Facing Your Fears: Systematic Desensitization
Systematic Desensitization
Have you ever worried about driving somewhere new (to the point it causes major anxiety)? Or have a big fear of spiders? Or maybe a fear of social situations, upcoming tests, heights, or flying? Many of us have fears that keep us from living day to day lives or doing something that we see so many people doing. There is a type of therapy that helps many overcome these fears when used properly and consistantly.
Systematic Desensitization is a behavioral therapy that "aims to remove the fear response of a phobia, and substitute a relatation response to the conditional stimulus gradually" (McLead, 2008). In other words, it helps a person with a phobia (anxiety/fear) gradually decrease it or even remove it completely. For example, if I fear driving myself to a new location I gradually decrease my fear and anxiety by going to google maps and acting like I am driving there a few times to reduce my fear, and yes it does work for me. I went from not driving at all to driving 13 hours over the holidays to see family. But do notice that everyone is different and it does take time, patience and practice.
There are 3 phases to this therapy. The first phase involves deep muscle relaxation techniques and deep breathing exercises (see our mindfulness exercises https://www.7cups.com/exercises/mindfulness/?showlist=1). Phase 2 consists of creating a hierarchy, starting with stimulus least to create anxiety/fear and building your way up to the most fearfuly. See chart below for example of someone with a phobia of spiders.
The third phase consists of working your way up the hierarchy starting at the least unpleasant and practice relaxation technique with it. When you are no longer afraid (this can take some time), move on to the next stimuli. An example of someone with a phobia of spiders is shown below.
We all face fears one time or another in our lives and are not alone. It can be overwhelming sometimes when trying a new coping technique, but with time, patience and consistancy we can face our fears and possibly overcome them all together.
Work Cited:ss
McLeod, S. A. (2008). Systematic Desensitization. Retrieved from www.simplypsychology.org/Systematic-Desensitisation.html.
***If have any questions please check out the website or ask in this thread***
I am afraid of heights and flying, but I did both last year when I went to Mexico, yet I am still afraid. My husband wants to go back again this Christmas and I am thinking of every excuse I can not to go. The city we went to is surrounded by volcanos and we went up those volcanos and I was so scared I blacked out several times. I don't like small spaces either .. we went into the mines and I was about to pass out being so far underground! I want to get rid of my paranoia problems.
@TransAm85 Sounds like you're pushing yourself a little too far and too fast. If you go further than you can handle, and learn from, then you will reassociate that fear all over again and not gain much from it. You can test this by seeing if your fear has increased or lessend from smaller scale interactions with the same fear, such as being in a small room, or climbing a ladder or something. If it has lessend, and if it feels like your pain was worth it, then keep going. But if not, take it slowly and be patient. If that's not an option for him, dump him. You must have your own back on this or your fear will increase the further you are pushed by someone else, because it represents losing your own control. That kind of dependency and lack of confidence in yourself will only make things worse. It doesn't have to be a big deal, but stand up for yourself regardless and be patient. You have to feel safe before you'll get anything out of, or learn anything from the experience of pushing your comfort zone.
@Tanuki You are right. I always have to hear that I am going to die w/regret b/c I am so scared about traveling. He criticizes me a lot. Going w/him to Mexico was the first time in my 31 years I have ever been on a plane and out of the USA. I was nervous to meet the in laws also bc I do not speak Spanish. I was basically all alone in the whole situation. I tried to deal w/my fears myself, but they resulted in partial seizures, but I call them blackouts. And I think I'm getting claustraphobic. I had a rough childhood, so I never grew up as a confident person. I am just learning that confidence isn't about what you look like, it's who you are as a person and how you feel towards others.
@TransAm85
Hello and I will keep you in my prayers that you can push past your fears. It is okay that you have fear, fear is a normal instinct its when we let it control our lives that we need to do something about it. Wishing you all the best
@CaringTeresa
Hi, thank you for posting this, it is interesting and useful:) I learned it in psychology and it was a really cool thing to learn:) I heard there's a thing called exposure therapy too that does this with the therapist! very cool, thank you:) and I love the spider chart:)
Hi Thank you for the post. Very interesting.
@CaringTeresa awesome....ive been basically doing this same stuff for driving long distance...gradually it has been helping
Systematic desensitization helped me several years ago with my agoraphobia. It really does work, folks.. just make teeny tiny steps and make sure you have adequate coping skills/mindfullness techniques to help you push through the high levels of anxiety you will endure.