Am J Psychiatry 1978; 135:1543-1545
Copyright © 1978 by American Psychiatric Association
Severe depersonalization treated by behavior therapy
D Sookman and L Solyom
The author reports the use of behavior therapy in the treatment of two
cases of severe intractable depersonalization. Outcome criteria included
full psychiatric assessment, patients' self-ratings, and psychometric test
scores. Treatment by flooding was highly effective in one case, and
associated obsessive symptoms and anticipatory anxiety were substantially
decreased in the other. Behavioral techniques may prove especially helpful
in cases in which anticipatory anxiety, phobic avoidance, and obsessive
perseveration are exacerbating features.
