Does Aversion Therapy work/Is it healthy???

[oxymoron310]

Here it is explained and what not:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aversion_therapy

Does this work, and has anyone here tried it? I've seen self-mutilators do it with rubber bands, but that doesn't make sense because they're already hurting themselves. But I wanted to know if it would work to make me think less about certain things that are making me extremely anxious. I am trying to avoid medications to solve my problems these days.
Would it be okay to use this method in treating depression (slap my wrist with a rubber band when I want to cry/am feeling sad)? I'm thinking no, simply because sadness is something everyone feels and it has to be let out some way. But maybe would this method help me control when I let my feelings out? I maybe could say to myself in my head "Now is not the time, I'll let it go later tonight." I am rather self-conscious and prefer to "suffer in silence", I don't like to show very much emotion publicly, because I know that I absolutely despise people who complain publicly about the "hell" they live in (These attention whoring inconsiderate ass holes actually say straight out "fuck my life! I'm living in hell!" Minutes later they'll be watching a movie, playing a game, laughing. And that's coming from one who has more expensive designer clothes than most adult woman).

My entire life I've been moved around from town to town, school to school, and I've never made any real friends other than the druggies I hang out with, Probably because you don't really have to stand out or be interesting... you've just gotta smoke weed, etc.. I've never had anyone to talk to and I've always suppressed my feelings as much as I can. Now I think that I've been making myself into an overly self-conscious, anxious person. I'll randomly get teary eyed in classes and I'll have to excuse myself to the bathroom where I'll literally gnaw on my index finger to the point where it bleeds, just so no one will hear me sobbing. I also don't want to take anti-depressants because I used to, and it actually had negative effects and I was hospitalized.
Please can someone answer me?

 

[n3ophy7e]

Hi oxymoron, firstly, I'm going to move this over to The Dark Side where I think you will get a lot more feedback.

Secondly, no I do not think aversion therapy has any use whatsoever for treating depression. In fact I think it would make it worse. Aversion therapy is a rather archaeic form of psychotherapy which has been recently deemed ineffective by a lot of psych professionals. Depression is not something that can be quelled or masked over just so you don't feel the symptoms anymore, otherwise it will just continue to come to the surface throughout your life, probably worse and worse each time. You need to work through the issues and learn ways to cope with your thoughts and symptoms, with the help of a counsellor/therapist.

I hope you seek some help sometime soon. I know you said you didn't want to go back on anti-depressants but there are other methods of treating depression that will be more effective for you, and aversion therapy is not one of them. You don't have to suffer though

 

[Cane2theLeft]

^as per usual, EXCELLENT response by n3o!

The theory that aversion therapy could work is on based on the operant conditioning theory of "positive punishment" which is adding an aversive stimulus to try to change behavior... "negative punishment" would be taking away something pleasant or enjoyable to achieve the same goal (just remember, positive as in adding and negative as in subtracting).

Operant conditioning can be useful to change behaviors if the behaviors are strictly a matter of conditioning but we are more complex then that. Depression is far more complex than that!

Most view depression as a combination of multiple factors including neurological ones... due to chemical imbalance; cognitive ones... our thoughts create or perpetuate depression; behavioral... a result of conditioning; existential/choice theory/humanistic... depression is essentially a result of the human condition and feeling as if our needs are not met or our choices lead us to where we are.

If depression has a cognitive component, a neurological component, a behavioral component, etc. then ONLY addressing the behavioral component will not only not address the issue, but probably compound the problems.

 

[Mariposa]

I will dissent in a sense, with all respect.

I don't believe anyone in a therapeutic situation should be forced to do anything. That said, I'm a believer in facing up to situations. I am prone to avoidant behavior when I'm anxious, so I need the challenge of going out of my own comfort zone. I've been working with a neuro-linguistic programmer who basically slams me (figuratively) into situations such as public transit and other triggers that have, in my own mental history, caused me anxiety. I'm less than 3 weeks into my training. I think differently. I speak differently. I live a different life and I do it of my own accord. Exposure therapy has been key to that. Through my therapy, I realize that if I do not place myself into the situation, I cannot face up to my fears.

