As summer approaches and more and more creepy crawlies emerge, those of us who are phobic about spiders and the like are not as happy as others. But there is a way to overcome these irrational fears.
The National Council for Hypnotherapy (NCH) points out that phobias are far more common than many people realise. In fact, it is estimated that more than 11% of the population have some kind of irrational fear.
And that’s what a phobia is – an irrational fear which is a fear without good reason, or a fear of something that may not happen. People with phobias often experience unwanted responses to animals, objects, insects, actions or places.
This physical response is known as a stress response; people often describe their reaction to something as being ‘paralysed with fear’ or wanting to ‘flee in panic’.
Phobias can range from a fear of spiders – arachnaphobia, which, according to the NHS, is a simple fear; to complex fears which are more disabling.
These tend to develop during adulthood and are often associated with a deep-rooted fear or anxiety about a particular situation or circumstance. Agoraphobia and social phobia are two common complex phobias, says the NHS.
Agoraphobia is often thought of as a fear of open spaces, but it is much more complex than this. Someone with agoraphobia will feel anxious about being in a place or situation where escaping may be difficult if they have a panic attack.
A social phobia is also known as a social anxiety disorder and centres around feeling anxious in social situations.
People who have this phobia are often afraid of speaking in front of people for fear of embarrassing themselves and being humiliated in public. In severe cases, this can become debilitating and may prevent them from carrying out everyday activities, such as eating out or meeting friends.
The NCH says the general solution to overcoming phobias is to see that phobia in a different context starting from an objective perspective and then gradually building up exposure from a minimal to comfortable level.
Using hypnosis, this can be done rapidly as the unconscious is able to process information more effectively without the interference of the critical mind. This is a known as desensitisation.
Often phobias can be treated in just one session. There is, however, no guarantee as change depends on the individual’s willingness to embrace it.
Most therapists will therefore give a realistic expectation of how long treatment may last. Each hypnotherapist may use a slightly different approach to treating phobias depending on whether the client knows when the phobia first started, how they view it and how receptive they are to change.
If you have a phobia or a fear which is affecting your life, why not tray a session with an NCH hypnotherapist? You can use the NCH directory by clicking here to find a therapist near you.
