Exposure therapy is a psychological treatment that was developed to help people confront their fears. When people are fearful of something, they tend to avoid the feared objects, activities or situations. Although this avoidance might help reduce feelings of fear in the short term, over the long term it can make the fear become even worse. In such situations, a psychologist might recommend a program of exposure therapy in order to help break the pattern of avoidance and fear. In this form of therapy, psychologists create a safe environment in which to “expose” individuals to the things they fear and avoid. The exposure to the feared objects, activities or situations in a safe environment helps reduce fear and decrease avoidance. Show
Exposure therapy has been scientifically demonstrated to be a helpful treatment or treatment component for a range of problems, including:
There are several variations of exposure therapy. Your psychologist can help you determine which strategy is best for you. These include:
Exposure therapy can also be paced in different ways. These include:
Exposure therapy is thought to help in several ways, including:
Source: APA Div. 12 (Society of Clinical Psychology) Date created: July 2017 DownloadJanuary 19, 2022 A newly admitted client with an obsessive-compulsive personality disorder frequently performs a hand-washing ritual. When attempts are made to set limits on the frequency or length of the ritual, the client’s anxiety escalates and the client becomes verbally aggressive. What is most important for the nurse to do when the client performs the ritual?Show Answer Correct! The answer is number 1 Rationale:
2. The client probably understands this already but is unable to stop the activity. 3. Clients with obsessive-compulsive disorder have no idea what the ritual means, only that they must continue the ritual. 4. Interrupting the ritual will have the effect of increasing anxiety, possibly to panic levels. Additional info: Clinical Area: Comprehensive Examination Client Needs: Safe and Infection Control Cognitive Level: Application Nursing Process: Planning/Implementation Integrated Process: Caring Which level of anxiety enhances the client's learning abilities?Mild. This is normal anxiety that results in enhanced motivation, learning, and problem-solving.
Which action would the nurse take when a newly admitted client with an obsessive compulsive disorder frequently performs a hand washing ritual?What is most important for the nurse to do when the client performs the ritual? Allow the client sufficient time to carry out the ritual. Promote reality by showing that the ritual serves little purpose.
Which of the following would be an example of a compulsion?A compulsion can either be overt (i.e. observable by others), such as checking that a door is locked or covert (an unobservant mental act), such as repeating a specific phrase in the mind. Overt compulsions typically include checking, washing, hoarding or symmetry of certain motor actions.
What do all of the compulsions seen in OCD have in common?The common element in all these obsessions are persistent, unwanted thoughts that cause a person considerable anxiety. Common compulsions used to get rid of these obsessions come under the headings of checking, cleaning, decontamination rituals, counting, and putting or keeping things in a certain order.
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