[Behavior therapy self control in chronic compulsive organismic defective habit development].

Patients with chronic compulsive organismic mishabituations, which are rather difficult to treat, can be helped by self-control methods of behavioural therapy combined with suggestive measures. The author currently regards this therapeutic approach to be superior to aversion therapy, which was occasionally used for such cases in the past. The contribution presents a scheme of therapy which can be generalized and is based on the work of Meichenbaum and Leonhard. The scheme consists of two parts containing four phases each. The actual approach and the modification necessary to tailor it to the individual case is explained by means of an example involving the treatment of psychogenic polydipsia.