| Affiliation: | (1) Department of Clinical Health Psychology, University of Manitoba. Anxiety Disorders Program, M5-St. Boniface General Hospital, 409 Tache Ave, Winnipeg, MB, Canada, R2H 2A6 |
| Abstract: | Cognitive-behavioral therapy has been shown to be an effective treatment for hypochondriasis. An important element of most of the empirically validated CBT protocols for this problem is exposure. Various approaches to exposure may be useful including in vivo exposure to health and death-related situations, interoceptive exposure to feared bodily symptoms, and imaginal exposure to symptoms and feared illnesses that are difficult to reproduce in real life. Strategies for enhancing the effectiveness of exposure, such as response prevention, cognitive reappraisal, and acceptance, are also discussed. Practical suggestions for implementation of exposure with this population are provided. |
