It doesn’t matter if it’s an intense fear of spiders, a fear of leaving the house or even situational phobias like flying, driving, lifts, or going to the dentist, fears and phobias can be overcome once you understand them. Here’s how!
Why do phobias happen?
Phobias are connected to early childhood fears. As a very young child, we didn’t have the ability to understand our feelings. If we didn’t have a supportive adult around to explain what was happening and make us feel that everything was okay, then we started to fear these experiences. Phobias get stronger through reinforcement. If we believe spiders are to be feared no matter what and if no one is there to reinforce the idea actually spiders can’t hurt you, then the childhood fear of spiders remain and get stronger over time.
The main core childhood beliefs include-
-Fear of losing control- This fear can be picked up from an overprotective caregiver. Seeing your parent constantly worried about something going wrong can have a lasting effect on the mind. Therefore, one may believe that being fearful all the time and keeping things in control is normal. OCD may arise from this experience.
-Fear of being trapped– For some people, this trapped feeling goes all the way back into the womb. The feeling of being stuck and unable to get out. The fear of the unknown may also arise from this experience. Anxiety about being trapped can be connected to any memory where you felt stuck and couldn’t get out.
–Fear of rejection or shame. Sometimes when parents are too busy and a child reaches out for help and the child’s needs are dismissed, this can lead to a feeling of rejection. The feeling of shame can emerge from this experience as they feel silly for asking. Shame is often connected to years when we were toilet training, and a parent may have unintentionally made you feel bad for wetting your pants instead of making you feel supported and encouraged that you’ll quickly get the hang of it!
–Fear of abandonment. This fear could have come about from being left to cry for too long as a child where the child believes that no one is coming to help them leaving them with an intense feeling of abandonment and feeling alone. This fear can also be stronger with kids who experienced parents going through divorce.
Photo by MART PRODUCTION on Pexels.com
How long does a phobia last?
Phobias can last for a lifetime if they aren’t worked through. Some people accept that the phobia is part of their identity and they are powerless to change it. This simply is not true. With the right support from friends, family and a good therapist, anyone can overcome their fears and phobias.
Can fears and phobias be overcome? YES! With the right therapist, you can conquer your fears!
Photo by Nina Uhlíková on Pexels.com
Will hypnotherapy help phobias?
Hypnotherapy, NLP and EMDR with a passionate and experienced therapist are powerful for helping you change the way you think and feel about fears and phobias. It may not happen in one session, but if you are committed to change and really focus on the benefits of being free from your fears, you will see results in around 4 sessions.
Are you ready to heal your fears and phobias?
Sessions available online and in the clinic on the Gold Coast. Get in touch! or BOOK ONLINE
