Adaptive Behaviour

Classical conditioning may be used in therapy to combat alcoholism by associating alcohol with a negative stimuli. Creating an association between liquor and a shock for instance might deter one from drinking. That is of course not an ethical treatment in therapy, but you could associate the substance with something like a frightening noise (as was proven with little Albert) or with a really bad smell, or a disturbing image. Linking those things over time would condition the individual to think of the CS every time they saw or thought of drinking, hopefully that negative association would help them stop (and/or limit) their consumption of alcohol. Aversion therapy uses a something of a mirror approach. In CBT exposure therapy is about taking people with phobia's and exposing them to the subject of their fears in controlled and hierarchical ways. For example, if the individual is afraid of snakes, the therapy might begin with looking at a photo of a snake, then watch a video, then seeing a rubber snake, perhaps ended up at a pet store and seeing snakes in a cage. All of these measures are done while assuring the individual they are safe, having the therapist there, breathing, trying to relax. All of that is meant to associate ease, relaxation, and normalcy to a situation that normally evokes fear. The idea is that instead of that stimuli instantly triggering fear, the response is calm or at least controlled, you've learned how to respond to that situation by repeatedly changing the behaviour when confronted by that stimuli.