Case Study 3: Bert is 40 years old and works on an assembly line in a brush factory. He is terribly afraid of being contaminated by germs. He avoids shaking hands with others. He won’t eat in the cafeteria. He has trouble leaving the bathroom because he isn’t sure he has washed his hands well enough.
Bert's fear of contamination is a clear cut example of a specific phobia. His case is very severe, causing isolation from others and a limited lifestyle. This phobia also causes a case of obsessive-compulsive disorder, evidenced by his repeated handwashing, directly stemming from his avoidance of germs.
I think that the most effective form of therapy for Bert would be Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) which can also be called systematic desensitization or exposure. In this method, Bert would systematically face his fears. He would first imagine facing his fear, and then he would build on that until he could face his fear in real life without any major symptoms.
Nice blog! I also believe that the most effective form of therapy would be exposure, After a while, his fears would simply go away.
ReplyDeleteYou didn't list what the person has, and maybe should add a little bit more informational. I do agree though that the person should have CBT to reduce his fears.
ReplyDeleteHe has: specific phobia. It's in the second paragraph
ReplyDeleteI agree that the post could have a little more information. I would have liked to have seen more treatment options.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you. Nice blog.
ReplyDelete