Exposure Therapy

Superior Essays
Recovering from trauma may seem impossible to the victims who are left to cope with the intense symptoms that plague them long after the traumatic incident. Although progression is slow, recovery with the right therapy is possible (Wright, 2011). Some victims may choose a therapist who is well equipped to provide therapy to those who have been through trauma. Other victims might choose a spiritual leader to help them through the process of recovery and others may not choose to get help at all. Not only are the chances of recovery low for those victims who choose to untreated, they are also at risk for further difficulties that can disrupt their lives and the lives of their families such as anxiety, depression, pain, and substance abuse (Schiraldi, 2009).
With regards to treating PTSD, research and studies are still very young, however convincing evidence has shown some commonly used approaches to be effective. Exposure therapy has been shown to have a high rate of success when treating victims of trauma (Bradley et al. 2005). The theory behind exposure therapy is that victims of trauma learn fear through conditioning. Therapists that use this form of therapy provide a safe place for the victim to be exposed to stimuli that reminds them of the traumatic event and the details
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There are those whose symptoms persist long after the threat of danger is gone and the symptoms develop into what it called post-traumatic stress disorder. Post-traumatic stress disorder can interrupt normal living and sometimes daily functioning for the victim. Not only does post traumatic syndrome affect the victim but it also affects the lives of their family and friends. Recovering from PTSD and returning to normal, joyful living is quite possible with the right therapy. Common therapies used for PTSD is cognitive therapy, exposure therapy and eye movement desensitization

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