twitching in the muscles (2). Many people with social anxiety disorder also have depression. A study in France found that 70 percent of patients who developed social anxiety disorder before the age of 15 also suffered from major depression (3). Diagnostic criteria, according to the current definition of social anxiety disorder given by the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of the American Psychiatric Association, 4th ed. (DSM-IV), requires a persistent fear of at least one social situation which involves exposure to unfamiliar people or scrutiny by others. The patient must fear that he or she will act in this situation in a way that will cause embarrassment, and avoid the situation or experience extreme anxiety or a panic attack if faced with the situation. The patient must also realize that the fear is unreasonable. The avoidance or anxiety must interfere to a large extent with the normal routine, functioning, social activities, or relationships with the person (1).
Stein, M. B., & Stein, D. J. (2008). Social anxiety disorder. The Lancet, 371(9618), 1115-25.
In this treatment, “clients are repeatedly exposed to objects or situations that produce anxiety, obsessive fears, and compulsive behaviors, but they are told to resist performing the behaviors they feel so bound to preform” (Comer, 2015). Individuals going through this treatment will often find it extremely difficult to resist the urge to preform these compulsions, or behaviors, therefor the therapist will often be the first to set this example. This treatment can be conducted in an individual, or group
Cognitive-behaviorists have demonstrated an interrelationship among cognitive processes, environmental events, and behavior, which is conveyed in the context of one's social behavior. Psychotherapists in North America endorse cognitive-behavioral interventions as the second most widely used treatment approach (i.e., with an eclectic approach being endorsed as first) (Bongar & Buetler, 1995). The cognitive processes that serve as the focus of treatment in CBT include perceptions, self-statements, attributions, expectations, beliefs, and images (Kazdin, 1994). Most cognitive-behavioral based techniques are applied in the context of psychotherapy sessions in which the clients are seen individually, or in a group, by professional therapists. Intervention programs are designed to help clients become aware of their maladaptive cognitive processes and teach them how to notice, catch, monitor, and interrupt the cognitive-affective-behavioral chains to produce more adaptive coping responses (Mahoney, 1994)....
According to the therapists, the condition is applicable in many areas, including psychological and emotional fields.... ... middle of paper ... ... Within these factors, the therapy is essential in ensuring that different problems are addressed using personalized ideas. Works Cited Bandura, A 1999, Principles of behavior modification, Rinehart & Winston, New York.
Cognitive-Behavioural Therapy has its foundations in two distinctive therapeutic theories, Cognitive Therapy and Behavioural Therapy. Cognitive Therapy (CT) believes that thoughts, feelings and behaviour are connected. CT states and an individual with help; can identify an issue that is causing a behavioural or an emotional response and correcting that thinking to achieve a desired outcome. Behavioural Therapy believes that individual’s behaviour is due to conditioning during the early years of life and as such can be altered with conscious awareness. Cognitive-Behavioural Therapy is a combination of both of these theories and is based on an individual’s own history of thought an...
Cognitive therapy approaches of psychotherapy have proved to be one of the most effective psychological approaches for a wide range of behavioral problems. “CBT teaches anxiety reduction skills that people can use for the rest of their lives. Research shows the
All of us at one point in our life have had a fear of something, whether it’s public speaking, trying something new for the first time, or even presenting just like we're all going to be doing. I'm sure most of us will be nervous and we try our best to get rid of that feeling. Some people have Social anxiety which is known as social phobia. It is the fear of social interaction with other people and of being judged and looked down upon. It can also be a fear of embarrassment. This leads to feelings of inadequacy, self-consciousness, and depression. Social anxiety is an issue that affects many individuals as it should be taken more seriously and should not be considered as a weakness. Moreover, individuals with social anxiety should not be judged
Social anxiety disorder is otherwise called social phobia. It is characterized as the fear of association with other individuals. It is the fear and uneasiness of being judged and evaluated adversely by other individuals or acting in a manner that may cause humiliation or disparagement. This prompts sentiments of deficiency, hesitance, and dejection. The individual with social anxiety issue may accept that everyone's eyes are on him or her at all times. Social anxiety disorder is the third biggest mental disorder case issue on the planet, and it can impact 7% of the populace (15 million Americans) at any given time. Social anxiety is more advanced than shyness. Everyone has felt anxious or embarrassed at one time or another. For example, meeting new people or giving a public speech can make anyone nervous. But people with social phobia worry about these and other things for weeks before they happen.
Aversion Therapy “Aversion therapy uses the behavioral approach principles that new behavior can be learnt in order to overcome addictions, obsessions or, violent behavior (Behavioral Psychology 2015).” In simple terms, the basis of Aversion Therapy is to be able to get rid of a habit or behavior that one wishes to no longer have. This is done by learning how to associate pain, discomfort, or suffering with said behavior or habit one would like to get rid of. Some very common examples of habits that one would seek to get rid of are smoking, violence, alcoholism, gambling, overeating, pornography, and many other undesirable habits one might have. Behavioral Psychology 2015