HYPNOSIS FOR FEARS, PHOBIAS AND ANXIETY

     The past week in my area of Northern Virginia has been really interesting.  Last Tuesday we had a 5.8 earthquake which has been followed by several aftershocks.  Two of these were in the 4.5 range.  This may cause many people on the west coast to be amused at our shock and drama.  But earthquakes are not usually a part of our lives.  Because of the earthquake, there was a rockslide on a major traffic artery that upset thousands of commuters.  Mid-week storms came in from the west causing tornado watches and warnings.  Then over the weekend Hurricane Irene came ashore in North Carolina and swept up the east coast.  This morning the announcer on the radio said 25 people have been killed by Irene.

    The reason I mentioned all this drama is because of the number of calls I have had from people who are terrified.  Fear is a natural human emotion.  Sometimes fear is triggered by specific things which most people would consider dangerous or threatening.  In these cases fear may just be the next step up from healthy respect.  It is healthy to respect dangerous situations such as tornadoes and earthquakes.  This respect encourages a person to make appropriate responses such as taking shelter.

    When fear is irrational or becomes so debilitating that it is effecting your life, it is time to seek help.  Hypnotherapy is an excellent way to deal with fear. A persistent illogical fear of a thing or specific situation is called a phobia.  Anxiety about social interactions or performances is called social phobia.  Inexplicable terror such as that experienced in panic attacks or chronic fearful distress called generalized anxiety disorder or GAD may also be experienced.  A well-trained hypnotherapist can be very valuable in helping people to deal with their fears.