BY NINA MUROV AND SAM STERN Relaxing Your Fears Away

Phobias Anxiety disorder Different types of phobias, like Claustrophobia (small spaces), and acrophobia (heights) 2 common characteristics: irrational and similar ways of treatment

The Problem with Psychoanalysis Early forms of treatment--Freud’s Psychoanalysis Proved ineffective for treating phobias When the unconscious conflict is discovered, phobia still exists

Joseph Wolpe Discovered Reciprocal Inhibition with animals—when two responses restrain each other, only one can exist in any given moment Proposed that human anxiety is similar to animal anxiety (rat experiment) Phobia exists because of learned process of classical conditioning

Wolpe’s Work Was not the first to suggest use of Systematic Desensitization Proposed that relaxation be used -- Strong physical relaxation and fear could not exist at the same time Article reported 39 cases randomly selected out of 150, where person’s phobia was treated with systematic desensitization

The Steps Therapist teaches patient to relax their body (5 - 6 sessions) Develop a list of “scenes” that involve the patient’s phobia—slightly uncomfortable  very uncomfortable Read off scenes--Hierarchy Once accomplished, patient repeats process in other therapy sessions

Results For 39 cases, there were 68 phobias treated  success rate 91% Average number of sessions was 12 No new phobias or relapses after treatment Wolpe showed critics follow-up reports to back up his successes

Conclusion Method is now treatment of choice for phobias Two studies were later done for public speaking and math anxiety, both had successful results