It has been the talk of the 2014 World Cup, Luis Suarez of Uruguay and Liverpool has been suspended from all football-related activity for four months for biting an Italian player.
It is not the first time the top footballer has done this (previous incidents were in 2010 and 2013), so Suarez has also been banned for nine international matches, ruling him out of the rest of the World Cup.
This behaviour might be expected with young children, perhaps, but not with adults.
Sports psychologist Dr Thomas Fawcett, of the University of Salford, told the BBC that biting is rare in most sports – but in contact sports it can be more of an issue. Mostly, he says, it is a primitive response where the emotion precedes the thought process, and this is true of the Suarez case.
“It’s not pre-planned – it’s a very spontaneous, emotional response. He’s doing it on impulse.”
Often biting is a sign of frustration. A negative response when tensions reach boiling point, he says. Anxiety and stress too, play their part in such irrational actions.
According to the National Council for Hypnotherapy (NCH), anxiety is a fear or concern that is exaggerated, and is out of proportion to the situation, although sometimes it may not feel like this. The symptoms of anxiety correlate with the stress response or ‘fight-or-flight’.
In the Suarez incidents, it was the ‘fight’ response that has caused his trouble. While some people manage, more and more people are showing signs of over-anxiety, which leads to stress, which can make a significant impact on the quality of life and wellbeing. However, a qualified hypnotherapist who is a member of the NCH, can help someone, even Suarez, deal with stress, anxiety and the resultant anger. Common signs of anxiety and stress include inner tension, agitation and a fear of losing control and this can manifest itself in tense sporting contest – like top-flight football.
Paul Howard, a NCH hypnotherapist based in Surrey, said: “Hypnotherapy is very effective at dealing with underlying triggers like anxiety and stress. However, it can also change a person’s response to those triggers. For example, if someone feels the compulsion to bite, this can be changed to a more appropriate response that perhaps does not cost them thousands of pounds and missed matches.”
A hypnotherapist can help assess the client assess his anxiety, identifying the root of this – ascertaining whether it is a situation, a physical issue, a past experience or a relationship. The therapist will then work with the client to reach desired goals in behaviour, using a range of different techniques.
Remember, you are not alone in this. Irrational actions triggered by anger are suffered by non-sporting celebrities too. In 2007, Naomi Campbell attended anger management classes on the orders of a New York court after pleading guilty to assaulting her housekeeper.
If you are overly anxious or have anger issues, find one of the NCH’s qualified hypnotherapists near you by clicking here to see the directory and get set to change your outlook on life.