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What Accessible Phobia Treatment Options Are There?
By Mark Bowden | Advice
Traumas and phobias can seriously limit one’s quality of life. Because of your fear, you’ve been avoiding leaving the house and experiencing anything new or exciting. The symptoms of phobias can often be managed without professional help by simply avoiding the thing that causes the person distress.
That said, there are phobias that you need to overcome since they are difficult to avoid – fear of flying is one example. You may choose to seek professional guidance and counsel in this situation to learn about available treatment options. However, there are more accessible treatment options too that can allow you to treat yourself without much hassle.
In this article, we’ll talk about two accessible ways you can deal with your phobia.
This mental illness manifests itself in an abnormal and often debilitating fear of specific situations, places, objects, or animals. Most people gradually develop irrational phobias throughout their lives, to the point where they’d rather have a partner kill a spider than do it themselves, or where they’ll avoid roller coasters because of the dizzying heights. However, a phobia develops when a person’s daily activities become centered on avoiding the source of the fear.
It’s not unusual to suffer from a phobia: Approximately 12.5% of U.S. adults have a phobia at some point in their lives, according to the National Institute of Mental Health.
Common phobias include worry about the following things:
Causes of anxiety disorders include environmental stresses, difficult life circumstances, and biological and psychological predispositions. The exact origins of phobias remain a mystery to researchers. Recent research suggests a nuanced interplay between genetic, environmental, familial, or developmental factors. Medication and talk therapy are the two most common methods for addressing phobias.
You may want to think about therapy if your phobia is preventing you from living your life normally, causing you to avoid certain situations, or causing you to experience physical symptoms.
Fortunately, phobias are often treatable through psychotherapy. However, few actually take advantage of them because it can be intimidating to seek assistance from a stranger or leave the house. If this describes you, read on for information on easily accessible phobia treatment methods to help you deal with your fears.
It is possible to induce a hypnotic state through a process known as self-hypnosis, which involves the use of specific methods. When trying to achieve specific goals, it can be helpful to do so while in a deeply relaxed state. Some studies have shown that self-hypnosis can help people get to sleep and feel less pain, but more studies are needed to confirm these findings.
Your subconscious may resurrect those memories whenever you repeat an action that resulted in a negative emotion or behavior in the past.
How Does Self-Hypnosis Work
During hypnotherapy, the narrator communicates with the patient’s subconscious mind, where limiting beliefs, fears, and phobias can be replaced with more positive ones.
Control is not lost during self-hypnosis. As a matter of fact, it has the opposite effect. Hypnotherapy’s potential benefits include facilitating introspection into the origins of a person’s concerns and symptoms and adopting healthier mental practices. Your complete and total command is guaranteed.
In most cases, self-hypnosis can be an effective tool for breaking the cycle of phobic behavior. A tearful emotional reaction is a good thing to happen as a result. Abreactions under hypnosis are often a sign that suppressed emotions are being released.
Don’t be alarmed if you find yourself crying during or after using the technique; this is a common sign that something has changed, and you are on the path to conquering your phobia.
Audio files for self-hypnosis are widely available for download online or within dedicated apps. Self-hypnosis can have a profound effect on your life, and you can listen to these recordings right at home. To tap into the potential of your mind, this is one of the best and simplest methods.
The first thing to consider when beginning a meditation practice is whether you prefer a guided or unguided approach. If convenience is a priority, you may want to try out a guided meditation with a teacher or via audio or video.
How Does Guided Meditation Work
Before starting what could be a lifelong journey, it’s wise to get clear on the end goal of our meditation practice. Students of traditional meditation are first instructed on how to view the mind’s contents and how to best approach the various exercises. They are then instructed in the art of meditation to increase their skill. The next step is integration, or figuring out how to apply your newfound serenity and clarity from meditation in practical ways.
A narrator in a guided meditation will typically discuss the inner workings of the mind and how it is likely to react while the meditator is attempting to achieve mental stillness. The narrator could also provide guidance on how to meditate. The instructor may then go over some practical applications of the concepts covered.
Apps on your smartphone or tablet can help you meditate with a teacher through audio or video.
Other accessible phobia treatment options include:
Computerised CBT
The use of online self-help programmes like computerised cognitive behavioural therapy for treating anxiety disorders like panic disorder and phobias has been shown to be effective. The program focuses on cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), which emphasises the identification and modification of unhelpful patterns of thought and action.
Visualisation
One way to calm nerves is to visualise yourself handling a stressful situation during deep breathing.
Relaxation techniques
Physical activities can help you slow down and breathe more steadily.
Self-help groups
A great opportunity to connect with people who understand your struggles and learn from their stories.
When dealing with a phobia of any kind, exposure therapy should be tried first. However, attempting this without a psychologist’s help or oversight is risky. Medication prescribed by a doctor is not the only treatment option, either. Thus, self-hypnosis and meditation can be tried as a means of readily accessible phobia treatment.
Self-hypnosis and guided meditation are available via digital download in the form of either an app or an mp3. Using these pre-recorded sessions, putting these methods into practice is as simple as following the instructions. There is no need to put off getting started on these treatments any longer. Find a good resource, and do it now.
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