Generalized anxiety disorder There is empirical evidence that<unk>  can be an effective treatment for people with generalized anxiety disorder, citing specifically in vivo<unk> ,<unk>  through a real life situation), which has greater effectiveness than imaginal<unk>  in regards to generalized anxiety disorder. The aim of in vivo<unk>  treatment is to promote emotional regulation using systematic and controlled therapeutic<unk>  to traumatic stimuli.<unk>  is also a preferred method for children who struggle with anxiety. Phobia<unk>  is the most successful known treatment for phobias. Several published meta-analyses included studies of one-to-three hour single-session treatments of phobias, using imaginal<unk> . At a post-treatment follow-up four years later 90% of people retained a considerable reduction in fear, avoidance, and overall level of impairment, while 65% no longer experienced any symptoms of a specific phobia. Agoraphobia and social anxiety disorder are examples of phobias that have been successfully treated by<unk> . Post-traumatic stress disorder<unk>  in PTSD involves exposing the patient to PTSD-anxiety triggering stimuli, with the aim of weakening the neural connections between triggers and trauma memories (aka desensitisation).<unk>  may involve: * a real life trigger ("in vivo") * an imagined trigger ("imaginal") * Virtual reality<unk>  * a triggered feeling generated in a physical way ("interoceptive"). Forms include: *Flooding – exposing the patient directly to a triggering stimulus, while simultaneously making them not feel afraid. *Systematic desensitisation (aka "graduated<unk> ") – gradually exposing the patient to increasingly vivid experiences that are related to the trauma, but do not trigger post-traumatic stress. * Narrative<unk>  - creates a written account of the traumatic experiences of a patient or group of patients, in a way that serves to recapture their self-respect and acknowledges their value. Under this name it is used mainly with refugees, in groups. It also forms an important part of cognitive processing therapy and is conditionally recommended for treatment of PTSD by the American Psychological Association. * Prolonged<unk>  (PE) - a form of behavior therapy and cognitive behavioral therapy designed to treat post-traumatic stress disorder, characterized by two main treatment procedures – imaginal and in vivo<unk> s. Imaginal<unk>  is repeated 'on-purpose' retelling of the trauma memory. In vivo<unk>  is gradually confronting situations, places, and things that are reminders of the trauma or feel dangerous (despite being objectively safe). Additional procedures include processing of the trauma memory and breathing retraining. The American Psychological Association strongly recommends PE as a first-line psychotherapy treatment for PTSD. Researchers began experimenting with Virtual reality<unk>  (VRE) therapy in PTSD<unk>  in 1997 with the advent of the "Virtual Vietnam" scenario. Virtual Vietnam was used as a graduated<unk>  treatment for Vietnam veterans meeting the qualification criteria for PTSD. A 50-year-old Caucasian male was the first veteran studied. The preliminary results concluded improvement post-treatment across all measures of PTSD and maintenance of the gains at the six-month follow up. Subsequent open clinical trial of Virtual Vietnam using 16 veterans, showed a reduction in PTSD symptoms. This method was also tested on several active duty Army soldiers, using an immersive computer simulation of military settings over six sessions. Self-reported PTSD symptoms of these soldiers were greatly diminished following the treatment.<unk>  has shown promise in the treatment of co-morbid PTSD and substance abuse. Obsessive compulsive disorder<unk>  and response prevention (also known as<unk>  and ritual prevention; ERP or EX/RP) is a variant of<unk>  that is recommended by the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (AACAP), the American Psychiatric Association (APA), and the Mayo Clinic as first-line treatment of obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) citing that it has the richest empirical support for both youth and adolescent outcomes. ERP is predicated on the idea that a therapeutic effect is achieved as subjects confront their fears, but refrain from engaging in the escape response or ritual that delays or eliminates distress. In the case of individuals with OCD or an anxiety disorder, there is a thought or situation that causes distress. Individuals usually combat this distress through specific behaviors that include avoidance or rituals. However, ERP involves purposefully evoking fear, anxiety, and or distress in the individual by exposing him/her to the feared stimulus. The response prevention then involves having the individual refrain from the ritualistic or otherwise compulsive behavior that functions to decrease distress. The patient is then taught to tolerate distress until it fades away on its own, thereby learning that rituals are not always necessary to decrease distress or anxiety. Over repeated practice of ERP, patients with OCD expect to find that they can have obsessive thoughts and images but not have the need to engage in compulsive rituals to decrease distress. The AACAP's practice parameters for OCD recommends cognitive behavioral therapy, and more specifically ERP, as first line treatment for youth with mild to moderate severity OCD and combination psychotherapy and pharmacotherapy for severe OCD. The Cochrane Review's examinations of different randomized control trials echoes repeated findings of the superiority of ERP over waitlist control or pill-placebos, the superiority of combination ERP and pharmacotherapy, but similar effect sizes of efficacy between ERP or pharmacotherapy alone.
Exposure therapy
Narrative exposure therapy
Negative air ionization therapy
Reminiscence therapy
Recreational therapy
Collaborative therapy
Particle therapy
Ozone therapy