Agoraphobia, compulsive behaviours and behaviour completion mechanisms.

Abstract

Anxiety is identified with a state of high arousal. Agoraphobia is differentiated from specific phobias which are inherent responses to situations which threatened primitive man. In agoraphobia, attacks of high arousal are produced by situations which delay ongoing activity. It is hypothesised that such delays produce arousal by activating behaviour completion mechanisms. Evidence is reviewed which indicates desensitization has a lasting effect in agoraphobia but not in specific phobias. It is suggested that desensitization reduces the arousal produced by behaviour completion mechanisms. Aversive therapy in homosexuality reduces the subjects' drive to carry out compulsive sexual behaviours but does not alter sexual orientation. It is suggested that compulsive sexual behaviours are not activated by primary sexual drives but by behaviour completion mechanisms which are also responsible for other compulsive behaviours. Aversive therapy acts by reducing the arousal produced by the behaviour completion mechanisms. As both aversive therapy and desensitization reduce such arousal, desensitization should be able to replace aversive therapy in the treatment of compulsive behaviours.