Barlow's etiological model
Barlow's etiological model presents itself during the second group therapy session. This model explains the causes of phobias, anxiety, OCD, etc. According to this model, there may be a hereditary biological vulnerability, that is to say a sensitivity to anxiety which is transmitted by parents. This sensitivity has advantages, it allows us to be sensitive to the environment and the people around us. This can be an advantage in human care (nurses, caregivers, psychologists), with animals (veterinarians) but also at the artistic level. Artists are often anxious people but also sensitive to the environment and this sensitivity is very useful in the creative world.
Key takeaways
- Barlow's etiological model identifies four causes of biological vulnerability: direct trauma, indirect trauma, chronic stress and false information received in childhood.
- These causes establish in the patient a constant vigilance which evolves into anxious apprehension.
- Anxious apprehension pushes the patient to anticipate feared situations, which results in phobia or OCD.
- Therapy helps identify the origin of the disorder, even without precise memory of the cause.
1. THE FOUR MAIN CAUSES OF BIOLOGICAL VULNERABILITY
- The first possible cause is direct trauma. It occurs when the patient experiences a specific traumatic event at a specific moment in their life (a serious fall, an illness, etc.)
- The second possible cause is indirect trauma. It occurs when the patient has not been the victim of trauma or an accident, but has witnessed it and been affected by this event. For example, he saw a person having a panic attack or being trapped in an elevator, he saw people panicking on the plane.
- Third possible cause: stress. It differs from the other two because it is not an event at a given time. It acts like a diffuse pressure that has taken place over months or even years. This can be caused by work-related pressure, marital conflict and then separation, or a chronic illness. It was a stressful and exhausting event that lasted for months or years.
- Fourth possible cause: false information. This is when patients were given false information when they were children. For example: don't come home too late or you'll get raped, or don't swim too far or you'll drown. These sentences will make the child believe that the environment is hostile, and in some children this causes phobias and OCD. These are phrases to avoid when talking to children. You have to be caring and protective. We will favor sentences like: swim close to the edge so I can see you.
2. THE BEGINNING OF ANXIOUS APPREHENSION
Patients generally fall into one of its four causes. The origin of the cause leads the patient to constant vigilance which over time will be learned and will remain anchored. The patient will then develop an anxious apprehension which will make him anticipate these situations in advance. This ultimately results in phobia and OCD. Sometimes some patients don't remember exactly the cause. It is then necessary to reassure patients that therapy helps to discover the origin of the problem. This model is very interesting for understanding the etiologies and therefore the causes of patients' phobias, anxieties and OCD.
Discover Gray's neurobiological model and Beck's cognitive model.
C2Care, a leader in immersive technologies for mental health
Create your free account to explore over 250 virtual reality exposure situations and subscribe directly online.
FAQs on the Barlow etiological model
Why use virtual reality in the field of mental health?
Virtual reality allows graduated exposure to anxiety-provoking situations in a secure and reproducible setting. It promotes habituation, personalizes treatment according to the patient's needs and reinforces therapeutic commitment thanks to its immersive and interactive nature.
Do I have access to all environments?
Yes. All the environments offered by C2Care are grouped within a single application, without the need to install several separate software programs for your exposure sessions.
Who should I contact if I have software problems?
Our technical service can be reached by live chat from your control platform. In the event of a headset failure, a diagnosis is carried out with you, and the defective equipment is replaced within 48 hours if necessary.
Can I feel nauseous while using the headset?
A feeling of discomfort, called cybersickness, affects around 10% of people using a virtual reality headset. The practitioner can adapt the duration and intensity of exposure to limit this risk.
What pathologies can be treated in virtual reality?
Virtual reality is used in the treatment of anxiety disorders, including phobias, post-traumatic stress and obsessive-compulsive disorder. It also applies to addictions, mood disorders and cognitive remediation.
How long has this existed?
C2Care has been testing its virtual reality software in hospitals since 2016. The device is now used in nearly 50 countries by more than 1,000 equipped practitioners.
Who can use virtual reality for treatment?
Therapeutic virtual reality is aimed at practitioners equipped with our devices: psychologists, psychiatrists and occupational therapists. It is deployed in private practices as well as in health establishments (CHU, hospitals, clinics, EHPAD).
Author
C2Care
Related articles
Beck's cognitive model
Beck's cognitive model is taught in the second session as part of the treatment of anxiety disorders (OCD, phobia). These sessions are often practiced in groups with the aim of involving patients. Our brain works like a computer processor, its main function is data processing: it constantly processes sensory information.
Managing an anxiety attack
As the situation overwhelms us, our anxiety takes an important place in our life, sometimes going so far as to cause a panic attack. This situation is particularly unpleasant for the person experiencing it, with significant physical and psychological symptoms. But this feeling is not irremediable, and there are some tips for managing your anxiety attack in the urgency of the situation. It is also possible to reduce the risk of panic attacks in the longer term by adopting certain strategies.
Response Prevention – OCD
Response prevention is a method of cognitive behavioral therapy used for Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. This module is done after the five psychotherapy sessions which precede exposure to virtual reality and is only intended for people suffering from OCD.
Cognitive therapy: Self-observation
Cognitive therapy is used to help patients transform their way of thinking, to no longer interpret the situation in a dysfunctional way. For example, upon seeing a dog, the patient immediately thinks that the dog will bite him. The objective of these sessions is to change the way of thinking.
Understanding your stress
It is not always easy to understand your stress in a situation and recognize it. It is sometimes difficult to know what this anxiety refers to. And yet this is necessary to reduce this anxiety, its symptoms and regain daily serenity.
Gray's neurobiological model
Psychoeducation is done during the first group therapy session and consists of explaining the models of anxiety for patients: phobic, who have OCD, or who have generalized anxiety disorders. The models help explain the causes and mechanisms of anxiety, the goal is to help patients understand what is happening in their brains. Ignorance leads to fear. During group therapy, it is important to establish dialogue with patients and to establish an exchange; give patients the opportunity to participate as often as possible. In this article we will see Gray's neurobiological model and its implication in anxiety, phobias and OCD.