By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Thesie_L_Cortez]Thesie L Cortez
Fear is a basic human emotion that serves as a warning for us to be careful and to be alert in the face of danger. Fear motivates us to be prepared to survive dangers or fearful situations and it should not paralyze us. If fear is paralyzing you and making your life miserable, it is not normal. If you are suffering from irrational fears and you are unable to function normally in your daily life, you might be suffering from anxiety disorder. You should find the best ways to stop living in constant fear to improve the quality of your life.
We all get scared from time to time but it is a different situation if you are ruled by irrational fears. Irrational fears are also known as phobias and they come in different forms. Some of the common fears are fear of heights, fear of enclosed places, fear of blood, social phobia, fear of being alone, fear on marketplaces, fear of animals, etc. These specific phobias if not controlled can paralyze and enslave you because their physical and psychological symptoms can cripple you and prevent you from doing the things that you should be doing in your everyday life. Imagine experiencing a sudden unreasonable terror while shopping and your fear is accompanied by trembling, sweating, pounding heartbeat and it feels like you are going crazy and losing control. Living like this can be very depressing.
If your life is ruled by fears, there are things that you can do to free yourself from constant fears. There is help available for you to stop living in constant fear.
Of course it is important to get the proper diagnosis and consult a mental health professional if you are experiencing irrational fears and anxiety disorder. It is easier to stop living in fear if you know what you are dealing with and your doctor can give you the facts and proper diagnosis. Your doctor may recommend the use of anti-anxiety and anti-depressant medications. Drug dependence may become a problem that is why medications are usually prescribed for only days or weeks. In severe cases, sufferers may need to take medications for an extended period of time but it is important to always take medications under the supervision of a mental health doctor to minimize the side effects.
There are treatments and medications available to help you deal with your disorder but to stop living in constant fear, your determination to overcome your fears is the most important thing. It is important to recognize that you have the power to overcome your fears. You are in charge of your life and you have a choice. No one can rescue you from your fears but yourself and your determination to overcome your fears.
Taking small steps to face yours fear and eventually gain confidence to beat your fears is important. As your confidence builds up, you are taking the steps to totally free yourself from your fears. There are exercises and therapies to help you with you disorder and your mental health doctor can help you on this. Psychotherapy like CBT or cognitive behavioral therapy can help you change the way you think and behave on feared situations. There are designed exercises to help you replace your irrational thoughts with rational and positive thoughts. With constant practice and exercise under the supervision of your mental health doctor, you will eventually learn how to face your fears and stop living in constant fear.
The first step maybe hard but it is not impossible to conquer your fears and stop living in constant fear. You can reclaim your life. You just have to take the first step to stop your irrational fear from controlling your life. You are not alone because millions of people are suffering from different types of anxiety disorders. Do you want to learn how other sufferers conquered their fears and anxiety problems? Visit rel=nofollow [http://panicdisorderfreedom.com/]Stop Living in Constant Fear.
Copyright � 2011 Thesie Cortez All Rights Reserved.
Article Source: [http://EzineArticles.com/?Stop-Living-in-Constant-Fear---Get-Rid-of-Your-Anxiety-Disorder&id=6535736] Stop Living in Constant Fear - Get Rid of Your Anxiety Disorder
Wednesday, February 29, 2012
Monday, February 27, 2012
What Can You Do If You've Got A Fear Of Violence?
By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Trevor_Johnson]Trevor Johnson
This article doesn't deal with domestic violence - that can be a very real fear and if you're unfortunate enough to be in that situation, you should seek professional help. What I'll deal with hear is a general fear of violence - whether that's on television or the news or anywhere else that affects you. Dealt with properly you can reduce or even overcome your fear of violence and reduce the amount that it affects your life.
Remember the news wants to shock you
Bad news sells, good news doesn't. So the newspapers, television and (increasingly) internet news channels will major on bad news. And violence is part and parcel of that.
The problem is that this causes you to become more worried than you should be.
The news reports things from elsewhere in the country or the world. Often isolated incidents are literally blown up out all proportion until even the most confident person would be affected.
The simplest way of dealing with this is to cut yourself off from as much news as possible. Become a recluse from the media. The news will happen anyway, whether you follow it or not, in much the same way as the weather happens regardless of if you've read the forecast.
If anything important happens, other people will let you know soon enough. But if you carry out this exercise for even a week you'll be surprised at how little of the bad news about violence (or anything else) is actually important. Most of the time it's a space filler.
