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PubMed1978

Hypnosis and related clinical behavior.

The essential aspect in the experience of the hypnotized person is the altered or distorted perception that is suggested to him. Not all people are capable of the experience, but it is possible that spontaneous distortions occur in those with high hypnotizability. These distortions are frequently experienced as frightening symptoms. The author draws attention to the similarity between hysterical symptoms and events in hypnosis and to the high hypnotic responsivity in hysterical subjects reported in the clinical literature of the nineteenth century. Phobic patients have relatively high hypnotic responsivity. The author believes that it is sometimes possible to predict hypnotizability from clinical behavior, and that hypnotic responsivity can be utilized in psychodynamically sensitive therapy to teach such patients that they can learn to gain control of their symptoms.

Adult↗
PubMed1980

Behavioral desensitization of phobic anxiety using thiopental sodium.

The author evaluated a random sample of 25 patients suffering from a variety of phobic anxiety states who were treated with desensitization using thiopental sodium combined with progressive reduction in the use of oral anxiolytic medication. At 24-week follow-up, 11 of the patients reported mild symptoms of phobic anxiety and 14 reported none; 9 of the patients reported their use of tranquilizers had decreased and 15 reported they had used non for at least 2 weeks. These results demonstrate the usefulness of the treatment in producing sustained reduction of phobic anxiety and tranquilizer use.

Anxiety Disorders↗
PubMed1981

Sensory experiences during treatment of phobias by in vivo exposure.

The author describes several patients undergoing in vivo exposure therapy for simple phobias who reported transient sensory distortions without other evidence of psychosis. The experiences occurred mainly in the tactile, kinesthetic, and visual modes. Their nature and significance are undetermined, but they appear to resemble conversion symptoms, hypnotic sensory distortions, and other nonpsychotic sensory experiences stimulated by emotionally charged ideas.

Adult↗
PubMed1983

Fainting on exposure to phobic stimuli.

Two patients with phobias for medical procedures and trauma developed "vasovagal syncope" with hypotension and bradycardia while viewing a videotape of a venous cutdown. Eleven hours of exposure therapy per patient eliminated both the phobic and fainting responses. These facts support existing hypotheses that phobias of this type and vasovagal fainting are associated and that vasovagal syncope is a diphasic response. They do not support hypotheses that vasovagal syncope follows sudden cessation of anxiety, that that counter-conditioning is necessary for successful treatment, or that novel symptoms emerge following behavioral treatment of these phobias.

Adult↗
PubMed1985

The psychodynamics of prescribing in behavior therapy.

The assignment of therapeutic tasks derived from learning theory to the patient by the therapist constitutes behavioral prescribing. After discussing some issues involved in comparing schools of psychotherapy and briefly examining some behavioral aspects of the psychotherapist-patient relationship, the author considers psychodynamic implications of a number of behavioral prescriptions, including homework, relaxation training, systematic desensitization, flooding, assertiveness training, sexual therapy, and self-control procedures. The author then examines possible meanings of behaviorally prescribed change itself, briefly discusses countertransference in behavior therapy, and advocates a multitheoretical perspective for psychotherapists.

Assertiveness↗
PubMed1987

Behavioral aspects of panic disorder.

The behavioral approach to panic disorder distinguishes between agoraphobia and nonsituational panic and emphasizes the handicap to the patient caused by avoidance of agoraphobic situations. Agoraphobia is a more viable label than panic disorder. Behavioral treatment consists of delineating the patient's agoraphobic avoidance and panic profile and developing a self-exposure program to produce habituation. Systematic exposure to agoraphobic situations is usually of durable efficacy, and the treatment requires little time from clinicians. Antidepressant drugs, which do not interfere with exposure, are a useful addition when dysphoria is present, but they can have troublesome side effects.

Adult↗
PubMed1992

Changes in chronic nightmares after one session of desensitization or rehearsal instructions.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of one session of instructions on the frequency of chronic nightmares and on self-rated distress. METHOD: Twenty-eight volunteers with chronic nightmares (mean duration = 19 years) were treated with either one session of desensitization with instructions on how to practice this treatment or with one session of instructions to change the nightmare and how to rehearse the new version. The authors administered four scales of the SCL-90 and the corresponding scales of the Symptom Questionnaire. RESULTS: At 7-month follow-up of 23 patients, there was a significant reduction in the frequency of nightmares and significant decreases in self-rated depression, anxiety, and hostility. There were no significant differences between the effects of the two types of treatment. In four patients, whose mean duration of nightmares was 23 years, the nightmares ceased. CONCLUSIONS: The results of this preliminary study suggests that the instructions given to the patients reduced the frequency of their chronic nightmares and decreased their self-rated distress.

Adult↗
PubMed1992

Brief treatment of emergency room patients with panic attacks.

OBJECTIVE: Most research on treatment for panic disorder has involved chronic forms of the illness. To determine the efficacy of early intervention, the authors examined the effects of treatment for patients with panic attacks who were seen in the emergency room, which is the first point of contact with the health delivery system for many persons with panic attacks. METHOD: The subjects were 33 patients with panic attacks seen in two emergency rooms. The presence of panic attacks was confirmed with a modified version of the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-III-R; approximately 40% of the patients met the DSM-III-R criteria for panic disorder with agoraphobia. The patients were randomly assigned to groups receiving reassurance (N = 16) or exposure instruction (N = 17). Scores on the Fear Questionnaire agoraphobia subscale, Mobility Inventory, and Beck Depression Inventory and the frequency of panic attacks were determined at baseline, 3 months, and 6 months. RESULTS: The subjects who received exposure instruction significantly improved over the 6-month period on depression, avoidance, and panic frequency. The reassurance subjects did not improve on any measure and eventually reported more agoraphobic avoidance. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that early intervention with exposure instruction may reduce the long-term consequences of panic attacks. The exposure instruction was of value even though the subjects had relatively low levels of avoidance at the outset of the study.

Adult↗
PubMed1995

Effectiveness of computer-generated (virtual reality) graded exposure in the treatment of acrophobia.

OBJECTIVE: The authors' goal was to examine the efficacy of computer-generated (virtual reality) graded exposure in the treatment of acrophobia (fear of heights). METHOD: Twenty college students with acrophobia were randomly assigned to virtual reality graded exposure treatment (N = 12) or to a waiting-list comparison group (N = 8). Seventeen students completed the study. Sessions were conducted individually over 8 weeks. Outcome was assessed by using measures of anxiety, avoidance, attitudes, and distress associated with exposure to heights before and after treatment. RESULTS: Significant differences between the students who completed the virtual reality treatment (N = 10) and those on the waiting list (N = 7) were found on all measures. The treatment group was significantly improved after 8 weeks, but the comparison group was unchanged. CONCLUSIONS: The authors conclude that treatment with virtual reality graded exposure was successful in reducing fear of heights.

Adult↗