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Fear, Phobias and Panic attacks


A phobia is a persistent, irrational fear of and desire to avoid a particular object or situation. A phobia is a learned response.

Common phobias include claustrophobia (fear of enclosed spaces), agoraphobia (fear of open spaces) and acrophobia (fear of heights).Phobias may exist in the lives of people who may be otherwise reasonably well adjusted. Sufferers often recognize their fear to be unrealistic, but still feel unable to confront them.

People with Phobias can experience a fear so intense and debilitating that it begins to affect the way they live their lives. Confronted with the phobic situation they experience the symptoms of a Panic Attack such as sweating, trembling, feeling faint, and may even feel as though they are dying. The results are very often feelings of a loss of self-worth and increased frustration.

Anxiety and Panic attacks are often the body’s way to send an urgent signal that something in your life needs addressing. As with phobias, the causes may be conscious or subconscious.

Since the attack is unpredictable, the sufferer often begins to fear the fear.

For example, if your first attack occurs during a short vacation trip, you might start avoiding vacations. This can eventually lead you to stay more and more at home, afraid to venture out in case you have an attack.

A panic attack is treatable and not to be ridiculed. It is a shattering experience for those who experience them. Unless you have felt the terror it can create, it is very difficult to understand. During a full-blown panic attack, one truly feels death is imminent, that insanity is setting in.

The use of hypnosis and NLP (neurolinguistic programming) techniques offer very good results. Your therapist will work to remove your phobia by detaching the stimulus (trigger object) from the emotional response and 'updating' the brain with a new, more realistic response.

Contact Maeva if you have any questions or want to make an appointment.