Exposure therapy
Exposure Therapy
Exposure therapy (pronunciation: /ɪkˈspoʊʒər ˈθɛrəpi/) is a psychological treatment method developed to help individuals confront and reduce fear and distress associated with specific objects, activities, or situations.
Etymology
The term "exposure therapy" originates from the English words "exposure," meaning the act of subjecting someone to an influencing experience, and "therapy," which refers to the treatment of mental or psychological disorders.
Definition
Exposure therapy is a form of cognitive behavioral therapy that involves the systematic and repeated exposure of the patient to the feared object, situation, or traumatic memory. The goal of this therapy is to help the individual reduce fear, anxiety, or avoidance behavior associated with the feared stimulus.
Types of Exposure Therapy
There are several types of exposure therapy, including:
- Systematic Desensitization - This involves gradually exposing the patient to the feared object or situation in a controlled and safe environment.
- Flooding - This involves exposing the patient to the most feared situation or object immediately, without any gradual buildup.
- Virtual Reality Exposure Therapy - This uses virtual reality technology to expose the patient to the feared situation or object in a controlled virtual environment.
Related Terms
- Anxiety Disorders - A group of mental disorders characterized by significant feelings of anxiety and fear.
- Phobia - An excessive and irrational fear reaction to a specific object, situation, or activity.
- Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - A mental health condition triggered by experiencing or witnessing a terrifying event.
- Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder - A mental disorder in which people have unwanted and repeated thoughts, feelings, ideas, sensations (obsessions), or behaviors that make them feel driven to do something (compulsions).
External links
- Medical encyclopedia article on Exposure therapy
- Wikipedia's article - Exposure therapy
This WikiMD dictionary article is a stub. You can help make it a full article.
Languages: - East Asian
中文,
日本,
한국어,
South Asian
हिन्दी,
Urdu,
বাংলা,
తెలుగు,
தமிழ்,
ಕನ್ನಡ,
Southeast Asian
Indonesian,
Vietnamese,
Thai,
မြန်မာဘာသာ,
European
español,
Deutsch,
français,
русский,
português do Brasil,
Italian,
polski