Why do we have Fears and Phobias?
A fear is our natural response to a perceived danger, whereas A phobia is an irrational fear of an object or situation that causes little or no danger.
Some fears may cause some people to experience anxiety or stress even though the fear itself won’t cause any danger.
Phobias are linked more directly to our subconscious minds, they are, often, irrational, and can usually be dealt with effectively.
Phobias are extremely common and range through things like fears of dentists, pigeons, needles and fear of flying to some less common ones like asymmetriphobia (fear of asymmetrical things).
How do I know if I have a phobia?
You will usually experience a strong avoidance behaviour related to the phobia, a feeling of anxiety, a feeling of being out of control and a sense of panic. Many people know that their fear is irrational, but still they are unable to control it.
Phobias are often categorised into specific phobias (of which there are around 100 categorised). Some common examples of specific phobias include fear of confined spaces, fear of spiders or a fear of flying.
Social phobia is extreme anxiety and discomfort in social situations. Fear of being watched and judged by others is overwhelming and although those suffering are aware that they are acting irrationally, they are unable to control and overcome their fears. Social phobia can vary from fearing just one situation to fearing all situations involving other people. Social phobia also usually begins in childhood or adolescence.
Phobias can begin at any time in a persons life and may occur for any number of reasons.
It has been known for phobias to run in families, although it is still unclear if it is hereditary or simply a learned behaviour. It is possible that a child may learn a phobia by observing a respected elders reaction to a certain situation.
Hypnotherapy treatment for fear and phobia
Hypnotherapy can help identify the cause of any fear or phobia and offer the patient an alternative way to feel or act in similar situations. It can show patients that if someone else would feel different in that situation then there are choices and help them to make better choices.
Hypnotherapy can also help with relaxation and visualisation techniques to allow desensitisation and the forming of new habits and behaviours, allowing them to be more calm and relaxed.