9Exposure Therapy Versus Systematic Desensitization
Both exposure therapy and systematic desensitization are forms of behavior therapy with similar features. They combine exposure and relaxation to a stimulus or situation that leads to anxiety or fear. However, systemic desensitization may follow these stages:
– You will be trained by your therapist to relax the body with deep muscle relaxation
– You need to order your anxiety or fear from weak to strong to form a hierarchy
– You are exposed to the stimuli from mild to intense levels, either in real life or imagination
During this procedure, you need to practice techniques for muscle relaxation, which may help prevent the body from responding to anxiety and establish resilience over time. [9]
