desensitization

American  

[dee-sen-si-tuh-zey-shuhn] / diˌsɛn sɪ təˈzeɪ ʃən /

noun

1. the act or process of desensitizing.

2. Physiology, Medicine/Medical. the elimination or reduction of natural or acquired reactivity or sensitivity to an external stimulus, as an allergen.

3. Psychiatry. a behavior modification technique, used especially in treating phobias, in which panic or other undesirable emotional response to a given stimulus is reduced or extinguished, especially by repeated exposure to that stimulus.

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Etymology

Origin of desensitization

First recorded in 1920–25; desensitize + -ation

Example Sentences

His jaw got worse, and his father sent him to a police psychologist specializing in the use of Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing to treat trauma.

From Washington Post • Dec. 18, 2018

One was Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing, a psychotherapy that helps patients process traumatic events with eye movements and other types of stimulation.

From Seattle Times • Jan. 12, 2018

I knew about Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing therapy from one of my best friends, Lily Burana.

From Salon • Jan. 10, 2011