Successful Treatment of Halitophobia with Cognitive Behavioural Therapy: A Case Study

AbstractHalitophobia is a condition characterized by an excessive preoccupation with the belief of having halitosis. Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) was successfully used to treat a man in his 20  s who presented with important anxiety, avoidance and safety behaviours, isolation, and depressed mood. Progressive in-vivo exposure to fearful situations with the systematic prevention of avoidance and safety behaviours resulted in a significant improvement in the patient’s anxiety and depressi on levels. This case suggests that CBT techniques, usually performed in anxiety disorders and in obsessive–compulsive disorder, can be adapted to halitophobia.
Source: Journal of Contemporary Psychotherapy - Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Source Type: research