The past doesn't always repeat itself
Just because someone was unlucky enough to get mugged in an area the other week doesn't mean that area is now a no-go zone.
Chances are that the very precise circumstances that created the problem are unlikely to happen again.
OK, this might not be the case for certain less than desirable zones in your town or city, where you'd be foolish to walk at night unless you were a member of a specific gang, but those are the exception not the rule. And simply following your common sense can keep you well out of the way of any possible violence.
Learn to chill out more
If certain images of violence don't get on with you, the simple answer is to switch them off or change channel. Don't sit there starting to panic!
Then find a way that will allow you to relax. Because there will be occasions when you're exposed to violence even if you were planning to avoid it. Trailers for shows on television or at the cinema often sneak up on you like that. Closing your eyes and muting the volume at home (or, better yet, using the fast forward button on your TIVO) can help reduce the effect.
But it also helps if you know a way to relax and generally chill out. Deep breathing is a quick and easy way to do this or using a hypnosis track to help reduce your fear of violence is another option to consider.
Get more help to [http://hypnosisabc.com/overcoming-fear-of-violence/]overcome fear of violence and start to [http://hypnosisabc.com/overcoming-fear-of-violence/]reduce your fear of violence.
Article Source: [http://EzineArticles.com/?What-Can-You-Do-If-Youve-Got-A-Fear-Of-Violence?&id=6538329] What Can You Do If You've Got A Fear Of Violence?
This article doesn't deal with domestic violence - that can be a very real fear and if you're unfortunate enough to be in that situation, you should seek professional help. What I'll deal with hear is a general fear of violence - whether that's on television or the news or anywhere else that affects you. Dealt with properly you can reduce or even overcome your fear of violence and reduce the amount that it affects your life.
Remember the news wants to shock you
Bad news sells, good news doesn't. So the newspapers, television and (increasingly) internet news channels will major on bad news. And violence is part and parcel of that.
The problem is that this causes you to become more worried than you should be.
The news reports things from elsewhere in the country or the world. Often isolated incidents are literally blown up out all proportion until even the most confident person would be affected.
The simplest way of dealing with this is to cut yourself off from as much news as possible. Become a recluse from the media. The news will happen anyway, whether you follow it or not, in much the same way as the weather happens regardless of if you've read the forecast.
If anything important happens, other people will let you know soon enough. But if you carry out this exercise for even a week you'll be surprised at how little of the bad news about violence (or anything else) is actually important. Most of the time it's a space filler.
The past doesn't always repeat itself
Just because someone was unlucky enough to get mugged in an area the other week doesn't mean that area is now a no-go zone.
Chances are that the very precise circumstances that created the problem are unlikely to happen again.
OK, this might not be the case for certain less than desirable zones in your town or city, where you'd be foolish to walk at night unless you were a member of a specific gang, but those are the exception not the rule. And simply following your common sense can keep you well out of the way of any possible violence.
Learn to chill out more
If certain images of violence don't get on with you, the simple answer is to switch them off or change channel. Don't sit there starting to panic!
Then find a way that will allow you to relax. Because there will be occasions when you're exposed to violence even if you were planning to avoid it. Trailers for shows on television or at the cinema often sneak up on you like that. Closing your eyes and muting the volume at home (or, better yet, using the fast forward button on your TIVO) can help reduce the effect.
But it also helps if you know a way to relax and generally chill out. Deep breathing is a quick and easy way to do this or using a hypnosis track to help reduce your fear of violence is another option to consider.
Get more help to [http://hypnosisabc.com/overcoming-fear-of-violence/]overcome fear of violence and start to [http://hypnosisabc.com/overcoming-fear-of-violence/]reduce your fear of violence.
Article Source: [http://EzineArticles.com/?What-Can-You-Do-If-Youve-Got-A-Fear-Of-Violence?&id=6538329] What Can You Do If You've Got A Fear Of Violence?
Saturday, February 25, 2012
Can You Deal With a Phobia of Thunderstorms?
By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Trevor_Johnson]Trevor Johnson
Stormy skies, dark clouds, torrents of rain, bolts of lightning and the loud bangs that follow a few seconds later. Some people enjoy these different aspects of thunderstorms. Others want to join the dog cowering under the stairs at the first inkling of a thunderstorm approaching. So is it possible to deal with a phobia of thunderstorms and reduce (or even eliminate) your fear of these powerful forces of nature?
Split the storm up into its component parts
Just as I split the thunder storm up at the start of this article, do the same in your mind.
