Posted by alexandra_k on December 22, 2005, at 18:53:50
In reply to Re: I suppose I should also clarify » alexandra_k, posted by Dinah on December 22, 2005, at 10:06:17
> I can't believe forcing someone to be with a phobic object until their body is too tired to produce a flight response would cause them in the future to have neutral associations with that object. Maybe in the future it would put them in a posture of resigned defeat instead of a flight position.
> I don't think I'd ever endorse that approach.
> Mother got me over an intense fear of dogs by sitting quietly with a very saintly and patient puppy on a leash while I approached and then ran screaming around the house then approached again etc. But I was always free to scream and run. And the cute and sweet puppy itself provided a sufficient positive reinforcer. Because I didn't really want to be afraid of her. I wanted to play with her the way I saw my cousins play with their puppy.yeah. that is exposure.
gradual.... gradually... you come to see it is okay.'flooding' aka 'implosion' would be tying you to a chair and putting the puppy on your lap.
the thought is (well actually the empirical fact is) you have an INTENSE emotional response. Then... your body 'gives up' or 'poops out' and... If you don't keel over from a heart attack... you gradually realise it is okay.
same result.
but yeah, there are ethical problems with the 'flooding' approach (not many people will go to therapy when that is going to happen lol!) also... yeah... heart failure :-(
poster:alexandra_k
thread:590579
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/psycho/20051216/msgs/591337.html