Use of a feeding procedure in the treatment of a stress-related anxiety disorder

A feeding procedure was used with a Vietnam veteran who became highly anxious when near a springhouse that resembled the site where he had been wounded in Vietnam. After 36-hr of food deprivation, the patient ate his favorite meal while sitting next to the springhouse. Treatment successfully reduced both anxiety and avoidance behavior. Results of a 10-month follow-up showed no relapse.