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7 Effective Ways To Manage Your Fears & Phobias
By Mark Bowden | Advice
The world we live in is full of uncertainties and fearing these uncertainties is perfectly natural. Everyone has, at some point, been plagued by a little bit of fear, however, when we allow this feeling to overwhelm us, the consequences can be far-reaching and profound.
Mild fears become intense phobias when they are not put in check, and this can make you less willing to take bold steps. You become less productive, your social life gets affected, and you slowly turn yourself into a lonely island.
A phobia is simply described as an irrational fear. This is because the things we actually fear pose little or no threat to us in the first place. Some phobias can be relatively understandable, like the fear of flying, while others are bewildering, like the fear of spoons! However, when you realise you have a fear or phobia, how do you ensure that it goes away?
In this article, we will take a look at the various ways to manage your fears and phobias to regain your freedom.
To effectively manage your fears and phobias, it is vital to understand when they’re about to set in. This will enable you to take action as soon as you notice the signs. That way, you can more easily contain them and prevent escalation.
These symptoms can be broken into physical and emotional symptoms. Let’s look at them below.
Fear exists to keep you safe. It’s not inherently good or bad but becomes what we decide to make of it. That said, fear is naturally conservative and will invariably air on the side of caution, so it’s important to understand that if something can be feared, there is a good chance it will be.
The key, however, is to stop running away from your fears. Face them. Slowly try to understand why you are afraid, find how you can use the knowledge to your advantage. Indeed, this is not something you can do in a day or two. It takes patience and practice, but with time, you will get to understand your fears, and you will see your symptoms becoming less severe.
Proper breathing exercise comes handy every time your phobias kick in. The aim is to ensure you become calm as soon as possible. Usually, when your phobias start to roll in, you begin to feel the physical symptoms—racing heart, dizziness, trembling, etc. A simple breathing exercise will quickly deescalate the situation, eliminating the symptoms as soon as they come.
Phobias are all about negativity. They tell you all the things that would go wrong, and you literally see vivid images of disaster playing through your imaginations.
Here’s what you should do: Call yourself back from your thoughts of gloom and doom. Tell yourself that your fears are being overestimated. Allow a little bit of positivity, no matter how hard it seems. Of course, this doesn’t work in a snap of the finger. It will take a little time, but it will definitely pay off.
Exercise is a great way to ease tension and empty our mind of the nagging thoughts of negativity. This works by stimulating the release of endorphins—chemicals responsible for relaxation and stress relief.
With constant exercise, your body system begins to develop a high tolerance for stress, and this translates to improved ability to withstand phobias and eventually conquer them.
While this seems basic, it is among the most important things you should pay attention to. Avoid excessive alcoholic beverages. This is because alcohol alters levels of serotonin and neurotransmitters, making it easier for stress hormones to be triggered.
Caffeine, processed food, fries, and high-fat dairy products are also not right for you if you’re combating phobias. It is not easy to avoid them completely, but tuning down the intake is a great idea. On the flip side, fruits and vegetables are great for you.
Support groups comprise a number of individuals who are passing through similar situations. If you can find a support group in your locality, you will have an edge in your quest to conquer your phobias. With support groups, you share experiences and ideas among yourselves, and this can help you face your fears better.
Hypnosis has established itself as a very effective way of treating several physical and psychological conditions. Clinical hypnosis, also known as hypnotherapy, works by slowly recalibrating how your brain reacts to certain stimuli. Its effect can be taken advantage of in curing phobias. In fact, hypnosis is a destroyer of phobias.
In recent times, hypnotherapy for phobias has become even more affordable and accessible with the introduction of self-hypnosis. Self-hypnosis is simply the process of hypnotising yourself with the help of an expert, who will be administering guidance remotely using audio tracks, texts, visuals, etc. Hypnosis for phobias works by altering your brain’s eagerness to release cortisol—a.k.a stress hormone—every time you face the object of your phobias.
Indeed, fear is a part of human nature, and the ability to control it is a strength that cannot be underrated. With fear and phobias wreaking havoc in our modern world, it is crucial that we learn to manage them.
Fortunately, there are several techniques which anyone can use to ensure they break free from the shackles of their fears. We have highlighted the extremely effective ones, some of which you may not have known about.
We hope that with patience and consistency, you will begin to see the very needed results.
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