THE fastest way to get rid of people’s fears might be to give them a drug that makes them more fearful – followed by unrelenting exposure to the object they dread.
Psychologists often treat anxiety disorders such as phobias with behavioural therapy, exposing people to the objects or situations they fear for short periods and then gradually increasing exposure as their fears begin to wane. Calming drugs are sometimes given before therapy to ease people’s fears.
The method does work, but a typical course of treatment for panic attacks, say, lasts 16 weeks. Speeding up treatments is critical, says Todd Farchione…
