1. Diagnosis: Understanding of the diagnostic criteria for a given disorder and whether the client’s presenting problems meet such criteria. (200)
Regarding Samantha´s case and in comparison with required symptoms due to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5), it can be assumed that she suffers from a specific anxiety (animal anxiety). Whereas this manual does not have expanded subcategories, the International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems (ICD-10) still further described the special fear of spiders as Arachnophobia (F40.210). According to Samantha, she has been suffering under these persistent consequences since she was a child (more than 6 months). Typical symptoms which she …show more content…
One of them is the systematic desensitization/confrontation “in sensu”. In this case, the patient starts to imagine the feared object or the anxiety-triggering event as if he/she were involved. The phobical stimulus is actively visualized. Repeated confusion induces a habituation effect, which can diminish or eradicate the phobic reaction. In systematic desensitization, the “In sensu” confrontation is combined with a relaxation method, eg. with progressive muscular relaxation according to Jacobson, which is previously learned by the patient. Systematic desensitization proved to be an effective and long-lasting therapy for subjective anxiety symptoms. However, in Samantha´s case this could be a suitable method which can be supplemented with further confrontations “in vivo”. After cognitive preparation, the feared object or the anxious situation is actively sought by the patient. With the help of the therapist, habituation processing can be initiated. Not least changing perception or evaluation of the phobic stimulus, but also establishing new behavioral patterns. Many studies have shown that stimulus confrontation is a very effective therapeutic method for the treatment of specific phobias. With adequate cognitive preparation and duration of stimulus confrontation, subjective anxiety as well as avoidance behaviour could be significantly and permanently reduced in comparison to control conditions. The term "flooding" has often been used for stimulus confrontation in vivo. Flooding is a stimulus overload, whereby the feared object or the dreaded situation is used in exaggerated
Regarding Samantha´s case and in comparison with required symptoms due to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5), it can be assumed that she suffers from a specific anxiety (animal anxiety). Whereas this manual does not have expanded subcategories, the International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems (ICD-10) still further described the special fear of spiders as Arachnophobia (F40.210). According to Samantha, she has been suffering under these persistent consequences since she was a child (more than 6 months). Typical symptoms which she …show more content…
One of them is the systematic desensitization/confrontation “in sensu”. In this case, the patient starts to imagine the feared object or the anxiety-triggering event as if he/she were involved. The phobical stimulus is actively visualized. Repeated confusion induces a habituation effect, which can diminish or eradicate the phobic reaction. In systematic desensitization, the “In sensu” confrontation is combined with a relaxation method, eg. with progressive muscular relaxation according to Jacobson, which is previously learned by the patient. Systematic desensitization proved to be an effective and long-lasting therapy for subjective anxiety symptoms. However, in Samantha´s case this could be a suitable method which can be supplemented with further confrontations “in vivo”. After cognitive preparation, the feared object or the anxious situation is actively sought by the patient. With the help of the therapist, habituation processing can be initiated. Not least changing perception or evaluation of the phobic stimulus, but also establishing new behavioral patterns. Many studies have shown that stimulus confrontation is a very effective therapeutic method for the treatment of specific phobias. With adequate cognitive preparation and duration of stimulus confrontation, subjective anxiety as well as avoidance behaviour could be significantly and permanently reduced in comparison to control conditions. The term "flooding" has often been used for stimulus confrontation in vivo. Flooding is a stimulus overload, whereby the feared object or the dreaded situation is used in exaggerated