How can you defeat the fear of dogs?
Cynophobia has an efficient remedy:
Virtual Reality Therapy
Virtual Reality Therapy is a revolutionary treatment used for different phobias, like fear of dogs or cynophobia.
Specific phobias, such as cynophobia, affect about 7-9% of the population. Cynophobia is part of the „animal” spectrum. About one-third of people seeking treatment for specific phobias have an irrational fear of dogs or cats.
Exposure to virtual reality psychotherapy is a form of psychotherapy in which people face their fears directly. While some people may benefit from exposure psychotherapy in vivo or around dogs in real life, others may obtain a similar benefit from what is called active imaging exposure, where they imagine they are performing various tasks with a dog.
In a 2003 study, 82 people with cynophobia underwent in vivo or imaginary psychotherapeutic processes. Some people have interacted with dogs, while others have been merely doing different tasks with them. All presented a significant improvement after the exposure, be it real or imaginary. Improvement rates for virtual and in vivo psychotherapy were 73.1%, and for active imaging exposure, psychotherapy was 62.1%.
All you need to know about cynophobia.
What is Virtual Reality Therapy?
Va puteti trata de cinofobie prin terapia de expunere la realitatea virtuala, unde va veti intalniti cu obiectul fobiei (cainii) intr-o lume virtuala care simuleaza cat se poate de real situatia generatoare de anxietate. You can overcome your dogs fear through virtual reality therapy, where you can meet the phobic stimulus(dogs) in a virtual environment that simulates the real situation that generates anxiety.
Virtual Reality Exposure Therapy uses 3D projection glasses, (head-mounted display), equipped with body motion monitoring sensors, which are connected to the doctor’s computer.
Thus, it allows the doctor/psychotherapist to offer careful guidance, while maintaining full control over everything that occurs, adjusting the intensity of the therapy according to the individual needs of the patient.
As you are visually exposed to the causative stimulus, respectively, the dogs, initially your anxiety state, will increase, but you will be taught how to manage yourself both cognitively through specific anxiety management techniques and physically through relaxation techniques.
A minimum number of 6-8 sessions (depending on the severity of the phobia) is required to treat this phobia, as follows:
- In the first session, will be assessed cynophobia
- In the second session, you will learn anxiety management techniques
- In the next 4-6 sessions, depending on the severity of the phobia, you will be exposed in the virtual environment to the stimulus (respectively to the dogs). This stimulus initially is an inert, after which it will be able to move towards you and will result in your desensitization to the phobic stimulus.
This whole process happens in the presence of the doctor, who will coordinate your step by step throughout the entire therapeutic process.
Research shows that this can be just as effective as the older technique of gradually exposing the person to real dogs.
There are other ways to treat this condition. More details here
Contact your psychotherapist ID Therapy, a specialist in Virtual Reality Therapy
Nadia Gorduza
Anxiety, Couple therapy, Depression, Fear of flight, Fear of public speaking, Insomnia, Panic attacks, Phobias, Psychological trauma, Stress
Dr. Nadia Gorduza is the only psychotherapist and trainer in Romania, specialized in Virtual Reality Therapy for Phobias and Addiction.
Dr. Nadia Gorduza represents in Romania Virtually Better inc. USA.
Schedule now a psychotherapy session
Address: Naum Ramniceanu Street, no. 23, ap. 1,
Sector 1, Bucharest, Romania