Behaviour Therapies> Systematic Desensitisation

Systematic desensitisation is a behaviour therapy used mainly for phobias and anxiety disorders. It works by gradually exposing a person to feared situations while they remain relaxed.

• The method is based on classical conditioning and the idea that anxiety responses are learned.
• It uses reciprocal inhibition, where relaxation is used to cancel out anxiety.

• The three main steps are relaxation training, preparing an anxiety hierarchy, and gradual desensitisation.
• Sessions are short and repeated over several weeks until anxiety reduces.

Step 1 – Relaxation

• The client learns to relax body muscles so that physical tension and anxiety are reduced.
• Jacobson’s progressive muscle relaxation teaches tensing and relaxing different muscle groups in sequence.

Step 2 – Hierarchy of anxieties

• An anxiety hierarchy is a ranked list of situations from least to most anxiety‑provoking.
• It is prepared jointly by the therapist and client using questionnaires, history, and discussion.

Step 3 – Desensitisation

• In imaginal desensitisation, the client imagines items from the hierarchy while staying relaxed, starting with the least fearful scene.
• In in vivo desensitisation, the client is gradually exposed to real‑life feared situations while using relaxation.

• Systematic desensitisation is especially useful for specific phobias, anxiety neuroses, and exam anxiety.
• It can also support treatment of some psychosomatic and other anxiety‑related problems.

• Meaning: A behaviour therapy used to treat phobias and anxiety by gradual exposure to feared situations while staying relaxed.
• Basis: Based on classical conditioning and reciprocal inhibition, where relaxation reduces anxiety.
• Steps: Involves relaxation training, anxiety hierarchy, and gradual desensitisation.
• Use: Effective for phobias, anxiety neuroses, and exam anxiety.