What you need to know about… Aversion Therapy

1. What you need to know about… Aversion Therapy

2. What is aversion therapy? Aversion therapy is a form of behaviour therapy that applies classical conditioning principles to inhibit (block) or discourage undesirable behaviour by associating it with an aversive (unpleasant) stimulus such as a feeling of disgust, pain or nausea.

3. Aim of Aversion Therapy The aim of aversion therapy is to suppress or weakenthe undesirable behaviour

4. Uses of Aversion Therapy • Habits • Smoking • Alcoholism • Gambling • Violence • Homosexuality (historically)

5. Example 1 Patients undergoing aversion therapy are made to think of the undesirable experience that they enjoy, for example, a violent person might be shown images of violent crime, or an alcoholic might be made to drink, while drugs or electric shocks are administered. In theory, the patient will, over time, come to associate their addiction with the negativity of electric shocks or seizures.

6. AVERSION THERAPY Undesired Behaviour SMOKING Change in response or behaviour