Aversion Therapy is a therapy to remove an undesireable behaviour such as gambling, smoking, alcoholism etc
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The three components of Aversion Therapy
Counter Conditioning
Covert Sensitisation
Use of Drugs
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Counter Conditoning
Aims to replace the original pleasant assosciation with a new unpleasant assosciation.
Uses classical conditioning.
Client is given an aversive stimulus (e.g. an electric shock) causes an unpleasant reaction
During aversion therapy the aversive stimulus is repeatedly paired with the addictions.
After counter conditioning the client now has a new conditioned assosciation for the addiction now has a conditioned response (the unpleasant feeling e.g feeling sick)
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Covert Sensitisation
Client imagines the unpleasant stimulus rather than being exposed to it.
The therapist asks the client to imagine unpleasant situations that gets progressively worse.
Example - An alcoholic could imagine feeling sick, being sick, being sick on someone else, then fall over and seriously hurt themselves.
This is the least common way of delivering aversion therapy.
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Use of Drugs
To create a negative assosciation
Most commonly used to treat alcoholism
Takes 10 minutes to react with alcohol.
Causes unpleasant reactions such as heart palpatations, vomiting, sweating, headaches etc.
The client will have a new conditioned assosciation for alcohol and therefore no longer drink.
They will likely avoid triggers like pubs and parties where people may be drinking to avoid feeling sick (negative reinforcememnt)
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