This may not be as easy as it first sounds, so start with the least worrying part of the storm first. This could well be the rain that accompanies a thunderstorm. Unless you've got a phobia of rain as well, you should be able to relate the water that falls from the sky during normal rainy weather to the heavier rain that's likely falling during a nasty storm.
Then figure out what the next scariest part of the thunderstorm is and try to split that into smaller, more manageable, parts next. If your phobia is fairly mild, there's a good chance that doing this will reduce the fear you experience to a slightly more manageable level.
Do some research
The simple fact that you're reading this article proves that you've survived thunderstorms before now.
Dig out the appropriate Wikipedia page and take a look at the science behind these massive demonstrations of the power of Nature.
This gives your rational mind a bit more ammunition to fight the part of your mind that's gone into the primitive "fight or flight" mode and wants to run away from these events.
Be sensible
Lightning will aim for tall objects. If they've got some metal on them - like a lightning conductor - then its aim is pretty good. If there aren't any suitable ones close enough, a tree is one of its next favorite objects.
What this means is that if you're caught up in the middle of a thunderstorm, you need to ignore the part of you that's saying to take shelter below a tree. Better to get wet than partially fried!
Build up your immunity
Just like we get vaccinations against common diseases, we can innoculate ourselves against thunder storms by facing our fear. Ideally with an understanding friend and possibly with the companionship of a stiff drink as well.
Watch the next few storms that pass your location.
Yes, that means actually staring out of the window of your house or apartment, watching the clouds move past, noticing the momentary flickers of lightning as they make their path from the depths of the thunder clouds down to earth. And, of course, listening for the loud noise of thunder that inevitably follows the flash.
Go back to your childhood and count the number of miles away the lightning is by counting away the seconds. If nothing else, this will distract you slightly and hopefully it will be a good number of miles between you and the heart of the storm as well.
Get more help to [http://hypnosisabc.com/how-to-overcome-your-fear-of-thunderstorms/]deal with fear of thunderstorms with this easy to use, effective, [http://hypnosisabc.com/how-to-overcome-your-fear-of-thunderstorms/]hypnosis download for fear of thunderstorms.
Article Source: [http://EzineArticles.com/?Can-You-Deal-With-a-Phobia-of-Thunderstorms?&id=6539395] Can You Deal With a Phobia of Thunderstorms?
Stormy skies, dark clouds, torrents of rain, bolts of lightning and the loud bangs that follow a few seconds later. Some people enjoy these different aspects of thunderstorms. Others want to join the dog cowering under the stairs at the first inkling of a thunderstorm approaching. So is it possible to deal with a phobia of thunderstorms and reduce (or even eliminate) your fear of these powerful forces of nature?
Split the storm up into its component parts
Just as I split the thunder storm up at the start of this article, do the same in your mind.
This may not be as easy as it first sounds, so start with the least worrying part of the storm first. This could well be the rain that accompanies a thunderstorm. Unless you've got a phobia of rain as well, you should be able to relate the water that falls from the sky during normal rainy weather to the heavier rain that's likely falling during a nasty storm.
Then figure out what the next scariest part of the thunderstorm is and try to split that into smaller, more manageable, parts next. If your phobia is fairly mild, there's a good chance that doing this will reduce the fear you experience to a slightly more manageable level.
Do some research
The simple fact that you're reading this article proves that you've survived thunderstorms before now.
Dig out the appropriate Wikipedia page and take a look at the science behind these massive demonstrations of the power of Nature.
This gives your rational mind a bit more ammunition to fight the part of your mind that's gone into the primitive "fight or flight" mode and wants to run away from these events.
Be sensible
Lightning will aim for tall objects. If they've got some metal on them - like a lightning conductor - then its aim is pretty good. If there aren't any suitable ones close enough, a tree is one of its next favorite objects.
What this means is that if you're caught up in the middle of a thunderstorm, you need to ignore the part of you that's saying to take shelter below a tree. Better to get wet than partially fried!
Build up your immunity
Just like we get vaccinations against common diseases, we can innoculate ourselves against thunder storms by facing our fear. Ideally with an understanding friend and possibly with the companionship of a stiff drink as well.
Watch the next few storms that pass your location.
Yes, that means actually staring out of the window of your house or apartment, watching the clouds move past, noticing the momentary flickers of lightning as they make their path from the depths of the thunder clouds down to earth. And, of course, listening for the loud noise of thunder that inevitably follows the flash.
