Phobia Analysis and Hierarchy - Assignment Example

Agoraphobia is defined as the fear of public places; generally, those in which a large number of people might be present.  As such, agoraphobia is oftentimes characterized by extreme panic attacks and other negative outcomes that discourage the individual who suffers from the phobia from attempting to conquer this fear.  In order to effectively utilize systematic desensitization as a means of dealing with such a phobia, it will first be necessary to thoroughly discuss the individual’s fears and understand the dynamics of the situation that they are most terrified by.  Once this is accomplished, the individual should have individualized therapy sessions in which the situation is described and alternative approaches offered; such a dynamic, gradual progressive treatment can be administered by which the individual comes to recognize alternative approaches that might be used to deal with such a phobia.  Likewise, representations of photographs and other media that can be used to mimic the situation and help the individual in overcoming it can be used during this stage. This of course classifies as the in vivo step; or those in which the patient will be exposed to the situation from an imaginative standpoint only.  It is broadly understood by most scholars that the fear hierarchy that is associated with agoraphobia is related to the visual and auditory overload that is associated with the sensations that a person might feel (Wittmann et al., 2014). 

Once this has been effectively accomplished, the in vitro step can then be recommended and engaged.  Within this particular stage, the individual patient can be provided with step-by-step progressive engagements that can be performed as a function of overcoming the phobia and ultimately desensitizing the individual from it.  Within such an understanding, the representation of in vivo and in vitro analysis that has been presented is concentric upon dealing with the hierarchy of fear associated with both auditory and visual intimidation that the individual that suffers from it might feel.