Obviously there is a significant element of informed consent in any therapeutic modality, in particular, situations in which someone can have a complete freakout. I am not diagnosed agoraphobic, but as anyone with an anxiety disorder can attest... certain situations can wig us the eff out even absent a formal diagnosis.

If anyone were to attempt formal aversion therapy, my best advice is not to do it on your own. Discuss it in depth with your pdoc beforehand and make sure it's an appropriate modality with which you may not initially be comfortable. As with any therapeutic situation, work it if it works for you. But do not try it at home. Keeping an open mind is key to treatment as to any psych 'disorder' and aversion therapy, although it appears archaic, might work for some people.

 

[Sweet P]

Personally, I couldn't think of anything worse or ineffective to treat depression than aversion therapy.

I'd rather go for shock treatment!

 

[Cane2theLeft]

mariposa-

great response! Upon further thought, I definitely see some of your points. I tend to think of aversion therapy as its been used to "cure" gays and lesbians and outside of ethical considerations, its simply ineffective. Certain things (such as sexual orientation) simply can not be changed.

Aversion therapies CAN be useful treatment modalities however. Although slightly different, exposure therapies such as systematic desensitization and flooding can be very helpful if (BIG IF) the practitioner is very well trained and understands the requisite process. In the wrong hands, these can easily exacerbate fears and cause further problems. The way you describe your experience with NLP reminds me of a varied form of flooding or systematic desensitization.

Aversion therapy of sorts has also been a staple in drug and alcohol treatment since its inception in its contemporary form in the '30s. Pharmacological agents like disulfiram (antabuse) as well as partial agonist opioids and antagonists all utilize the basic principle of pairing aversive stimuli with drug and alcohol use (as well as the full gamut of compulsive behaviors). Furthermore, counseling and therapy techniques aim to dissociate the positive feelings, memories, etc. that people associate with their use.

 

[hyroller]

I have an avoidant-type personality so in theory, this could work fantastically well!!!!

Up until the time, of course, that it becomes painfully apparent that you haven't addressed any of the pressing, underlying shit that needs to be sorted!!!!

No bingo

 

[oxymoron310]

Personally, I couldn't think of anything worse or ineffective to treat depression than aversion therapy.

I'd rather go for shock treatment!

Isn't shock treatment aversion therapy? Anyway, how does positive reinforcement work? Do I just give myself a cookie when I'm happy? lol..

 

[n3ophy7e]

Isn't shock treatment aversion therapy?

No no, she means Electro-Convulsive Therapy, not electric shocks as aversion therapy. ECT is not a form of aversion therapy.

Anyway, how does positive reinforcement work? Do I just give myself a cookie when I'm happy? lol..

Well that is an extremely simplified way of looking at it, but essentially, yes that is how it works.

Positive reinforcement is the act of rewarding good/favourable behaviour with something that makes us feel good. An example would be that for each time you step out of your comfort zone and make conversation with someone at school (difficult but favourable behaviour), you reward yourself for that with something that makes you feel good about yourself, whether it is literally buying yourself a strawberry milkshake or a chocolate bar, if that's what makes you happy, or it could be buying yourself a new CD that you've been wanting for a while. I don't know the types of things that you like so it's hard for me to provide a relevant example.
Do you understand the concept though?

Research consistently shows that REINFORCEMENT is a far more successful approach to learning than punishment. The effects learned from punishment are only temporary, they don't seem to hard-wire in the brain as effectively as those learned from reinforcement.

Also, just so you're clear about the concept of self-mutilators snapping a rubber band on their wrists: that's not aversion therapy. It's a form of non-invasive mutilation which is attempting to gain the same endorphin-release as they get from cutting/burning/etc. I think in most cases it would (should) be used as a method of tapering-down the required endorphin rush, so that they can eventually stop needing it altogether. It's not aversion therapy though.