Go back to your childhood and count the number of miles away the lightning is by counting away the seconds. If nothing else, this will distract you slightly and hopefully it will be a good number of miles between you and the heart of the storm as well.
Get more help to [http://hypnosisabc.com/how-to-overcome-your-fear-of-thunderstorms/]deal with fear of thunderstorms with this easy to use, effective, [http://hypnosisabc.com/how-to-overcome-your-fear-of-thunderstorms/]hypnosis download for fear of thunderstorms.
Article Source: [http://EzineArticles.com/?Can-You-Deal-With-a-Phobia-of-Thunderstorms?&id=6539395] Can You Deal With a Phobia of Thunderstorms?
Thursday, February 23, 2012
Phobias, Fears and Confidence Building - A Very Quick Solution
By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Phillip_J_Holt]Phillip J Holt
All of a sudden, my telephone has not stopped ringing from people wanting help with their phobias, fears and confidence building, and I have to be careful how I answer the calls, as these are not unwanted calls I wrote about.
So, today saw me in Central London, working with a client who would not travel on the tube (metro). She also had a fear of escalators.
A phobia is an irrational fear that has got out of hand.
A phobia is a learned reaction to a stimulus or situation that creates an internal response or feeling which is inappropriate to what is happening.
Symptoms can be very varied, from panic attacks, extreme sweating, blushing, fainting, the list goes on.
If something can be learned leading to an irrational phobia or fear, then an alternative better response can be learned, and that better response run to the stimulus or situation.
This learning of a new response can be installed in a very short time, I usually only work with a client once, and for as long it takes for the new response to be installed, two minutes or ten hours.
I do not use an office, I do not have a consulting room with a couch, and I do not usually have clients visit me. I go to my clients, or I meet the client wherever the fear or phobia takes place, a departure lounge of an airport, a swimming pool, open spaces, in a dogs kennel, a hospital or dentists waiting room, wherever is suitable.
I have worked in a swimming pool in Sri Lanka with a lady who I had just met with a fear of spiders, and within minutes we were searching the bushes in the surrounding gardens for spiders.
So there I was in a crowded London street near a London Underground Tube station entrance, surrounded by shoppers, tourists, families and groups of friends unknown to me, with a client who just wanted to be like other people racing about us, getting on with their life.
Unseen by others around us I went to work, we were just two people talking, with me being a little more animated than normal. It was as if we did not exist to people.
After a few minutes, with a smile on her face and happiness in her heart, we entered the tube station, walking down the steps into the ticket hall to buy a ticket, through the barriers to ride the escalator down to the platform.
She tried to get those unwanted feelings of what had been, but they were just not there anymore as we stood waiting for the train along with many more passengers.
We chatted, and watched others not even noticing us, passing through many stations until I got to Waterloo, my stop, when I bid her farewell, never to see her again, as she can now move on in life, do the things she had wanted to do.
Phillip Holt usually travels to the clients own home or office, no matter how far and in any country, and will only see the client once for as long as required.
Phillip Holt, travels to many countries to give talks, training and coaching as a guest of individuals and organisations, and you can follow Phillip on his journal on the web [http://www.nlpnow.com]http://www.nlpnow.com.
Phillip Holt offers a whole range of courses which can be viewed on the web pages. If you run a training company or would like a speaker to your event, then no matter where you are, whichever country you are in, Phillip is waiting for you call or email.
Phillip Holt's work has been published in many magazines and papers and he has written many articles for others. Also Phillip Holt has appeared on TV in a number of countries, and has often been on radio, some recording can be heard over the internet by going to [http://www.c4nlp.com]http://www.c4nlp.com.
Again, Phillip is waiting for your call, now.
Article Source: [http://EzineArticles.com/?Phobias,-Fears-and-Confidence-Building---A-Very-Quick-Solution&id=6534896] Phobias, Fears and Confidence Building - A Very Quick Solution
All of a sudden, my telephone has not stopped ringing from people wanting help with their phobias, fears and confidence building, and I have to be careful how I answer the calls, as these are not unwanted calls I wrote about.
So, today saw me in Central London, working with a client who would not travel on the tube (metro). She also had a fear of escalators.
A phobia is an irrational fear that has got out of hand.
A phobia is a learned reaction to a stimulus or situation that creates an internal response or feeling which is inappropriate to what is happening.
Symptoms can be very varied, from panic attacks, extreme sweating, blushing, fainting, the list goes on.
