Systematic Desensitization for Panic Disorders

Joseph Wolpe是一种行为疗法的先驱，开发了一种称为系统脱敏的技术，用于治疗焦虑相关疾病和恐惧症。该技术基于原则古典调理和所学习（有条件）的前提是可能无法忘记的。充足的研究表明，系统脱敏可有效减少焦虑和惊恐发作associated with fearful situations.

系统的脱敏通常从在可怕情况的进展中开始想象自己，并使用与焦虑竞争的放松策略。一旦您可以在想象恐惧事件时成功管理您的焦虑，您可以使用现实生活中的技术。

学会放松

在您开始逐步向您担心的情况下逐步暴露之前，您必须首先学习和练习一些放松技术。常用于放松培训的一些技术包括：

Deep Breathing

When people are anxious, they tend to take rapid, shallow breaths that come directly from the chest. This type of breathing is called thoracic or chest breathing. When you’re feeling anxious, you may not even be aware that you’re breathing this way. Chest breathing disturbs the oxygen and carbon dioxide levels in the body, resulting in increased heart rate, dizziness, muscle tension, and other physical sensations. This may signal your body to produce astress responsethat contributes to anxiety and panic attacks.

进步肌肉放松

If you have恐慌症,agoraphobia要么another type of anxiety disorder, you may experience frequent muscle tension. In fact, chronic muscle tension may be so automatic that it seems normal, and you may have forgotten what it feels like when your muscles are completely relaxed. By employing the progressive muscle relaxation technique, you will be able to quickly rediscover the distinctions between relaxation and tension of various muscle groups.

Visualization

By imagining yourself in a peaceful, stress-free setting, you can reach a state of mental and physical relaxation. For example, imagine yourself sitting near a beautiful, peaceful lake. Focus on the scene for a period. Feel the soft sand on the bottom of your feet. As a gentle breeze sweeps across the water, imagine the warm air on your face as you watch a magnificent sunset on the horizon.

How Systematic Desensitization Works

在开始系统的脱敏之前，您需要掌握掌握放松培训，并开发了一个层次结构（至少令人担心的最令人担忧的）列表。如果您有困难到达放松状态或识别您的焦虑等级，您应该咨询professionalwho will be able to provide you with guidance.

For example, let’s say you fear to go into large stores. You may have the least anxiety walking into the store and your anxiety likely intensifies as you get further from the exit doors. Standing in the checkout line represents your highest fear response. In this case, you would start the process by focusing on the action that causes the least amount of distress and then work your way up. The result is that you will gradually, or systematically, become desensitized to shopping in large stores.