According to Wikipedia”A phobia is a type of anxiety disorder, usually defined as a persistent fear of an object or situation in which the patient goes to extremes in avoiding it, usually disproportionate to the actual danger it presents, and often recognized as irrational.“.

There are a number of common phobias such as enclosed spaces, heights, driving, flying, insects, snakes, and needles. Having said that, there is a long list of phobias that show us that we can be afraid of almost anything. Phobias most often develop in childhood, but they can also develop later in life.

In general, people with phobias realize that the phobia is irrational, but they cannot control this feeling of fear. Just thinking about the feared object or situation may make a person feel anxious, have a racing heart, feel dizzy, restless, want to cry or feel faint. When exposed to the stimulus that causes the phobia, people feel overwhelmed and have a sense of terror.

The feeling is so awful that one can do everything in their power to avoid it, often bothering themselves or changing their lifestyle. Craig, who suffered from claustrophobia, for example, did not want to travel by plane and could not visit his daughter, who lived in England. He has not seen her for several years and now she is getting married. His phobia was so strong that he couldn’t book a ticket to go see her. “I used to be able to fly. My wife had to stand outside the toilet door in the plane, as I felt so anxious in such a confined space that I couldn’t close the door. This feeling of not wanting to fly worsened and worse, I decided not to fly anymore.” I knew I had to do something about it when my daughter wanted to get married. I decided this phobia wouldn’t ruin my daughter’s wedding day.”

Understanding a phobia is the first step to overcoming it and getting help.

There is a difference between fear in a dangerous situation and fear without actual danger. Fear is a natural reaction that can protect us or hinder us in life. If we are in a dangerous situation, it serves as a protective purpose, as the automatic “fight or flight” response is activated. With our bodies and minds alert and ready for action, we can respond quickly and in a more focused way and have a chance to protect ourselves.

However, in the case of a phobia the threat is greatly exaggerated or even non-existent. For example, it is normal to be afraid of a large, aggressive dog in front of you, but it is not logical to be afraid of a friendly dog ​​on a leash, as might happen if you have a phobia of dogs.

There are different signs to look for when determining if you have a phobia:

Physical signs and symptoms

• difficulty breathing

• fast heart

• Chest pain or tightness

• shivering or shaking

• Sweating or feeling cold

• tingling sensation

• feeling dizzy

Emotional signs and symptoms

• Feeling overwhelmed, anxious or panicked

• need to escape

• Know that feeling is not logic

• Feeling like you are dying

• Feeling out of control and weak

• Feeling “unreal” or detached from yourself

It is important to know that phobias are common and many people suffer from different types of phobias. Having a phobia doesn’t mean you have to live with it for the rest of your life! It is good to know that phobias are highly treatable and clients often only have to attend three to four sessions to overcome their phobia.

Lynn, who had a phobia of holes (trytophobia), explained that she had a phobia of insects as a child and had developed this “new” phobia in recent years. She was unable to look at honeycombs, dried flowers with holes, antweed, or any other things with holes. Many times she was not able to go out into nature or even go to Facebook because she was afraid of encountering an “ugly looking being”. “I thought I would never get over my phobia. It seemed so hard. My heart started racing, I felt faint and just wanted to run away when I saw something with holes in it. I felt ashamed and vulnerable with my reactions because other people couldn’t understand it.”

Lyn and Craig decide to try hypnotherapy. After explaining their feelings and reactions in detail, they were hypnotized and shown their ability to overcome their fears in a gentle way. Hypnotherapy, combined with slow desensitization techniques, helped them quickly and effectively overcome their fears. Each session only required four sessions and was “phobia-free”.

“I was able to fly and see my daughter in the UK. It was amazing to be able to use the toilet on the plane on my own. My wife didn’t have to stand in front of the door once. When we were out we even went on an all-night boat ride where we had to sleep in a room.” Small aboard. I managed everything just fine. I can’t believe I lived with this phobia for so long and didn’t do anything about it,” Craig said in one of his follow-up sessions.

Lynn is thrilled that she isn’t afraid to go out into nature or visit other people because she doesn’t have to fear facing ugly things anymore. “I feel free, stay in control in any given situation and not have to worry about going out or surfing. I learned that one can overcome anxiety or fear, no matter how out of control it feels.”

Remember that phobias are easy to treat. There are a number of different treatments to choose from – so don’t let your phobia control your life! Take the first step and join the many of my clients who are now living happy, controlled and peaceful lives.