If something can be learned leading to an irrational phobia or fear, then an alternative better response can be learned, and that better response run to the stimulus or situation.
This learning of a new response can be installed in a very short time, I usually only work with a client once, and for as long it takes for the new response to be installed, two minutes or ten hours.
I do not use an office, I do not have a consulting room with a couch, and I do not usually have clients visit me. I go to my clients, or I meet the client wherever the fear or phobia takes place, a departure lounge of an airport, a swimming pool, open spaces, in a dogs kennel, a hospital or dentists waiting room, wherever is suitable.
I have worked in a swimming pool in Sri Lanka with a lady who I had just met with a fear of spiders, and within minutes we were searching the bushes in the surrounding gardens for spiders.
So there I was in a crowded London street near a London Underground Tube station entrance, surrounded by shoppers, tourists, families and groups of friends unknown to me, with a client who just wanted to be like other people racing about us, getting on with their life.
Unseen by others around us I went to work, we were just two people talking, with me being a little more animated than normal. It was as if we did not exist to people.
After a few minutes, with a smile on her face and happiness in her heart, we entered the tube station, walking down the steps into the ticket hall to buy a ticket, through the barriers to ride the escalator down to the platform.
She tried to get those unwanted feelings of what had been, but they were just not there anymore as we stood waiting for the train along with many more passengers.
We chatted, and watched others not even noticing us, passing through many stations until I got to Waterloo, my stop, when I bid her farewell, never to see her again, as she can now move on in life, do the things she had wanted to do.
Phillip Holt usually travels to the clients own home or office, no matter how far and in any country, and will only see the client once for as long as required.
Phillip Holt, travels to many countries to give talks, training and coaching as a guest of individuals and organisations, and you can follow Phillip on his journal on the web [http://www.nlpnow.com]http://www.nlpnow.com.
Phillip Holt offers a whole range of courses which can be viewed on the web pages. If you run a training company or would like a speaker to your event, then no matter where you are, whichever country you are in, Phillip is waiting for you call or email.
Phillip Holt's work has been published in many magazines and papers and he has written many articles for others. Also Phillip Holt has appeared on TV in a number of countries, and has often been on radio, some recording can be heard over the internet by going to [http://www.c4nlp.com]http://www.c4nlp.com.
Again, Phillip is waiting for your call, now.
Article Source: [http://EzineArticles.com/?Phobias,-Fears-and-Confidence-Building---A-Very-Quick-Solution&id=6534896] Phobias, Fears and Confidence Building - A Very Quick Solution
Tuesday, February 21, 2012
Who's Afraid of the Big, Bad Needle?
By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Stella_E_M_Hutson]Stella E M Hutson
One of the most interesting clients I worked with recently is a man in his thirties who has had an acute phobia of injections from a very early age. We explored the history of his phobia, tracing it back to the incident when he was 6 years.
As a small child, struggling against the injection being administered, he became so distressed at being informed that an operation might be required to remove a broken needle form his leg if he continued to struggle - not surprisingly, he was violently sick and "passed out" with fear! - ideal phobia inducing situation. Instantly the phobia was created - a powerful one off learning experience.
He has been afraid of injections for nearly as long as he can remember and has even had root canal dental work recently completed without anaesthetic such was his fear of needles. He had adapted to his phobia so much that the root canal work without a local anaesthetic was preferable to the injection. His fear of the needle was totally beyond the normal range. Now however he was faced with a problem. He and his wife were seeking IVF and an upcoming blood test that ( a pre requisite for his partner's IVF treatment) had spurred him on to contact me for a hypnotherapy session
This was an extreme phobia of almost 30 years!
However, I firmly believed that if he learned the fear quickly then he could unlearn it just as quickly!
During the therapy session we used a powerful combination of hypnotherapy and NLP to tackle his phobic response and prepare for the upcoming blood test.
I began with an initial consultation of about an hour - essential in order to calibrate each client and give them an opportunity to really tell me what they want help with. He had also left it really late as the blood test was only a week away - I arranged to see him the morning of the test.
I began with progressive relaxation in order to give him a lifeline and enable him to access when ready the distressing context very precisely and safely - he described a particular shape and movement to his feelings of anxiety which seemed to grow and grow. Focusing on this I used that brilliant technique Richard Bandler uses of creative visualisation of the sensation - moving it around and spinning it out of his body - so he knew he would not be troubled by the anxiety. Next we worked on the original event using a mixture of timeline seeing the incident from old eyes and comforting his younger self and then a classic double dissociation fast phobia cure.
