Overcoming phobias with NLP and Hypnotherapy
A phobia is defined as an extreme or irrational fear of or aversion to something. The phobic response is triggered by some kind of stimulus and in many cases can even be brought on just by thinking of that stimulus or trigger. That kind of behaviour can actually be helpful for treating phobias with NLP and Hypnotherapy.
The phobic response is a learned pattern of behaviour that rests in the unconscious mind and so if you are able to create the phobic response with a thought you must also be able to change the response with a change of thought pattern. Helping to overcome phobias with NLP and Hypnotherapy uses this idea. Sometimes the trigger is not physically present but thinking about it can still create genuine and very real responses for the person. That is the leverage for change used in Hypnotherapy and NLP
Phobias can be very debilitating and sometimes seem to defy logic, someone with a phobia may not even know when and how that phobia started and when using Hypnotherapy and NLP to create change in phobias, that is absolutely fine. Knowing the origins of the phobia can be useful, however it is not necessary for change to occur.
How do you know if you have a phobia?
Some of the more usual responses triggered by a phobia include a racing pulse and heart, sometimes with palpitations, short breaths, nausea and other symptoms similar to a panic attack. In other words an adrenaline peak which is induced by a fear reaction to the trigger. It is a phobia and not a panic attack when the response is directly associated with the presence of certain triggers.
It is usually an exaggerated and extreme response to something that would probably be quite ordinary to others. It is a response that defies logic and indeed people with phobias will often have other emotions and thought patterns associated with the phobia such as feeling silly or even ashamed of their responses. This can also make the overall physical and emotional symptoms feel worse.
Panic attacks
Someone suffering from panic attacks will experience them in a more random and generalised way. They can occur at any time and seemingly have no particular reason. Panic attacks are usually as a result of ongoing, prolonged anxiety. However panic attacks and phobias can appear similar and be intertwined with each one feeding the other.
For example if someone experiences anxiety in particular work situations this may develop into a phobia of that situation or it may develop, if the anxiety is unchecked into a more general anxiety disorder with panic attacks. Or sometimes both.
Ultimately there is no hard and fast rule about what is a panic attack and what is a phobia. A conversation with a professional Hypnotherapist will be able to identify the symptoms and what causes them. The therapist of your choice should always be able to deliver to you a personalised session that deals with and makes changes to whatever arises at the time of your session. Sometimes labels are not particularly helpful when seeking deep and lasting change and it is important to cover all aspects of the symptoms and be helped in a flexible and comprehensive way. Often what is discussed and proposed during an initial assessment is not what actually turns out to be the way forward during the session.
NLP and Hypnotherapy for phobias
Phobias generally respond to NLP and Hypnosis combination therapies very well as the pattern of learned behaviour resides in the unconscious mind as well as any associated memories of events connected to the phobia. NLP and Hypnotherapy are primarily aimed at encouraging and directing change at the unconscious level through a combination of skills which gently open the doors of the mind to change and then encouraging that change to become bedded in for everyday life.
NLP and Hypnotherapy are powerful and gentle ways to help overcome phobias.