Question

How are Exposure Therapy and desensitization related? What types of psychological disorders can Exposure Therapy be utilized to treat?

Answer 1

Exposure therapy is method of behavioral therapy in which patients are exposed to the source or context which triggers the psychological disorder without the intention of creating any danger. Doing this is believed to help patients overcome their disorder. Likewise, desensitization means decreased emotional response like decreased fear or anxiety after repeated exposure to the stimuli that is creating the fear or anxiety or the particular response. In this way exposure therapy and desensitization are related. Exposure therapy is often used in treating phobias, post traumatic stress syndrome, anxiety disorders etc.