When was the first successful treatment of obsessive-compulsive disorder with exposure therapy reported?
Quick Answer
Exposure-based behavior therapy emerged in the 1950s and was developed further in the 1960s and 1970s. It became a core OCD treatment later in the 20th century.
The Full Story
Exposure therapy for obsessive-compulsive disorder developed from behavior therapy research in the 1950s, with major advances in the 1960s and 1970s. The approach involves gradually facing feared thoughts or situations without performing compulsions. It became one of the most effective psychological treatments for OCD, especially when refined into exposure and response prevention. This work helped establish that anxiety disorders could be treated through learning-based methods, not only medication.
Key Facts
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"The therapy that retrains fear in the brain"
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