SYSTEMATIC

DESENSITIZATION

Maya Bhattacharya

General Psychology Honors

November 5, 2012

AFTER

DESENSITIZATION…

DEFINITION

“Systematic desensitization, also

desensitization therapy, is a

technique used to treat phobias

and other extreme or erroneous

fears based on principles of

behavior modification” (4).

Basically, it’s a therapy procedure

for reducing anxiety, fears and

phobias (what you’re scared of) to

the point that you can “face your

worst fear”.

A Few Common Phobias:

• Acrophobia (Fear of heights)

• Claustrophobia (Fear of enclosed

spaces)

• Nyctophobia (Fear of the dark)

• Arachnophobia (Fear of spiders)

• Ophidiophobia (Fear of snakes)

• Trypanophobia (Fear of

injection/medical needles)

• Nosophobia (Fear of having a

disease)

Phobias can be considered as

anxiety disorders, as fear causes

anxiety.

SEL F - ADM INISTERED SYSTEM ATIC

DESENSITIZATION P ROCEDU RE

1. Relaxation

2. Constructing an anxiety hierarchy

3. Pairing relaxation with the situations

described in your anxiety hierarchy

Guide to Psychology: http://www.guidetopsychology.com/sysden.htm

Here’s a sample hierarchy:

• Talking about spiders

• Looking at a picture of a spider

• Looking at an actual spider not

moving, in a cage, from a distance

• Looking at an actual spider, not

moving, in a cage, getting closer

• Looking at a moving spider in a cage

• Looking at a moving spider outside

of a cage

• Reaching for the spider

• Petting the spider

• Holding the spider in your hands

WHY DON’T WE LIVE WITH

OUR FEARS?

What if your fears are:

• Distracting you from your daily life

• Not allowing you to progress (fear of speaking in public or social anxieties)

• Causing you to become physically ill?

SOCIAL ANXIETIES

FOR EXAMPLE…

WHO’S IDEA WAS IT?

1950s

WHAT TO DO NOW

BY…

Using humor! Have

laughter in your life –

humor really achieves

results

Using the techniques we

discussed today!

REFERENCES

Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/topic/Desensitization.aspx

Encyclopedia of Mental Disorders: http://www.minddisorders.com/Py-

Z/Systematic-desensitization.html

About.com Phobias:

http://phobias.about.com/od/introductiontophobias/tp/Ten-Common-

Phobias.htm

Theories in Psychology:

http://theoriesinpsychologyf10.wikispaces.com/Classical+Conditioning+%26+Syst

ematic+Desensitization

PICTURE CREDITS

http://www.minddisorders.com/photos/systematic-desensitization-866.jpg

http://www.buzzle.com/img/articleImages/398337-2312-55.jpg

http://shynesssocialanxiety.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/overcoming-fear-progressive-

desensitization.jpg

http://www.simswyeth.com/wp-content/uploads/glossophobia.jpg

http://www.psychologynoteshq.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/spider-550x367.jpg

http://www.simplypsychology.org/systematic-desensitisation.jpg

http://www.primarypsychiatry.com/userdocs/ArticleImages/1105pp4.gif

http://www.betterparenting.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/fight-fears.jpg

http://conceptart.org/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=1468256&d=1335423450

If you would like to discuss any psychology topics, including desensitization, feel free to speak with me in

class or email me at: mbhattacharya.student@gmail.com.