Phobias are irrational fears. They can be of objects (e.g. snakes or mice), experiences (e.g. visiting the dentist, being in an enclosed space), or ideas (fear of the number 13). Famously, former Arsenal striker Dennis Bergkamp had a phobia of flying, refusing to set foot on a plane, and had to travel to away matches in Europe on long road trips that often took several days – how much simpler would his life have been had he managed to conquer this fear?
Phobias
One of the first things we do with phobias is examine the worst case scenario given contact with the phobic object. While this may seem counterintuitive, the idea is to highlight how remote the probability of this occurring actually is. This being the case, we’ll ask the question: what is it that you are you really afraid of? Most people find it is actually the feeling they have when thinking about their phobic object that terrifies them the most. But the good news is this: while anxiety may be unpleasant, it’s not actually dangerous!
Next we examine coping strategies. With most phobics, there is one strategy and one alone: avoidance. They will do anything to avoid being put in the situation where they need to face their fear. If your phobia is something you’re very unlikely to encounter in this country, such as snakes, that tactic may serve you well. If your teeth are falling out but you’re terrified of the dentist, this becomes more of a problem. Because anxiety is at the heart of the matter, I will teach you quick, effective ways to achieve a deep sense of relaxation, relieving the worst of your discomfort.
Hypnosis south london is great for focusing the imagination. We can harness this to mentally rehearse different phobic scenarios, slowly, over the course of several, increasing the level of exposure towards the situations that provoke most discomfort. By doing this, and utilising your new coping strategies, you will begin to gain the confidence to face your fears in real life. And of course, while the idea may scare the bejesus out of you right now, after a few sessions of CBH, you will be ready to do just that.