Hypnosis has been shown to be an effective treatment for many individuals with fears and phobias. A significant percentage of the population suffers from a phobia of one type or another. For some individuals it can be mildly distressing but manageable.  For others it can be seriously debilitating. A phobia is an irrational fear of a particular stimulus. This stimulus can be a situation, a thing, or an activity.  There are generally four types of phobias:

• Natural environment phobias – fear of heights, storms, water, darkness, etc.
• Animal phobias – fear of snakes, cockroaches, spiders, frogs, dogs, etc.
• Blood-injection-injury phobias – fear of injury, shots, injections in hospitals, fear of blood etc.
• Situational phobias – fear of flying, dentists, driving and social situations such as public speaking, dating and so on.

People with phobias will either go to great lengths to avoid whatever it is they fear, or they will endure it with considerable anxiety. For some people, a phobia can trigger panic attacks. In severe cases the phobia can end up literally controlling a person’s life.

The most common indication of a phobia is a feeling of fear or anxiety when exposed to the situation or thing which triggers the fear. Common symptoms include accelerated heart beat, nausea, dizziness, shortness of breath, chest pain, hot/cold flashes, numbness or tingling sensation, trembling, fear of fainting or losing control of oneself.

This is the result of the fight-or-flight reaction, being triggered. Hypnotherapy helps sufferers in two ways: first, by desensitising you to your specific trigger (breaking the association); and second, by training you how to create the relaxation response on command.

Hypnotherapy helps you overcome phobias by reprogramming your mind’s reaction to the trigger. Techniques used by hypnotherapists may vary for each client, because individuals is different a good hypnotherapist should be comfortable with a large number of techniques and approaches. Pin point analysis is a process used to explore and heal the root cause of the phobia, otherwise known as the Initial Sensitising Event. Addressing this old memory consciously will enable the individual to better understand the cause of the fear, as well as begin able to see it in a way which is no longer threatening. When this is achieved, the phobia will generally disappear.

When positive thoughts are introduced, new associations can be formed, which reinforce the calm, relaxed positive feelings that you desire when in the presence of your previous trigger. The flawed mental link between the trigger and the fear reaction is broken, replaced by a sense of being calm and in control.

The number of hypnosis sessions required for effectively dealing with phobias varies, and depends on several factors. These include how long the person has had the phobia, how severely the phobia affects them, and how determined they are to be free from the phobia. In general, it will take approximately three or four hypnotherapy sessions.  However, in severe cases it can take more.

If you suffer from a fear or phobia it is definitely worth considering hypnosis as a means of treatment. Hypnotherapy may help you overcome the phobia, and in some cases even alleviate it altogether. If you do pursue hypnosis as a means of treatment, be sure that you work with a person is who has the appropriate training and experience. You can contact me here…