Desensitization as a form of anxiety treatment
A very effective form of anxiety treatment is desensitization. A therapist using this technique will typically encourage the patient to imagine themselves in a situation that would normally produce anxious response - in some cases they will be lead directly into this experience. For example, a person suffering from a fear of snakes will be taken on a trip into a pet store, first to see them up close - later on they will actually be required to handle them. Over a period of time, it is thought that the patient will become desensitized to their feelings and consequently will become free of their anxieties over this situation.