Phobias can be a huge problem for many people. A phobia is an unrealistic, persistent, intense feeling of anxiety and fear in response to specific external situations. There are many people not just in Fresno, but the entire world, who suffer from various forms of phobias. People who have a phobia end up either avoiding situations that trigger their anxiety and fear, or they endure them with great distress. However, they don’t have to simply endure it. They can conquer it with hypnotherapy.
Fear & Phobia Symptoms:
- Dizziness, trembling, and increased heart rate
- Fear of Dying
- Nausea
- Breathlessness
- A sense of unreality
- Preoccupation with the fear object
Now if you’ll notice, these symptoms are essentially the same as what a person feels when they have a panic attack. Exposure to the fear object can therefore trigger severe anxiety. Then, once a person has the experience of a panic attack in relation to their fear object, they may then go on to develop an even more severe phobia in relation to the fear object. This stems from not only their fear of the object, but also now their fear of the panic attack symptoms.
How many people have phobias?
According to the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), phobias are a very common issue in the United States. Approximately 10% of people in the U.S. have an active phobia. So whether you’re terrified of speaking in public, spiders, heights, or being in large crowds, you’re in good company. There are 32 million people in the U.S. that have a phobia of some sort!
General Phobia vs. Specific Phobia
Phobias can be broad and general, or they can be very specific. The primary general phobias are Agoraphobia and Social Phobia. These are called general phobias because they are very broad and can encompass a wide ranging, huge part of our daily life. For example, agoraphobia is characterized by anxiety about or avoidance of being trapped in situations or places with no way to escape easily if anxiety or panic develops. And because anxiety and panic can develop essentially anywhere at any time, a person who is unable to control their response to anxiety can eventually become a prisoner of their own mind. The second general phobia is Social Phobia. Social Phobia is the existence of significant anxiety induced by exposure to certain social or performance situations, which also leads to avoidance. In both these disorders, the sufferer feels as if they must be able to flee, to run away, to escape if and when they get anxiety.
Anxiety Causes Suffering, but there’s hope
Now first, let me say that I’ve been there before. I know what it feels like to be overcome with panic and anxiety. To feel completely out of control, unable to breathe, and the impending doom–feeling as if you might die. It can be terrifying. But over the years, I learned and trained myself to understand that there’s nothing to escape. And anxiety is nothing to fear. Now, simply telling someone that fact doesn’t help them. Especially not when they’re in their moment of panic. However, with the power of hypnosis, I help others fully realize and experience this revelation while providing them tools to use to release their anxiety. To destroy their fear. To see it all for what it is, and to overcome it. With hypnosis, I can guide you and show you how to do it. But you will be the one who conquers it. And when you do, it’s one of the most empowering experiences you’ll ever have.
What’s the solution?
The key to overcoming anxiety disorders is learning how and when to control your mind and body to release your anxiety and destroy it on the spot. There’s nowhere to run. There’s nowhere to hide. Taking anti-anxiety medication, such as one of the benzodiazepines, can help to temporarily alleviate anxiety symptoms by lessening the body’s anxiety-stress response. The drug forces you to stay calm. I’ve taken them before. If you’re just becoming accustomed to anxiety and learning how it works, it can help to manage your life while you engage in other therapies. But in the long run, it takes the power away from you. The effects can start to lessen and stronger doses are needed. Not only can you become dependent on the drug, it simply doesn’t get to the crux of the problem. It’s not a permanent solution. You can learn to create enough mental space with your mind and body which will allow you to respond rationally to your objects of fear, rather than reacting out of panic and fear.