iPsychology
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Desensitization
One method that has been consistently proven to be effective in the treatment of anxiety and phobias is systematic desensitization. In this procedure, events which cause anxiety are recalled in imagination, and then a relaxation technique is used to dissipate the anxiety. With sufficient repetition through practice, the imagined event loses its anxiety-provoking power. At the end of training, when you actually face the real event, you will find that it too, just like the imagined event, has lost its power to make you anxious. Originally developed to be administered by a psychotherapist, systematic desensitization has been shown to be effective when self-administered as well, and your greatest gains will come through your own regular practice. The examples utilized here will be for desensitizing yourself to Fear of Flying; you can, however, alter the examples to suit any type of anxiety. |