Are scare tactics and confrontations very effective?

Question

I have seen scare tactics and confrontational therapy used by people to help others change addictive behaviour. I used to think that they were speaking about distant others and those examples did not apply to me; that I am the exception. Have there been any studies on these strategies and how effective are they?

Answer 1

I think scare tactics aren't really therapy - I think they are a method of social control. Confrontational therapy? Now there you might have something. I think brutal honesty that the identified patient knows in their heart of hearts is accurate, and is being given to them by people who matter to them -- that would be quite effective if it was given/provided in an environment where it was perfectly clear that it was given in effort to help the person achieve an identified goal, (i.e. improve the quality of that patient's existence/life) not just rail on them. I cannot quote any studies on that, it just seems like that would be more effective than talking nice to a person who is filled with resistance and defenses which are attempting to protect him/her from the truth.

Answer 2

See "Cat's Eye", a movie adaptation of a short story by Stephen King. Talk to any parent. Like any other form of therapy or aversion tactics, some methods work on some people, and some don't.

Answer 3

Yes they are. Have you seen the commercials where cigarette smoking kills how aggressive they are. That helped put a sead in my mind to think about what I was putting in my body.

Answer 4

idont know about any studies, but if it was done to me, someone would end up with a black eye.

Answer 5

no, rediculous

Answer 6

NEVER !