What are Fears and Phobias?
Fears and Phobias are so common place that almost everybody has something that they feel “funny” about, you know is a bit irrational, but nevertheless, find it causes you a problem. It could be that you have a fear of Spiders, perhaps you “need” to sleep with the light on, or perhaps you dread having to make a best man’s speech or presentation of some kind.
On the whole, people generally manage to deal with these “minor” issues and they tend not to be too damaging to a person’s life.
There are, however, many people who also find that their fear of phobia plays havoc with their lives preventing them from getting on with things, or perhaps “forcing” them to miss some great opportunity in life. For example, many people feel a bit “uncomfortable” about flying in a plane, but nevertheless, still fly and enjoy the benefits of whatever lies at the end of the plane journey, but for those who have developed a more “severe” phobia of flying they may be so phobic that they never take a foreign holiday, or turn down a promotion because it might entail inter-continental travel.
People suffering from severe Agoraphobia may never leave their homes becoming socially withdrawn and fearful.
So in all cases, it is important to recognise that Fears and Phobias may be mild or severe and that no two people suffer fears and phobias in the same way.
The most common Fears and Phobias that I am consulted for are:
- Emetophobia – Fear of Being Sick
- Fear of Flying – Aviophobia
- Fear of Being Judged – Social Anxiety
- Fear of Public Speaking – Glossophobia
- Fear of Dentists – Ondontophobia
- Fear of Needles – Aichmophobia
In fact, the list of Fears and Phobias is without end as people can actually have fears or phobias about ANYTHING. (There is a Phobia of Phobias called “Phobophobia”).
Why are there so many Fears and Phobias?
That’s a good question! From our point of view (as Psychologists and Therapists) we recognise that the object or experience that produces the phobic response is almost always a “substitute” for some other fear or worry that we “carry” around with us. In other words we are not actually frightened of the thing itself, but having something definitive for us to “label” as the thing that causes the fear helps us to make sense of the “hidden” fear within us.
For example, people who have a Fear of Flying are, in 98% of the cases, actually afraid of being “out of control”. It’s just a lot easier to call it “Fear of Flying” than to face the fact that you have a “control” issue in your life!
So, if you regard fears and phobias from this point of view, it is relatively easy to see how almost any object or experience could feel “phobic”.
Please do not misunderstand what we are saying here, the “fear” and “anxiety” that you experience when confronted with your “phobia trigger” is REAL, it’s just that the cause of it is something else.
How can Hypnotherapy help with Fears and Phobias
There are a number of ways in which I can help you to overcome your fears and phobias, but the choice of “treatment” is largely determined by the severity of your symptoms and whether or not you have “other things” going on in your life that might be contributing to your current state.
Therapy for Fears & Phobias
The choice of therapy to help your Fears & Phobias is going to depend on just how much the problem is affecting your day-to-day life, and also how long you have been suffering from the problem.
Ruth Watson is able to offer three principle techniques for helping you to resolve your issues:
Clinical Hypnosis for Fears & Phobia
If your Fear or Phobia is “relatively” minor and only affects you now and again, then you may have found that you have been able to tolerate the feelings that you have experienced. In these circumstances I would normally recommend just one or two sessions of Clinical Hypnosis (Suggestion Therapy) as this particular technique has an excellent track record in these cases.
Cognitive Processing and Integration Therapy for Fears & Phobias
If your particular Fears or Phobias are more significant and they are having a seriously disruptive effect on your life, then you may wish to consider a technique such as Cognitive Processing & Integration Therapy. This type of therapy can help you to re-process any past situation that may have become “blocked” in your mind leading to a more permanent resolution. Normally CPI takes place over a number of sessions.
The Mindfulness and More Programme for Fears and Phobias
The very latest, and perhaps most effective way to deal with Fears and Phobias is to follow a course of the Mindfulness and More Programme. This Mind Therapy technique helps you to really understand how your “beliefs” have contributed to the way that you feel and in doing so, teaches you how to take control of your thinking and really change the way you “see the world.” This approach utilises a research-backed applied course of Psychology combined with Mindfulness and has been producing excellent results.
Ruth offers both group sessions and one-to-one sessions for this programme.