Following this he set off for the hospital.
He messaged me 2 hours later, having taken the test. I will let his message speak for itself! Suffice to say, it warmed my heart and reminded me why I choose to do what I do!:
" Hi Stella, just to let you know I'm back from my blood test and it all went very well. Practically no anxiety. Went in, and did it. For the first time ever, no sickness or sweaty palms so thank you very much. I'm sure I can hold this experience in my memory and replace the fear. Thanks again, this is going to have a massive impact on my life."
Stella is a fully qualified and accredited hypnotherapist. Prior to this she had an extensive career in special education and developed a huge range of approaches working with challenging young people. Latterly she worked as an advisory teacher for children with Autism. She is qualified and practices in CBT, NLP and Hypnotherapy. To learn more about her practice and the services she offers visit http://simplychanged.me
Article Source: [http://EzineArticles.com/?Whos-Afraid-of-the-Big,-Bad-Needle?&id=6556365] Who's Afraid of the Big, Bad Needle?
One of the most interesting clients I worked with recently is a man in his thirties who has had an acute phobia of injections from a very early age. We explored the history of his phobia, tracing it back to the incident when he was 6 years.
As a small child, struggling against the injection being administered, he became so distressed at being informed that an operation might be required to remove a broken needle form his leg if he continued to struggle - not surprisingly, he was violently sick and "passed out" with fear! - ideal phobia inducing situation. Instantly the phobia was created - a powerful one off learning experience.
He has been afraid of injections for nearly as long as he can remember and has even had root canal dental work recently completed without anaesthetic such was his fear of needles. He had adapted to his phobia so much that the root canal work without a local anaesthetic was preferable to the injection. His fear of the needle was totally beyond the normal range. Now however he was faced with a problem. He and his wife were seeking IVF and an upcoming blood test that ( a pre requisite for his partner's IVF treatment) had spurred him on to contact me for a hypnotherapy session
This was an extreme phobia of almost 30 years!
However, I firmly believed that if he learned the fear quickly then he could unlearn it just as quickly!
During the therapy session we used a powerful combination of hypnotherapy and NLP to tackle his phobic response and prepare for the upcoming blood test.
I began with an initial consultation of about an hour - essential in order to calibrate each client and give them an opportunity to really tell me what they want help with. He had also left it really late as the blood test was only a week away - I arranged to see him the morning of the test.
I began with progressive relaxation in order to give him a lifeline and enable him to access when ready the distressing context very precisely and safely - he described a particular shape and movement to his feelings of anxiety which seemed to grow and grow. Focusing on this I used that brilliant technique Richard Bandler uses of creative visualisation of the sensation - moving it around and spinning it out of his body - so he knew he would not be troubled by the anxiety. Next we worked on the original event using a mixture of timeline seeing the incident from old eyes and comforting his younger self and then a classic double dissociation fast phobia cure.
Following this he set off for the hospital.
He messaged me 2 hours later, having taken the test. I will let his message speak for itself! Suffice to say, it warmed my heart and reminded me why I choose to do what I do!:
" Hi Stella, just to let you know I'm back from my blood test and it all went very well. Practically no anxiety. Went in, and did it. For the first time ever, no sickness or sweaty palms so thank you very much. I'm sure I can hold this experience in my memory and replace the fear. Thanks again, this is going to have a massive impact on my life."
Stella is a fully qualified and accredited hypnotherapist. Prior to this she had an extensive career in special education and developed a huge range of approaches working with challenging young people. Latterly she worked as an advisory teacher for children with Autism. She is qualified and practices in CBT, NLP and Hypnotherapy. To learn more about her practice and the services she offers visit http://simplychanged.me
Article Source: [http://EzineArticles.com/?Whos-Afraid-of-the-Big,-Bad-Needle?&id=6556365] Who's Afraid of the Big, Bad Needle?
Sunday, February 19, 2012
Telephone Anxiety - Are You Afraid of the Phone?
By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Jennifer_Buah]Jennifer Buah
I don't know what it is, but picking up that phone and calling sends my heart racing. Yesterday, I held the number for the local Chinese place in my hand and I stood over the phone, picked it up, and listened for the dial tone. I slammed it back down.
"What's wrong?" my husband asked, walking into my computer room after hearing that loud noise. I was so frustrated.
"I am scared of calling," I said. "I am afraid they won't help me. I am afraid to talk to another person."
"Do you want me to call?"
