What approach is aversion therapy?
aversion therapy, psychotherapy designed to cause a patient to reduce or avoid an undesirable behaviour pattern by conditioning the person to associate the behaviour with an undesirable stimulus. The chief stimuli used in the therapy are electrical, chemical, or imagined aversive situations.
What is an example of aversion therapy?
Aversion therapy is a type of behavioral therapy that involves repeat pairing an unwanted behavior with discomfort. 1 For example, a person undergoing aversion therapy to stop smoking might receive an electrical shock every time they view an image of a cigarette.
What is an aversion therapy and how does it work?
Aversion therapy uses conditioning but focuses on creating a negative response to an undesirable stimulus, such as drinking alcohol or using drugs. Many times, in people with substance use disorders, the body is conditioned to get pleasure from the substance — for instance, it tastes good and makes you feel good.
What is aversion therapy based on?
Aversion therapy is based on classical conditioning. According to learning theory, two stimuli become associated when they occur frequently together (pairing).
What drugs are used in aversion therapy?
While a number of drugs have been employed in chemical aversion therapy, the three most commonly used are emetine, apomorphine, and lithium.
Why is aversion therapy unethical?
Because aversion therapy involves the use of unpleasant stimuli, it’s quite controversial. Some therapists think it’s unethical because it uses punishment as a therapeutic tool. Any punishment may lead to feelings of shame and guilt, which in turn may impact your mental health.
What is behavior therapy used for?
Behavioral therapy is a term that describes a broad range of techniques used to change maladaptive behaviors. The goal is to reinforce desirable behaviors and eliminate unwanted ones.
How is behavior therapy different than psychoanalysis?
In psychoanalysis, therapists help their patients look into their past to uncover repressed feelings. In behavior therapy, a therapist employs principles of learning to help clients change undesirable behaviors—rather than digging deeply into one’s unconscious.
What are the 6 types of therapy?
Approaches to psychotherapy fall into five broad categories:
- Psychoanalysis and psychodynamic therapies.
- Behavior therapy.
- Cognitive therapy.
- Humanistic therapy.
- Integrative or holistic therapy.