Nature of things. Phobias. Secret fears

Description

This compassionate look at a wide variety of people who suffer from phobias and anxiety disorders shows the strides being made by different forms of therapy to help conquer these fears. We watch Michelle Krask of UCLA use cognitive behavioral therapy which encourages patients to confront their fear in a supportive environment. One young woman is brought to the edge of a balcony in order to overcome her fear of heights; a claustrophobic man is placed in a confined space; another is exposed to insects that he fears. Repeated exposure with the support of a therapist seems to desensitize people to the object of their irrational fear. Dr. Jerome Kagan demonstrates that infants with a predisposition to these disorders can be identified early on. He contrasts babies who react with anxiety to new stimuli to others who react calmly. Members of the latter group become the more adventurous and social as they grow up. Also covered are obsessive compulsive disorders and post traumatic stress disorder and their treatments. Among the other experts featured are: Dr. David Barlow, Center for Anxiety and Related Disorders, Boston; Randy Frost, clinical psychologist, Smith College; and Dr. Michael Otto, Massachusetts General Hospital. Their treatments have helped patients to live more normal and productive lives.

Runtime

47 minutes

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Database

Alexander Street

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