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I work with clients to eliminate their anxiety, stress, depression, phobias and other anxiety disorders so they can live their life to the full.
Hypnosis allows the client to experience deep levels of relaxation and so, therefore, is extremely effective in reducing levels of stress and anxiety.
In a 2016 study, the brains of approximately 60 people undergoing hypnosis were scanned by scientists. The scans showed changes in the areas of the brain that allowed for greater emotional control and reduced feelings anxiety.
Anxiety is part of normal human experience. We all know what it feels like to be anxious and it can be a beneficial experience as it can help us prepare for something like a test or an interview, or to take more care than we otherwise might. Yet for some people these moments of anxiety aren’t isolated and are rarely like they are for most people. Instead, anxiety is a constant and dominating force that severely disrupts the quality and enjoyment of their lives and goes far beyond mere occasional ‘nervousness’.
Anxiety is an uncomfortable or even unpleasant feeling of worry, unease, apprehension or nervousness, typically about an imminent event or something with an uncertain future. Anxiety is a natural emotional reaction triggered in expectation of a vague or unknown threat.
On a physical level, anxiety is linked to the fight or flight response system and whilst we don’t have the same threats or predators humans had long age, today our worries and concerns can be about money, health, work, relationships or situations. Anxiety disorders are formed when increased fear and anxiety cause our habits and behaviours to be disrupted and the term ‘Anxiety Disorders’ covers a number of anxiety related issues such as:
| Generalised Anxiety Disorder | Panic Disorder | Phobia | Social Anxiety Disorder |
| Obsessive Compulsive Disorder | Post Traumatic Stress Disorder | Separation Anxiety Disorder |
Generalised Anxiety Disorder
Generalised Anxiety Disorder (GAD) is chronic and exaggerated worry and tension, even though nothing seems to provoke it. It means always anticipating disaster, failure and worrying excessively. Sometimes the source of the worry can be hard to pinpoint and simply the thought of getting through the day can provoke anxiety.
Separation Anxiety Disorder
Separation Anxiety Disorder is characterised by high levels of anxiety when separated from a person or a place that provides feelings of security or safety.
Sometimes separation results in panic an it is considered a disorder when the response is excessive or inappropriate.
Social Anxiety Disorder
Social Anxiety Disorder is a type of social phobia characterised by a fear of being negatively judged by others or a fear of public embarrassment due to impulsive actions.
This includes feelings such as stage fright, a fear of intimacy and a fear of humiliation. This disorder can cause some to avoid public situations and human contact to the point that normal life is rendered impossible.
Much more than just shyness, Social Anxiety Disorder can cause intense, overwhelming fear over what may be for many, an everyday activity like shopping or speaking on the telephone. People affected by it may fear doing or saying something they think will be humiliating.
Panic Disorder
Panic Disorder is a type of anxiety characterised by brief or sudden attacks of intense terror and apprehension that leads to shaking, confusion, dizziness, nausea and difficulty breathing.
Panic can be very alarming and the onset is rapid, which is why it is called an ‘attack’. In this state a person will often breathe very quickly or hyperventilate. Remember: one of the ways the body prepares itself for fight or flight is by breathing rapidly so it has a good oxygen supply. Unfortunately, overdo it and it produces even more distressing physical symptoms such as dizziness, tingling beneath the skin, muscle pain(s), ringing in the ears and/or a sense of things not being real.
Phobia
A phobia is an irrational or excessive fear of an object or of a situation and can have a major impact on a person’s life. A phobia is different from Generalised Anxiety Disorder because a phobia has a fear response identified with a specific cause. The fear may be acknowledged as irrational or unnecessary yet the person is still unable to control the anxiety that results.
Fears are common. They become a phobia when the fear is out of proportion – when the fear is inappropriately intense. Fears can also become a problem when they lead to avoidance, which can then spoil a person’s quality of life.
However, it’s important to realise that not all intense fears are inappropriate and some can be healthy. For example, a fear of being burned by fire, fear of aggressive looking dogs, etc. are vital to our survival.
Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) is an anxiety disorder characterised by thoughts or actions that are repetitive, distressing and intrusive. Those that suffer from OCD know that their compulsions are unreasonable or irrational but they serve to alleviate their anxiety. Often the logic of a person suffering with OCD will appear superstitious (such as an insistence in walking in a certain pattern like not stepping on broken paving stones, etc). People suffering with OCD may obsessively clean personal items, or their hands, or constantly check locks, the cooker hob, electricity sockets or light switches.
Many ‘healthy’ people can identify with some of the symptoms of OCD, such as checking the front door, or the car door after they’ve locked it, but this only becomes OCD when such activities consume at least one hour a day, are distressing and interfere with daily life.
Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is anxiety that results from previous trauma such as military combat, rape, hostage situations, serious accidents, acts of terrorism, etc. PTSD often leads to flashbacks and behaviour changes in order to avoid certain stimuli.
PTSD can be experienced immediately after a person experiences a disturbing event, or it can occur weeks, months or even years later.
PTSD can develop in any situation where a person feels extreme fear, horror or helplessness. This can be the result of war, natural disasters and physical threats to oneself (or others that we are emotionally attached to), and human made disasters. However, PTSD doesn’t usually develop after situations that are upsetting (such as diverse, job loss or failing exams).