Phobias

So what do you do? Run, freeze, feel sick or simply want
to cry?

There are, in the main, two types of phobias. There is the
simple phobia where a person reacts negatively when they
come into contact with the thing that causes fear, i.e. dentists,
needles or spiders. Then there is the complex phobia which
causes fear and anxiety continually. One such example is
Emetophobia - a fear of being sick, and considered to be one
of the most common phobias in the world. It can affect the
sufferer in ways such as not wanting to collect their children
from school in case that child is feeling ill, or maybe even
putting off becoming pregnant because of the fear of sickness.

Another complex phobia is Social phobia, a fear of social
situations, such as weddings, public speaking or simply
going out to dinner with people - even if they're friends!
Frequently people with a social phobia have a fear of
embarrassing themselves or of being humiliated in public.

A phobia is defined as a persistent fear of an object or
situation in which the sufferer commits to great lengths in
avoiding despite the fear, typically disproportional to the actual
danger posed, often being recognized as irrational.

However, the good news is that your brain has an ability to
learn, in fact you are constantly learning are you not? Learning
new habits such as being more relaxed and calm can help
overcome simple phobias very quickly. Now here's an
interesting fact, habits exist on the same subconscious level
as phobias and hypnosis help create new habits or
patterns of behaviour - see the link?

The basic feature of any phobia is a conflict between the
conscious and subconscious. Hypnotherapy
communicates with the subconscious, filtering through how
the client wants to be rather than how they currently are.

It has to be stated here that the client has to want to change their pattern of behaviour. They will also need to get on board with the treatment i.e. listening to a mind-strenthening CD.

This week I went to a local GP surgery with a delightful 16-year old I'd been working with on his
fear of needles. It has to be said he had a reasonably severe reaction if someone came near him as he would simply want to escape and would lash out in order to do so. Yesterday, as he lay on the couch at the GP surgery, he was laughing at the technique I was using to enable him to overcome his fear. When we came out into the waiting room after he'd had his jabs, he was delighted that he'd accomplished something he'd originally thought impossible. There are some real highs to my job it has to be said!

Finally, I would like to state that I used to have two phobias - one was a semi-rational fear of
flying, the other was an irrational fear of frogs. I've had hypnotherapy for both, so I speak from past experience when I say I know how those of you with phobias feel!

Maybe it's time for change? As I well know, it makes a lovely difference when you get it sorted.

Sonia overcoming her fear of heights!

Thank you so much, words cannot justify my gratitude.

You have been wonderful in helping me overcome something so incredibly debilitating.
I never thought I would see this day. I already feel different - as I hoped I would.

Thank you again, Nicola, you are my genie!
Sonia xxx