Anxiety &
Panic
Some have called this the “Age of
Anxiety”, and there is considerable justification for doing so. The
demands placed on each person today in order to live effectively are
more numerous and more complex than any other time in the past.
Panic Disorder is a serious condition that around 1
out of every 5 people might experience. It usually appears during
the teens or early adulthood, and while the exact causes are
unclear, there does seem to be a connection with major life
transitions that are potentially stressful: graduating from college,
getting married, having a first child, and so on. Normally it seams
to start with a particular event that scares the subconscious.
The
subconscious has one primary task in life and that is to keep you
safe. If something should scare you (or even embarrass you severely)
the subconscious will seek to avoid the same type (or similar)
situations. This is what we call avoidance techniques. There is also
some evidence for a genetic predisposition; if a family member has
suffered from panic disorder, you have an increased risk of
suffering from it yourself, especially during a time in your life
that is particularly stressful.
You probably recognize this as the classic 'fight or
flight' response that human beings experience when we are in a
situation of danger. But during a panic attack, these symptoms seem
to arise from out of nowhere. They occur in seemingly harmless
situations--they can even happen while you are asleep.
Within hypnotherapy we can teach you to control your
breathing, heart rate and you will be able to relax at will
including at the onset of a panic attack, thus stopping it in its
tracks and reducing the levels of anxiety.
Causes of anxiety and panic
Anxiety and panic are simply processes that we have
learned. As with all learning it is impossible to unlearn (at least
without help). For instance can you unlearn how to ride a bike. It
is the same for your anxiety and panic once you have learned these
processes it is very difficult to unlearn them on your own. This is
where hypnotherapy comes in it is able to access these sub-conscious
processes and help you to unlearn them.
Extreme anxiety and full-fledged
panic attacks can be triggered by single events or a series of
events. They can arise out of one's own experience or from the
experience of others.
In severe cases of anxiety or panic -
those that don't go away - symptoms are readily apparent, while the
true causes remain unknown. There appears to be no particular
incident or condition to cause the panic attacks; therefore, the
cause, hidden from the person in their panic, remains a threat
because it is unresolved. The fear response occurs when there is,
seemingly, nothing to fear; in fact, soon, one's panic is over the
fear of the panic returning.
Some panic attacks are triggered by
seemingly innocuous incidents that symbolize some event or condition
earlier in the person's life.
The Benefits of Hypnotherapy
Hypnotherapy for anxiety and panic attacks is an
extremely powerful tool. We use hypnotherapy to change the thought
processes that lead to anxiety and panic. During the hypnotherapy
processes the client reduces the anxiety levels previously
experienced in a given situation.
Hypnotherapy is effective in helping
people with either mild or severe cases of anxiety. In mild cases,
simple reprogramming can give people relief. In more severe cases,
it is necessary to discover the source of the anxiety before any
reprogramming can be fully effective.
Hypnotic suggestions replace
catastrophic thoughts or over-anxiousness with truthful statements
about the nature of the symptoms and the realization that physical
sensations can cause no harm. Hypnosis can slow the heartbeat,
create a sense of balance and relaxation through deep breathing,
free the throat to swallow, overcome sensations of temperature
changes and stomach upsets, and promote clear-headedness.
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