Phobias/Fears.

Phobias/Fears.

Meaning: A persistent, irrational fear of an object, event, activity, or situation called a phobic

stimulus, resulting in o compelling desire to avoid it.

This fear can be so overwhelming that a person may go to great lengths to avoid the source of

this fear.

Fear is a normal reaction to a threat, while a phobia leads to a fear response even when you

are not in danger.

ln most cases, these phobias can stem from a personal traumatic experience in the past.

Phobias have been treated effectively with hypnotherapy:

• When treating phobias, a distinction is made to maintain personal safety. Fear is not

just natural in certain situations, it's valuable as well.

• This is a part of our fight, flight, or freeze response, and it is what prompts us to avoid or

overcome danger.

• This stress reaction serves a purpose and enables you to recognize a threat and resolve

the situation.

• This innate stress reaction is automatic, immediate and designed to help you survive in a

dangerous situation.

For example:

• Ifan you are in the woods and see a rattlesnake poised to strike, then fear is a natural and

a good thing.

• lt floods your system with adrenaline and speeds up reaction time so you can take quick

action to protect yourself with the fight or flight response.

• lf you have a phobia/fear of snakes. (Ophidiophobia)

• You may have a panic attack from glimpsing a snake on television, hearing someone talk

about a snake, or seeing a live snake in a cage.

• I work with a combination of techniques to support you in resolving this fear while

maintaining what prompts you to recognize, avoid or overcome the danger of

confrontation with a real live poisonous snake, keeping you safe.

Some examples of common phobias include fear of:

• Spiders (Arachnophobia).

• Flying (Aviophobia).

• Heights (Acrophobia).

• Closed spaces (Claustrophobia).

• Water (Aquaphobia).

• Needles (Aichmophobia).

• Public speaking (Glossophobia).

• And many more.

Physical symptoms of phobias:

• Feeling unsteady, dizzy, light-headed or faint.

• Feeling like you are choking.

• A pounding heart, palpitations or accelerated heart rate.

• chest pain or tightness in the chest.

• Sweating.

• Hot or cold flushes.

• Shortness of breath or a smothering sensation.

• Nausea, vomiting or diarrhoea.

What to expect in a hypnotherapy session:

• l will evaluate the severity and impact of the phobia using a combination of techniques

to support you to resolve the phobic issue.

• A reduction in the phobic response happens by changing the subconscious pattern.

• Working together through hypnosis we create new preferred patterns and responses,

allowing for a change in your behaviour and feelings.

Case Study: Fear of deep water

• I worked with a 51-year-old person struggling with a lifelong fear of deep water.

• This stemmed from when she was a young child.

• Her Mother created fear in her while trying to keep her safe in the water, by stopping

her from going out too deep.

• As an adult she loves swimming, but due to her phobia/fear, she strugglings to swim in

deeper water.

• Her symptoms were hyperventilating, dread and feeling nauseous.

• ln hypnotherapy, we acknowledged that her Mother meant no harm and was only

keeping her safe as a child.

• ln hypnotherapy, we changed old limiting belief patterns and negative thought patterns.

• I used positive suggestions, affirmations and visualisations to instil a positive mindset.

Her hypnotherapy sessions produced positive results. Below is her review:

"I approached Annette to see if she could help me with my fear of deep water even though I was

a bit of a sceptic.

I had childhood trauma and was unable to go post my depth without hyperventilating or

feeling nauseous.

After my first session, I decided to go to the lake to see if I could swim out to the buoy (still with

of a bit of scepticism in me).

It was incredible. I not only managed to swim out to the buoy without fear, hyperventilating or

feeling sick, I also stayed out there for a while enjoying my newfound freedom.

Annette's hypnotherapy provided me with the tools and support to achieve o lifelong goal.

I am eternally grateful and thoroughly recommend her".

Shireen