Direct therapeutic exposure

Direct Therapeutic Exposure

Direct therapeutic exposure (pronunciation: di-ˈrekt | thera-peutic | ex-po-sure) is a form of cognitive behavioral therapy that involves the confrontation of feared stimuli or situations in a safe and controlled environment. This technique is often used in the treatment of anxiety disorders and phobias.

Etymology

The term 'direct therapeutic exposure' is derived from the English words 'direct', 'therapeutic', and 'exposure'. 'Direct' (from Latin 'directus') means 'straight' or 'uninterrupted', 'therapeutic' (from Greek 'therapeutikos') refers to 'healing' or 'serving to cure', and 'exposure' (from Latin 'expositus') means 'to lay open' or 'reveal'.

Definition

Direct therapeutic exposure is a psychological treatment method where the patient is directly exposed to the anxiety source or its context without the intention to cause any danger. Doing so is thought to help them overcome their anxiety or distress. This method is often used in exposure therapy and systematic desensitization.

Related Terms

Exposure Therapy: A psychological treatment that helps people confront their fears. When people are fearful of something, they tend to avoid the feared objects, activities, or situations. Exposure therapy targets this avoidance by exposing the patient to the feared objects, activities, or situations.
Systematic Desensitization: A type of exposure therapy that involves gradually exposing the patient to the anxiety source or its context. It is often used to treat phobias.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy: A type of psychotherapy that helps patients understand the thoughts and feelings that influence behaviors. It is commonly used to treat a wide range of disorders, including phobias, addiction, depression, and anxiety.
Anxiety Disorders: A group of mental disorders characterized by significant feelings of anxiety and fear.
Phobias: A type of anxiety disorder defined by a persistent and excessive fear of an object or situation.