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FEARS AND PHOBIAS

 

A phobia is a persistent, intense and irrational fear of a specific thing or situation that compels you to avoid it, despite the awareness and reassurance that it is not dangerous.

 

People can develop phobias about virtually anything and most phobias develop in childhood, however they can also develop in adults. If you have a phobia, you probably recognise that your fear is unreasonable, yet you still can’t control your feelings. Just even thinking about the feared object or situation may make you anxious and when you’re actually exposed to the thing you fear, the terror is automatic and overwhelming.

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Understanding your phobia is the first step to overcoming it. It’s important to know that phobias are common. Having a phobia doesn’t mean you’re a crazy person! It also helps to know that phobias are highly treatable. You can overcome your anxiety and fear, no matter how out of control it feels.

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The main difference between a fear and a phobia is that fear is a normal reaction and is in fact one of our defence mechanisms and is helpful in dangerous situations. It serves the purpose of protection, activating the automatic “fight-or-flight” response. Our bodies and minds automatically become alert and ready for action so we are able to respond quickly and protect ourselves. There are some things we should fear, so we can flee or avoid the situation. For example, it is normal to feel fear with a real threat. If someone is pointing a gun at you, it is logical to feel fear. The stimulus doesn’t have to be that drastic, either.  If we truly sense danger, fear is normal.

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With phobias the threat is exaggerated, for example, it is natural to be afraid of a teeth baring Doberman dog whereas it is irrational to be absolutely terrified of a friendly poodle on a leash.

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From personal experience I know how debilitating a phobia can be and by using hypnotherapy and NLP I would consider it an honour to assist you overcome your issue so you can live the life you want and not be afraid or anxious anymore.

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