Aversion Therapy

Aversion Therapy is a type of behavioral therapy used to eliminate manifestations of unwanted behavior (for example, various sexual deviations or addiction to certain medications). In this case, conditioning is used, during which an unwanted stimulus and a stimulus related to the unwanted behavior are repeated several times simultaneously. For example, to treat alcoholism, the taste of beer is combined with electric shock.

Aversion therapy is based on the principles of classical conditioning. The goal is to create a negative response to an undesirable behavior by associating that behavior with an unpleasant stimulus. Although this technique can be effective in inhibiting some behaviors, it has also been criticized due to ethical issues associated with the use of painful or traumatic stimuli.

See also Sensitization.



Aversion therapy, also known as aversive therapy, is a type of behavioral therapy that is used to eliminate unwanted behavior in patients. It is usually used in cases related to various sexual deviations or addictions to certain medications. The main idea of ​​this method is to create negative associations with unwanted behavior so that the patient becomes disgusted with it.

The aversion therapy process is based on the principles of classical conditioning, which were developed by Ivan Pavlov in his famous experiments with dogs. In aversion therapy, an undesirable behavior is associated with an unpleasant stimulus to elicit a negative response in the patient.

For example, in the treatment of alcoholism, the following approach can be used: the patient is offered the taste of beer, which is a stimulus associated with an undesirable behavior - drinking alcohol. At the same time, the patient is given an unpleasant stimulus, such as an electric shock. The goal is to create an association between the taste of beer and an unpleasant sensation, thereby creating an aversion to alcohol.

Aversion therapy requires careful planning and supervision by an experienced therapist. It is important to take into account the individual characteristics of the patient and create situations that will be most effective in developing an aversion to unwanted behavior.

However, it is important to note that aversion therapy raises certain ethical questions and limitations. In some countries it may be prohibited or used only in special cases. In addition, the effectiveness of this approach has not always been proven and may vary from person to person. Therefore, the decision to use aversion therapy should be made taking into account the specific situation and the opinion of a qualified professional.

In conclusion, aversion therapy is a type of behavioral therapy that is used to eliminate unwanted behavior. By creating negative associations with an unwanted stimulus, aversion therapy seeks to induce aversion to that behavior. However, its use must be carefully considered, taking into account ethical considerations and individual patient characteristics.



Aversion therapy is a psychological therapy method that is used to help people who have certain behavior problems. It is based on the concept that in order to change behavior, it is necessary to create a negative experience that causes aversion to this behavior.

Aversion therapy is made possible through the use of behavioral concepts such as the event-effect-response relationship (also known as the ERC) and the cause-effect relationship. Aversion therapy works to reduce, change, or prevent unacceptable or negative behaviors by positively reinforcing appropriate behavior in a desirable manner.

This therapy can be used to reduce drug or alcohol use in people who are addicted to drugs or alcohol. To do this, they are given electric shock stimulation or an injection of a drug that increases negative feelings towards drug use.

An important aspect of aversion therapy is the use of specially designed programs that can take into account the personality characteristics and socio-psychological characteristics of each specific case. Thus, the goal of Aversion therapy is to increase the patient's motivation to prevent and reduce unwanted behavior through the formation of negative emotional experiences associated with this behavior.