What is the aim of exposure therapy often used in treating phobias?

Exposure therapy is a psychological treatment specifically designed to help individuals confront and gradually desensitize themselves to their fears or phobias. The primary aim of this therapeutic approach is to allow patients to face the feared object or situation in a controlled and safe environment, thereby reducing feelings of anxiety and avoidance over time.

By engaging with the feared object gradually, individuals can learn that their anxiety diminishes with repeated exposure. This is grounded in the principles of classical conditioning, where associations between the feared stimulus and anxiety are weakened. The gradual approach helps build coping strategies, ultimately leading to an increased sense of control and a decrease in fear responses.

Through this method, patients can also begin to challenge and reframe their irrational beliefs related to the feared object, further contributing to reduced anxiety in real-life situations. In contrast, the other choices focus on avoidance or reducing stressors, which do not address the phobia directly and can reinforce avoidance behaviors rather than promoting confrontation and coping skills.