"No, I just want to get over these fears of the phone!" was my aggravated reply.
If this scene seems familiar, you may be experiencing some sort of telephone phobia. Telephone phobia (alternate keywords: telephonophobia, telephobia), is considered to be a type of social phobia or social anxiety problem in which one experiences fear or avoidance of using the telephone. The first step to overcoming your fear is to find out the root cause, then work on that. A therapist who specializes in cognitive therapy might help.
Here are some starter questions to consider as you start discovering the root of your fear:
� Are you afraid of confrontation?
� Are you afraid of ridicule?
� Are you afraid of rejection?
� Are you afraid you won't be interesting enough for your friends or business prospects to talk to?
� Are you afraid of what they are thinking of you or doing while you talk?
� Are you afraid you will run out of things to say?
� Are you afraid of miscommunication (of being misunderstood by them or misunderstanding what they say)?
� Are you afraid you won't be able to understand their accent or speech? Or that they won't understand yours?
� Are you afraid you will call at an inconvenient time?
� Are you afraid of silence?
Don't be scared of the phone - be prepared for the phone. Start by thinking, "What is the worst that can happen?" Remember that nobody can hurt you over the phone.
Below are some suggestions to help you confront your fear. Some may work for you and some may not. Experiment, be patient with yourself and keep in mind - the key is to PRACTICE. Make a call of some sort every day or maybe get a job/volunteer in a place where a telephone is involved. But start slowly. Maybe a call to a restaurant to ask them their hours. Or call a library to ask if they have a book. Gradually move your way to more challenging calls.
� Prepare a rough outline & script for the call. Don't write out the call word for word - you will sound scripted and become more nervous if/when you lose your place. Here are some key things to include in your script:
1) An opener - how you will introduce yourself,
2) Ask if this is a good time to talk - if not, don't forge ahead saying this will only take a couple minutes. Ask when a good time would be and get off the phone,
3) Have an outline for what you want to accomplish and stay on target, and
4) Have an exit strategy - how will you end the call.
� Keep a mirror in front of you and watch your face as you speak.
� Remember to smile - it will come through in your voice!
� Be the person who talks the least. Ask questions that can't be answered with a yes/no (questions that start with 'who', 'what', 'where', 'when', 'why', 'which', 'how' or 'if' are good starting points) and then stop talking and let them talk.
� Have a pen and paper with you while you are talking so you can take notes on the key items.
� Don't be in a hurry to hang up. Be the last person to hang up the phone.
� Look at calls as an acting exercise. You can pretend to be someone else if you want - which can sometimes take the pressure off.
� Use a headset or a handheld so you can walk around or occupy your hands.
I'd love to hear your thoughts and other suggestions. I wish you the best and good luck!
Article Source: [http://EzineArticles.com/?Telephone-Anxiety---Are-You-Afraid-of-the-Phone?&id=6543756] Telephone Anxiety - Are You Afraid of the Phone?
I don't know what it is, but picking up that phone and calling sends my heart racing. Yesterday, I held the number for the local Chinese place in my hand and I stood over the phone, picked it up, and listened for the dial tone. I slammed it back down.
"What's wrong?" my husband asked, walking into my computer room after hearing that loud noise. I was so frustrated.
"I am scared of calling," I said. "I am afraid they won't help me. I am afraid to talk to another person."
"Do you want me to call?"
"No, I just want to get over these fears of the phone!" was my aggravated reply.
If this scene seems familiar, you may be experiencing some sort of telephone phobia. Telephone phobia (alternate keywords: telephonophobia, telephobia), is considered to be a type of social phobia or social anxiety problem in which one experiences fear or avoidance of using the telephone. The first step to overcoming your fear is to find out the root cause, then work on that. A therapist who specializes in cognitive therapy might help.
Here are some starter questions to consider as you start discovering the root of your fear:
� Are you afraid of confrontation?
� Are you afraid of ridicule?
� Are you afraid of rejection?
� Are you afraid you won't be interesting enough for your friends or business prospects to talk to?
� Are you afraid of what they are thinking of you or doing while you talk?
� Are you afraid you will run out of things to say?
� Are you afraid of miscommunication (of being misunderstood by them or misunderstanding what they say)?
� Are you afraid you won't be able to understand their accent or speech? Or that they won't understand yours?
� Are you afraid you will call at an inconvenient time?
� Are you afraid of silence?
Don't be scared of the phone - be prepared for the phone. Start by thinking, "What is the worst that can happen?" Remember that nobody can hurt you over the phone.
