Aversion therapy

Aversion therapy is a form of psychiatric treatment in which the patient is exposed to a stimulus while simultaneously being subjected to some form of discomfort. This conditioning is intended to cause the patient to associate the stimulus with unpleasant sensations, and to them stop a certain behaviour.

Aversion therapies can take many forms, from relatively mild (simply scolding a child for mischief, or placing unpleasant-tasting substances on the fingernails to discourage nail-chewing), to other behaviours, such as giving Anafranil to an alcoholic to discourage drinking, or even application of electric shocks.

Aversion therapy and Homosexuality

Aversion therapy has been used in attempts to convert Homosexual individuals to heterosexuality. While more common past decades, is still utilized in some situations.

Psychologist Martin E.P. Seligman reports that while aversion therapy to "treat" homosexuality is controversial, it can be safely reported that, in some instances, the process "worked surprisingly well," with up to 50% of men subjected to such therapy not acting on their homosexual urges. (Seligman, p. 156) These results produced what Seligman describes as "a great burst of enthusiasm about changing homosexuality [that] swept over the theraputic comunity" after the results were reported in 1966. (Seligman, p. 156) However, Seligman notes that the findings were later demonstrated to be "flawed": most of the men treated with aversion therapy who did in fact stop homosexual behaviour were actually bisexual. Among men with an exclusive or near-exclusive homosexual orientation, aversion therapy was far less successful. (Seligman, p157)

A notorious case of aversion therapy occurred in the 1970s and 1980s, when suspected homosexuals (both male and female) in the South African Defense Force underwent aversion therapy and chemical castration. Aversion therapy sometimes involved applying electric current, via electrodes, to men while they were shown pictures of naked men. The current would be turned off when photographs of naked women were shown. See the article in "external links" below for more information.

Injections of apomorphine were also reportedly used as part of aversion therapy for homosexuality, resulting in violent illness. At least one person has reportedly died from this treatment.

As of 2006, aversion therapy, when used to treat homosexuality, is in violation of the codes of conduct and professional guidelines of the American Psychological Association and American Psychiatric Association. Aversion therapy as for "treatment" of homosexuality is reportedly illegal in some countries.

Aversion therapy and "sexually deviant" youth

Forced aversion therapy is still sometimes used on children and teenagers who violate sex laws, and especially used on individuals believed to have deviant sexual feelings. These youth have been forced to smell ammonia, describe humiliating scenarios, or engage in other uncomfortable situations, while looking at nude pictures, listening to audio tapes describing sexual situations, or describing their own fantasies. In order to measure sexual response, devices like penile plethysmographs and vaginal photoplethysmographs are sometimes used, despite the controversies surrounding these devices.

In 1992, the Arizona Civil Liberties Union challenged the Phoenix Memorial Hospital for its use of these methods on children as young as 10. They were defended by the Association for the Treatment of Sexual Abusers. Since then, policies have usually discouraged the use of forced aversion therapy on children under 14.

Popular culture

• Anthony Burgess explored the concept, and its moral implications, in his 1962 novel A Clockwork Orange.
• A radio commercial in Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas refers to the practice of aversion therapy.
• The television show Robot Chicken opening has a scientist torturing a robotic chicken in the same matter.

References

• "The Aversion Project: Human rights abuses of gays and lesbians in the SADF by health workers during the apartheid era"by Mikki van Zyl, Jeanelle de Gruchy, Sheila Lapinsky, Simon Lewin, and Graeme Reid, Simply Said and Done, Cape Town, October 1999.
• Ethical Treatment for All Youth
• Houser, Ward Aversion Therapy. Encyclopedia of Homosexuality. Dynes, Wayne R. (ed.), Garland Publishing, 1990. p. 101
• Seligman, Martin E.P., What You Can Change and What You Can't: The Complete Guide to Self Improvement Knopf, 1993; ISBN 0679410244

See also

• Ex-gay
• Behavior modification