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Treating phobias (or fears)

Nearly all of us have a fear of something or another - a phobia is an extension of this fear.   If you are afraid of spiders then seeing one will probably trigger mild anxiety, a slight increase in heart rate and general discomfort.  If you are arachnaphobic - ie; you have a phobia of spiders, the effects triggered by seeing one, seeing a picture of one or for some even just thinking about one can be quite dramatic ranging from mild panic attacks to more severe reactions including sweating, palpitations, numbness, hysteria, nausea, dizziness, fainting, chest pains and literally being 'rooted to the spot'.

Phobias develop through an emotional connection to an object or situation and often link back to our early years.  Where the emotion is intense and negative, the mind builds up a warning system that the object or situation spells danger.  This can be reiterated and strengthened over time or can be formed in one single, traumatic event and the phobia is formed.  Depending on how this phobia is formed, the connection between the negative emotion can be obvious - for example being trapped in a lift as young child can lead to fear of enclosed spaces or claustrophobia, or the link may be more obscure, an intense negative emotion may be linked to an everyday object seen at that moment of terror and the phobia may be of something for which you can find no explanation.  Quite often the object or event feared may be masking the true phobia - for example a fear of flying is quite often in fact a fear of not being in control. 

Phobias can change and evolve over time and although suggestion therapy can be effective in the short term, for example to enable you to make the flights to and from your holiday destination, the effects are not permanent and the root cause of the phobia is not dissolved - it is therefore possible that the symptom may return - either as the original phobia or in disguise as another symptom as the original anxiety and emotion seeks another root to be discharged. (See more information on Symptom substitution)

Whatever your phobia you can be reassured that you are not alone and that many people just like yourself have successfully overcome their particular fear for good with the help of hypnotherapy.

With many phobia treatments you are made to 'face your fear'.  Alternatively you are taught to live with the fear and control its levels.  With Elliott Hypnotherapy you can be reassured that will never happen - you will never be made to hold a snake, climb a ladder, take a flight, be in an enclosed space or whatever it is that causes you anxiety.  The idea is that after therapy you can choose to do so with out fear or any of the negative emotion or reaction attached.  You might be so far removed from the phobia after treatment that you may even be in contact with the object, or experience the situation, without even realising until after the event that you actually felt no fear or showed no reaction at all!

Click here to see a list of some of the phobias most commonly presented for treatment. If your phobia is not included then please feel free to e-mail me and I will identify your phobia and send you its recognised name.

Irthlingborough, Northamptonshire

For Free Initial Consultation or More Information Call 01933 650367