Hospital phobia: A rapid desensitization technique

Abstract

The less disabling phobias do not normally present a problem in that the stimulus may be avoided. This would also apply to hospital phobia until an acute medical or surgical problem might arise, when avoidance could constitute a direct threat to life. Although phobic illness is a common problem the small number of cases of hospital phobia recorded may represent the tip of the iceberg beneath which could be many phobic patients who deny their symptoms and risk their health because of their irrational fear. A case of hospital phobia in a pregnant patient with suspected disproportion was treated by a rapid desensitization technique using hypnosis. After five sessions of 30 min each, the patient was symptom free. This simple method of desensitization, if more widely known would considerably minimize the risk caused by concealment of the phobic problem. © 1978 The Fellowship of Postgraduate Medicine.