Phobias

Phobias are the most common anxiety disorders in the UK. A phobia (from the Greek: φόβος, phóbos, meaning "fear" or "morbid fear") is an intense and persistent fear of certain situations, activities, things, animals, or people. The main symptom of this disorder is the excessive and unreasonable desire to avoid the feared stimulus. Phobias are generally caused by an event recorded by the amygdala and hippocampus and labeled as deadly or dangerous; thus whenever a specific situation is approached again the body reacts as if the event were happening repeatedly afterward.

Treatment comes in some way or another as a replacing of the memory and reaction to the previous event perceived as deadly with something more realistic and based more rationally. In reality most phobias are irrational, in the sense that they are thought to be dangerous, but in reality are not threatening to survival in any way. A phobia is an anxiety disorder and are the most common form of anxiety. It is an extreme or irrational fear of: an animal, an object, a place, or a situation. Phobias are more than simple fears. They develop when a person begins to organise their life around avoiding the things they are afraid of.

If you have a phobia, you will have an overwhelming need to avoid all contact with the source of your anxiety. Coming into contact, or even the thought of coming into contact, with the cause of your phobia will make you anxious and may cause you to panic. If the cause of your phobia is an object or animal, such as snakes, and you do not come into contact with it regularly, it is unlikely to affect your day-to-day life. However, if you have a more complex phobia, such as agoraphobia (the fear of open spaces and public places), you may find it very difficult to lead a normal life. There are many different phobias, which can be divided into two main categories: simple phobias and complex phobias. Simple phobias are fears about specific objects, animals, situations or activities. Some common examples include: Dogs, Spiders, Snakes, Enclosed spaces, Dentists, and Flying.

Complex phobias tend to be more disabling than simple phobias because they are often associated with a deep-rooted fear or anxiety about a particular circumstance or situation. Two common examples of complex phobias are: Agoraphobia, and Social phobia. Agoraphobia is a fear of open spaces or public places and can involve anxieties about leaving the home, going into shops or travelling on public transport. It can also involve a fear of being unable to escape immediately to a place of safety, usually the home. Social phobia is a fear of social situations, such as weddings, or performing in social situations, such as public speaking. People with a social phobia have a fear of embarrassing themselves or of being humiliated in public.

Phobias affect different people in different ways. Some people only react with mild anxiety when confronted with the object of their fear, while others experience severe anxiety or have a panic attack. I treat all phobias with Neuro linguistic programming. Using NLP techniques that are pleasant and relaxing, I change the memory you have associated with the fear of the phobia so it feels different. With this technique, we are in turn changing all the submodalities that go with the phobia. In my experience I am able to treat phobias in just 1 session. Sometimes a second session is necessary but not often. You will not have to be exposed to the phobia with this technique and you will feel differently about it. I ask patients to 'test' the phobia after seeing me within a week of seeing me. If you have a phobia that is effecting you or even if you just want to feel differently about a fear you have had for a long time then please contact me and discuss how I can help you. You will be surprised with the results.

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