Here, we discuss how hypnosis for phobias, can help with overcoming your fears. Some tips for helping to control your breathing, if you’re feeling anxious, and how to get started with a session for yourself.
When we hear the word ‘phobia’, it conjures up images of someone being scared of something. For example, if you think about a specific animal that makes you fear or avoid it, that thing is your phobia. The same holds true for other common phobias such as insects or heights. Phobias can exist in other situations too.
Someone who is afraid of failure can have an aversion to any situation where he or she feels like they won’t perform well. Fear of public speaking can come from a fear of failure in front of an audience rather than anything about the actual speaking process itself.
It’s easy to understand why people develop phobias, when we see how many situations can trigger them. There are many ways to overcome them once you recognise them as a weakness rather than something to be ashamed of.
What to Expect from a Hypnosis for Phobias Session
When you decide to undergo hypnosis for phobias treatment, you’ll work with a licensed therapist. They will help you relax and reduce your level of anxiety. During the process, your therapist will guide you through various hypnotic cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) techniques to help you identify and overcome your phobia. Simple phobias can normally be concluded within 2 – 3 sessions, with each session lasting around 60 minutes.
Additionally, they’ll help you explore thoughts and beliefs you may have about your phobia. This can be especially helpful if you’re not sure exactly why you fear something. In the session, you’ll be instructed to focus on your breathing, which will help you relax.
You may be asked to imagine you’re floating out of your body, watching yourself, watching a ‘film’ of the event that is associated with your phobia. Whilst in a safe relaxed state this form of ‘dissociation’ is highly effective. With guidance from the therapist the traumatic memory can be reprocessed to be stored as ‘ordinary’, rather than one that continually activates a terror response.
How Does Hypnosis for Phobias Work?
Hypnosis is a unique form of therapy that can be used to change your mindset. Hypnosis for phobias works, by allowing the individual, whilst in a safe relaxed state, to reprocess the traumatic memory. So it can then become stored as an ‘ordinary’, albeit unpleasant, and non-life threatening memory. Instead of one that continually activates a terror response. This is achieved by enabling the memory to be shifted in the brain from the amygdala to the neocortex.
The amygdala’s role is to alert us to danger and stimulate the body’s ‘flight’ or ‘flight’ reaction. Normally, all initial sensations associated with a threatening experience are passed to the amygdala and formed into a sensory memory. This in turn is passed onto the hippocampus. From there, to the neocortex, where it is translated into a verbal or narrative memory and stored.
When an event appears life-threatening, however, there can be a sudden information overload. Causing the sensory memories to stay trapped in the amygdala, instead of being passed on to, and made sense by the, neocortex.
While trapped in the amygdala, the trauma memory has no identifiable meaning. It cannot be described, only re-experienced in some sensory form, such as panic attacks or flashbacks.
The hypnosis for phobias technique (rewind technique) used by Steve Hypnotherapy allows the sensory memory to be converted into narrative and be put into perspective.
Is Hypnosis right for you if you have a phobia?
For some people anxieties and fears are so overwhelming, that trying to avoid these situations can majorly impact on daily life and even career decisions.
A phobia usually gets worse over time, unless help is sought. Essentially it is a ‘conditioned response’. This means that each time a phobia is experienced, the behaviour of the phobic person reinforces and strengthens the phobia.
Many phobias exist in our subconscious mind and are learned responses. We know this as we are born with only two innate fears:
the fear of falling;
and the fear of loud sounds.
Hypnotherapy can therefore help you unlearn the fear response, build up your exposure to the phobia and in time ease the associated anxiety.
Most people also report how relaxing the hypnotherapy sessions are, and wish they had taken action sooner, to expel their phobias and fears, to start living again.
Some breathing tips to help alleviate fears
Box breathing, also referred to as square breathing, is a deep breathing technique that can help you slow your breathing down. It works by distracting your mind as you count to four, calming your nervous system and decreasing stress in your body.
Box breathing is a simple but powerful relaxation technique that can help return your breathing pattern to a relaxed rhythm. It can clear and calm your mind improving focus.
Step 1: Breathe in counting to four slowly. (Feel the air enter your lungs)
Step 2: Hold your breath for the count of 4. (Try to avoid inhaling or exhaling during this count of 4.)
Step 3: Slowly exhale through your mouth to a count of 4.
Step 4: Repeat the patten, until you feel re-centered.
Next Steps
There are many people who experience phobias. This can make everyday tasks such as walking down the street, speaking in public, or meeting new people extremely daunting. These phobias can affect your emotions and cause you to be extremely anxious. Even about the most common situations.
If you want to overcome your phobia and experience the feeling of being calm and confident, you should consider hypnosis for phobias treatment. As explained above the techniques used are fast, safe, painless and effective for dealing with your phobia trauma.
So why not take action today and give me a call. Or click on the link below to book your complimentary discovery call. Find out how we can work together to make those changes using hypnosis for phobias to become a more happier and confident you!
