Systematic Desensitization For The Narcissistic
Does Systematic Desensitization For The Narcissistic work?
Systematic desensitization combines behavioral training
(muscular relaxation) with cognitive, activity. It begins
with the induction of a relaxed state. While the person
is relaxed, he or she thinks about thoughts that are related
to his or her specific fear. Desensitization begins with
scenes or images that are relaxing. The
individual is encouraged to concentrate on perpetuating
the relaxed state while imagining those situations. Once
the person is able to remain relaxed, progressively more
upsetting scenes are imagined.
The theory behind systematic desensitization is
that the relaxation response competes with previously
learned anxiety response such as fears and phobias.
Other responses, such as eating, sexual arousal, or animated
conversation might also compete with anxiety arousing
thoughts. Research has shown that practicing
relaxation when the fear-arousing stimulus is actually
present yields superior results to simply imagining the stimulus.
Desensitization works best with people who habitually show noticeable increases
in physiological arousal (e.g., accelerated heart
rate, moist palms) when exposed to the fear-arousing
stimuli. It appears that this process works for narcissistic individuals...
however mores studies are required to be sure.
Exposure Therapies
Exposure therapies are based on the principle that
exposing a person to their fear i.e. like someone who is afraid of dirt or dirty
objects decrease anxiety. Exposure consists of a
to an anxiety-provoking situation.
Under such conditions the distress experienced in the
situation is kept at a relatively low level.
Exposure to fear-arousing situations is one of the
most effective ways of overcoming fear. However, there
are positive results only if clients are willing to expose
themselves to the situations they are afraid of. Although
in vivo exposure (actually being in the situation) usually
works best, fantasized exposure (thinking about
being in the situation) is also effective. Exposure treatment
is appropriate for many unpleasant or disadvantageous
emotional responses. If the treatment is effective,
improvement can usually be observed within five or six
sessions. The client is exposed to fear-arousing stimuli
that is not terminated simply because the client experiences
a high level of tension. The flooding of fears in the clinical
session is a way of saturated the person with frightening thoughts and images
in the hope that emotional responses to them will
be extinguished through burnout. If this happens, extinction
is said to have occurred implosive therapy the client experiences higher
and higher levels of anxiety through imaginable presentation
of scenes depicting behavior and situations that he
or she has strenuously avoided in the past. The imagery
used in treatment is intended to represent conflict areas
that are thought to be the source of the avoidance behavior.
Implosion is based on the therapist's interpretation
of the psychodynamics underlying the avoidance or narissitic
behavior. The imaginable material used in implosion therapy
tends to be much more intense than that used in
flooding.
Systematic desensitization combines behavioral training
(muscular relaxation) with cognitive, activity. It begins
with the induction of a relaxed state. While the person
is relaxed, he or she thinks about thoughts that are related
to his or her specific fear. Desensitization begins with
scenes or images that are relaxing. The
individual is encouraged to concentrate on perpetuating
the relaxed state while imagining those situations. Once
the person is able to remain relaxed, progressively more
upsetting scenes are imagined.
The theory behind systematic desensitization is
that the relaxation response competes with previously
learned anxiety response such as fears and phobias.
Other responses, such as eating, sexual arousal, or animated
conversation might also compete with anxiety arousing
thoughts. Research has shown that practicing
relaxation when the fear-arousing stimulus is actually
present yields superior results to simply imagining the stimulus.
Desensitization works best with people who habitually show noticeable increases
in physiological arousal (e.g., accelerated heart
rate, moist palms) when exposed to the fear-arousing
stimuli. It appears that this process works for narcissistic individuals...
however mores studies are required to be sure.
Exposure Therapies
Exposure therapies are based on the principle that
exposing a person to their fear i.e. like someone who is afraid of dirt or dirty
objects decrease anxiety. Exposure consists of a
to an anxiety-provoking situation.
Under such conditions the distress experienced in the
situation is kept at a relatively low level.
Exposure to fear-arousing situations is one of the
most effective ways of overcoming fear. However, there
are positive results only if clients are willing to expose
themselves to the situations they are afraid of. Although
in vivo exposure (actually being in the situation) usually
works best, fantasized exposure (thinking about
being in the situation) is also effective. Exposure treatment
is appropriate for many unpleasant or disadvantageous
emotional responses. If the treatment is effective,
improvement can usually be observed within five or six
sessions. The client is exposed to fear-arousing stimuli
that is not terminated simply because the client experiences
a high level of tension. The flooding of fears in the clinical
session is a way of saturated the person with frightening thoughts and images
in the hope that emotional responses to them will
be extinguished through burnout. If this happens, extinction
is said to have occurred implosive therapy the client experiences higher
and higher levels of anxiety through imaginable presentation
of scenes depicting behavior and situations that he
or she has strenuously avoided in the past. The imagery
used in treatment is intended to represent conflict areas
that are thought to be the source of the avoidance behavior.
Implosion is based on the therapist's interpretation
of the psychodynamics underlying the avoidance or narissitic
behavior. The imaginable material used in implosion therapy
tends to be much more intense than that used in
flooding.