If you have a phobia, you probably know how tricky they can make everyday life. An irrational fear of something specific, a phobia causes significant stress and anxiety that prompts a person to avoid the thing they fear as much as possible. People with phobias spend a lot of time thinking about the thing they fear, which in turn causes anxiety and in some cases negative health consequences.
Fortunately, hypnosis offers a solution to those with phobias. During hypnosis the body feels relaxed and comfortable, making it easier to handle thoughts about the phobia. Over multiple sessions a hypnotherapist can help you imagine the thing you’re afraid of with increasing specificity while pairing the images with sensations and images of relaxation, eventually teaching your body and mind to respond with calm instead of anxiety.
Hypnosis can also remind you of the previous instances in your life in which you had safe encounters with the source of the phobia: for instance, all the times you saw a spider on the wall but weren’t harmed. The process is often more comfortable than exposure therapy and gives you the confidence to manage or eliminate the phobia.
