Fear of spiders treated within 3 hours

Psychologists at Northwestern University Evanston found out what parts of the brain responsible for fear of spiders, and influence the activity of these neurons using basic exercise. One such therapy session was enough for people to get rid of arachnophobia at least six months.
The researchers gathered a group of 12 persons (9 women and 3 men), each member to death fear of spiders . Seeing one of them at home, they ran out of the home and not return there for a few days. However, after a one-time session, conducted by a team led by Katerinch Hauner, patients were not only able to approach the spider, but also to pick him up.

Exercises are performed with people   arachnophobia It was directed to the suppression of fear of animal. American psychologists decided to "knock out fire with fire." They have provided the participants experiment with sensors that recorded their brain activity, the patients were invited to the office in the center of which stood a cage with a Chilean rose tarantula (a huge tarantula), and asked to touch "exhibits" hand. Of course, wanting to fulfill this offer was not. However, the signals transmitted by the technique helped scientists understand what part of the brain responsible for the volunteers panic.

After assessing the strength of fear, scientists have begun to suppress it. They asked the participants in the experiment has to get closer to the center of the room, then another, and another ... As a result, people who are afraid of spiders, gradually come close to the cage, and were even able to touch the tarantula. It took them 2-3 hours.

"The activity of neurons chains include the appearance of a source of fear, the volunteers gradually decreased. This effect was preserved in the test within six months. They are still thanking us for what we helped them to overcome their fears ", - said the head of the group of psychologists Katherine Hauner.

  She shared assumptions that her colleagues developed technique will help to overcome fear and many other patients who have a phobia against other tangible objects.

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