Why Do You Need Hypnotherapy for Phobias?

If you’ve been living with a phobia for some time, chances are it’s bothering you more than you’d like to admit and that’s why I always recommend hypnotherapy for phobias, above all other options such as coaching, CBT or exposure therapy.

Do you have a phobia? Not sure? What’s going on with your phobia anyway?

The dictionary defines a phobia as

“a compelling fear or dread, especially of a particular object or situation”

What’s Going on with Your Phobia?

Let’s face it, we are not born with phobias or fears so why do they occur and what can we do about it? Phobias are irrational fears that are a lot more extreme than a general feeling of worry or dislike.

We might be fearful of something and that creates a fear response in a part of our brain designed to keep us safe from danger. However, a phobia occurs when there is an irrational fear of circumstances (like a fear of the dark) or objects (like mice).

How Can Hypnotherapy Help Your Phobia?

Even though frightening, the phobic reaction has often been established by the subconscious part of our brain to protect us from that perceived threat. The sufferer experiences a strong psychological reaction if and when they are exposed to the phobic trigger. For some, simply thinking about their fear is sufficient for a severe sufferer to actually feel anxious and panicky.

That’s why we’re scared of horror films!  It doesn’t have to be real – it can be ‘perceived’ as a threat and that’s where hypnotherapy for phobias is really helpful.

Because hypnotherapy guides you into a relaxed state of mind, it means that hypnotherapy for phobias works by gently accessing the underlying cause of the phobia and eliminating the any associated conditioned response.

Some signs of a phobia can be:

• Fast heart beat
• Shortness of breath
• Shaking or trembling
• Hot flush or sweating
• Feeling dizzy or nauseous

Often when people come to see me for hypnotherapy for phobias, they say others in their lives have said they are being silly. This is because others do not perceive the trigger as posing the same level of threat or danger. However, a phobia or fear is not something we can just switch off or stop reacting to!

Can we Get Used to Living with Phobias?

Sometimes a person may find a way to live with a phobia by avoiding situations where they may be exposed to the fear.  They might get their partner to remove the spider!  They may organize their life around the fear, like the person I saw who travelled for days over land just to go on holiday and avoid flying! Maybe they just cope somehow, but not exposing themselves very often … like having the fear of the dentist, where a person just doesn’t go or manages (sometimes badly) with the twice yearly visits.  Sometimes a person my just avoid or restrict their lives, like a person with agoraphobia who avoids going out.

How Do You Use Hypnotherapy for Phobias?

Phobias are really common and the majority of them are quite easy to resolve. People with phobias usually respond quickly and very well to the use of hypnotherapy for phobias because it works on the subconscious where the root beliefs reside.

Hypnotherapy for phobias uses relaxation strategies to help with the anxiety that is raised then desensitise the situation. This enables you to receiving the hypnotherapy for phobias treatment to get into your subconscious, sometimes we can identify the root of the phobia and overcome it.

For many people hypnotherapy offers a way to get rid of a phobia quickly and easily regardless of how long they have had the problem.

So, if you’ve been struggling in some area of life because of a phobia, perhaps now is the appropriate time to get it sorted for good.

Hi, I’m Emma, Hypnotherapist in York with a particular interest in helping you with anxiety, stress, fears and phobias so that you can take back control of your thoughts and feelings.  That way you can quickly and easily feel more able to cope with your busy life! There are no magic wands or quick fixes instead I give you personalised tools that work for you and fit with your lifestyle.

So, are you ready to let go of that old anxiety, fear or phobia? Do you want to live a happier, stress free life? Book your complimentary consultation here and find out how you can reach your goals and really enjoy life!

Find out more about hypnotherapy here and read about testimonials from people I have worked with on phobias and fears. 

Did you know that we are not born knowing about fear?  We learn fear from experiences and circumstances in our lives and it becomes an automatic response or reaction whenever we encounter those situations fearful again in our lives.  

Sometimes a scary situation delivered safely can be “fun” – like at Halloween and that’s because and even if it makes us jump or shocks us we know it’s safe and feel no threat from the situation. A small amount of fear can raise adrenaline and give people that “buzz” feeling. Some people like that. 

Your Internal Fire Alarm

If you have experienced those fearful feelings and did not liked how they feel then your brain and body remember them.  Next time you experience the thought or feeling your brain makes the same association as a way to warn you of potential danger.  It’s like your internal fire alarm going off and creates a set of automatic responses which is known as fight, flight, freeze response.

The reality is that these things might not be dangerous.  The annoying thing is that your logic part of your brain, at this point in time, is not connected. So you can be telling yourself “it’s ok, it’s only …” (whatever your fear is) but it doesn’t make any difference. Why?  Because your brain is on autopilot now thinking it’s keeping you safe!  Reality is it’s causing more problems!! 

The difference between fear and phobia is when a fear is more intense and extreme it is termed a phobia. A phobia creates heightened anxiety as well as the fear and is often persistent and all-consuming.

What Can You Do About Your Fear?

Whether you have a fear or phobia we can work together to take away the emotions associated with that circumstance that currently bothers you.  

If there is a particular event that keeps popping vividly into your mind then we can work to reduce and change the way you remember that event so that it no longer bothers you. 

I don’t work with the exposure therapy – you will have enough memories in your own head without me needing to bring items into the therapy room! I will help you to look at those unpleasant situations in a supported way so that we can find a way for you to let go of those old outdated learnings.

You will know when you feel better about your fear and it way change the way you think about situations and circumstances. 

All this can be achieved in around 3-6 sessions. As each person is different I always make a personalised plan to help you. Some people will need more sessions than others. 

Don’t let your fear get in the way of your enjoying yourself.

Hi, I’m Emma, Hypnotherapist in York with a particular interest in helping you with anxiety, stress, fears and phobias so that you can take back control of your thoughts and feelings.  That way you can quickly and easily feel more able to cope with your busy life! There are no magic wands or quick fixes instead I give you personalised tools that work for you and fit with your lifestyle.

So, are you ready to let go of that old anxiety, fear or phobia? Do you want to live a happier, stress free life? Book your complimentary consultation here and find out how you can reach your goals and really enjoy life!

Find out more at www.emmalangton.co.uk and read about testimonials from people I have worked with on phobias and fears.