desensibilización

Desensibilización refers to a process where an individual's or organism's reactivity to a particular stimulus decreases over time. This can occur in various contexts, including psychological, physiological, and even social settings. In psychology, desensitization therapy is a common technique used to treat phobias and anxiety disorders. It involves gradually exposing individuals to their feared stimuli in a controlled and safe environment, allowing them to build tolerance and reduce their emotional response. This process often starts with imagining the feared situation and progresses to real-life exposure.

Physiologically, desensitization can happen when a receptor or system becomes less responsive to a repeated stimulus. For example, prolonged exposure to a certain medication might lead to a reduced effect over time, requiring a higher dose for the same therapeutic outcome. This is often due to changes in receptor density or sensitivity. In a broader sense, desensitization can also describe a dimming of emotional or moral responsiveness to events that were once shocking or upsetting. Repeated exposure to violence in media, for instance, can lead to a desensitization effect where individuals become less affected by it. This can have implications for empathy and social awareness. The core principle across these different applications is a reduction in responsiveness due to sustained exposure.