Hypnotherapy for Phobias and Fears
If you suffer from a phobia, you can experience physical and emotional symptoms when exposed to the source of fear. Phobias can be debilitating especially when it can have such a negative impact on your life. Learn how hypnotherapy can help you to overcome your fears.
Overcoming Phobias and Fears with Hypnotherapy
Is your phobia stopping you from living your life to its full potential? Have you ever felt an overwhelming fear for an object, place, or situation that you avoid at all cost?
While fear is normal in everyday life, some fears can be too intense and debilitating. This kind of fear is described as a phobia. However, with the help of hypnotherapy people suffering from phobias can reclaim control of their lives without the presence of fear.
Understanding Phobias
Fear is a natural and healthy response everyone has when it comes to danger. It’s a survival instinct designed to help us avoid and escape threatening situations. However, phobias are different, they are more intense than fears. A phobia is a type of anxiety disorder, which can lead to severe anxiety and panic attacks for some people.
Signs and Symptoms of Phobias
Often, you’ll feel the symptoms when you come into contact with the phobia but, for some people, the symptoms can come on simply from thinking about it. When you come across the source of your phobia, you’re likely to feel incredibly scared, nervous and anxious. You may also feel physical symptoms of fear and anxiety, for example:
- Intense fear or anxiety
- Panic attacks
- Avoidance behaviours
- Fast heartbeat and/or palpitations
- Shaking and trembling
- Dizziness/lightheadedness
- Sweating
- Distress or impairment
- Anticipatory anxiety
If the source of your phobia is something you don’t come into contact with often, this phobia may not interfere with your everyday life. If it’s something you’re likely to come into contact with day-to-day, however, your phobia may have a larger impact on your life.
Donna Marie Thomas
Hello, my name is Donna, I am a qualified counsellor, psychotherapist, hypnotherapist and Registered Member of BACP based in Pontefract, West Yorkshire.
I have a passion for helping people to enjoy a happier, more fulfilling life via a person centred approach to therapy tailored to meet each individuals specific needs.
Get in touch to find out more or book an appointment with me today.
What are the Different Types of Phobias?
Phobias can be categorised into five types: situational (situations like flying, enclosed spaces, driving, etc.), animal (reptiles, insects, etc.), medical (injections or surgeries), natural environment (thunder, forest fire, etc.), and social phobias.
Below are some of the most common phobias:
- Arachnophobia – fear of spiders
- Acrophobia – fear of heights
- Claustrophobia – fear of confined spaces
- Agoraphobia – fear of crowded or public spaces
- Social Phobia– fear of social situations
- Emetophobia – fear of vomiting
- Aerophobia – fear of flying
- Ophidiophobia – fear of snakes
- Glossophobia – fear of public speaking
- Hemophobia – fear of blood
Each phobia can be experienced differently from person to person and the symptoms can vary from general anxiety to a full-blown panic attack. Phobias can be debilitating and it’s not something to make fun of when it can have a huge impact on an individual’s life.
What Causes a Phobia?
As with many matters of the mind, phobias rarely have a single cause. There can be a number of factors involved which may have stemmed from a historical particular trauma or event (for example, if you experienced a particularly bumpy flight when you were younger, you may develop a fear of flying as a result).
Or it may be a learned response that you picked up from someone else (for example, if your mother screamed when they saw a spider, you may have subconsciously learnt that this is the appropriate response).
Some research also points to genetics being a factor. So it may be that you were simply born with a tendency towards anxiety. Existing mental health conditions like depression, anxiety and long-term stress can all feed into the development of a phobia, too.
How Hypnotherapy Can Help with a Phobia
Phobias work on a subconscious level. which means no matter how much we tell ourselves that XYZ isn’t life-threatening, our minds and bodies still react with fear, they are simply irrational thoughts. Hypnotherapy aims to communicate with the subconscious and change the way you feel and behave towards your phobia.
The process itself involves putting you into a very relaxed, hypnotic state. Your hypnotherapist will talk you through this and you’ll be in control the whole time. If you’re unsure where your phobia came from, you may spend some time getting to the root of the phobia and remembering the event that triggered it.
Your therapist can then move on to using different techniques to help change your response. Often, this will involve you gradually and gently confronting your phobia whilst being in a calm state.
Here are some positive outcomes of hypnotherapy:
- Get to the root of your phobia
- Correct unhelpful, subconscious beliefs
- Change the way you think and feel
- Learn valuable techniques and skills
How Innerworth Counselling Can Help
Hypnotherapy can provide you with a safe, soothing, compassionate and confidential space where you can begin to discuss and understand the root causes of your phobia and fears.
Take the First Step Now
I offer private hypnotherapy, and take a person-centred approach, meaning that I’m non-judgemental, see clients as equals, and collaborate on your healing journey together.
If you feel hypnotherapy could be beneficial for your phobia and fears please book an initial consultation. You don’t have to prepare for this, just come as you are and we can look into how I might be able to help.
Additional Information
Here are some links that you may find helpful:
TOP UK
A UK charity specialising in supporting people who suffer from phobias and other related anxiety and mental health disorders.
www.topuk.org
Mind
The team at Mind provide information on a range of mental health problems.
www.mind.org.uk
Contact me today to book a confidential consulation
What My Clients Say
Jason Osborne
I shall be forever bewildered by the effectiveness of hypnotherapy. I had always remained sceptical until my very last session, then the “weight” that suddenly lifted was both physical and emotional and continues to benefit both myself and those around me three years on – thank you Donna.
Jason Osborne
Abigail Johnson
I’ve finally found a solution to my dependency on food. Your weight-loss therapy sessions have seriously transformed my life. Honestly, I could cry, I am so happy and feel like a totally new person, inside and out! Truly amazing Donna.
Abigail Johnson
Charlotte Dickinson
I went to see Donna because my anxiety and depression had spiralled out of control. I now have skills and techniques that I can use for the rest of my life to help me cope with any challenges. Thoroughly recommend psychotherapy from Innerworth Counselling. Donna is warm, professional and clearly passionate about what she does.