Below are some suggestions to help you confront your fear. Some may work for you and some may not. Experiment, be patient with yourself and keep in mind - the key is to PRACTICE. Make a call of some sort every day or maybe get a job/volunteer in a place where a telephone is involved. But start slowly. Maybe a call to a restaurant to ask them their hours. Or call a library to ask if they have a book. Gradually move your way to more challenging calls.
� Prepare a rough outline & script for the call. Don't write out the call word for word - you will sound scripted and become more nervous if/when you lose your place. Here are some key things to include in your script:
1) An opener - how you will introduce yourself,
2) Ask if this is a good time to talk - if not, don't forge ahead saying this will only take a couple minutes. Ask when a good time would be and get off the phone,
3) Have an outline for what you want to accomplish and stay on target, and
4) Have an exit strategy - how will you end the call.
� Keep a mirror in front of you and watch your face as you speak.
� Remember to smile - it will come through in your voice!
� Be the person who talks the least. Ask questions that can't be answered with a yes/no (questions that start with 'who', 'what', 'where', 'when', 'why', 'which', 'how' or 'if' are good starting points) and then stop talking and let them talk.
� Have a pen and paper with you while you are talking so you can take notes on the key items.
� Don't be in a hurry to hang up. Be the last person to hang up the phone.
� Look at calls as an acting exercise. You can pretend to be someone else if you want - which can sometimes take the pressure off.
� Use a headset or a handheld so you can walk around or occupy your hands.
I'd love to hear your thoughts and other suggestions. I wish you the best and good luck!
Article Source: [http://EzineArticles.com/?Telephone-Anxiety---Are-You-Afraid-of-the-Phone?&id=6543756] Telephone Anxiety - Are You Afraid of the Phone?
Friday, February 17, 2012
Food Phobias and Fussy Eating: How to Break Out of the Restrictions and Fear of Eating Certain Foods
By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Debbie_S_Williams]Debbie S Williams
Those suffering from food phobias have restricted diets varying in extreme from avoiding meat to only eating a handful of items. However, some food phobics and fussy eaters have a list of food so limited, it seriously affects their health and many have issues adding variety to their main diet.
We all have foods we can't tolerate. Sometimes the taste, texture, origin or look of a food simply puts us off. Yet someone with extreme food phobia feels this way over a large variety of foods leaving precious little to nourish them.
Luckily, this type of eating disorder can be successfully treated. NLP and hypnosis treatments can help sufferers to add more variety and content to the limited range of what they deem, acceptable food.
Nutrition Studies and the Body's Resilience
A controversial study with very interesting findings on diet and nourishment was carried out by Professor Werner Kollath at the University of Rostock. He fed animals a junk-food type diet of processed foodstuffs devoid of virtually all minerals apart from zinc, potassium phosphate and a little thiamine. Up until their thirties they managed on this nutritiously low diet and grew normally. However, a rapid deterioration followed after that.
He also discovered that if the animals were then fed healthy, mainly raw foods, their previous junk-food diet did not have a negative impact on their long-term health, even though nutritionally bereft. The power of a living being to heal and repair itself is immense and beyond comprehension.
Why and How do People Get Food Phobias - Client Case Studies
Many NLP and hypnotherapy practitioner's typical clients are male, sometimes in their late teens, who realise they cannot go out with their friends for meals. Other's are men in their late twenties or early thirties who suddenly become worried about the health implications of not eating well. Often, practitioners wonder if a client's unconscious mind prompts them to do something at this age. Perhaps they realise they must change or, suffer the future implications if they do not eat a balanced diet.
Each food phobic or restricted eater has different reasons for their eating disorder. However, commonly, their problems start in childhood.
Many sufferers have childhood memories involving the decision to shun certain foods for varying reasons such as the taste, texture, smell or look of the food.
Another factor is power. The decision can be a means to exert their will and have a degree of control in their world. Many children will decide on a whim they no longer like tomatoes or peas this week and bananas and pears the next.
Emotional Challenges
One client refused to eat his mother's food to punish her for barring his father from their home. He was angry that Dad was no longer welcome in the house. Their separation was disturbing for him and this was his way of expressing his emotions. By default, his actions bought him attention, quickly learning he could manipulate situations. Looking back, he realised his mother was living in guilt and would compensate through giving him treats.
Forced to Eat Certain Foods
One food phobic's problems started in childhood, as many do. She now won't eat meat because she was forced to as a child. Steak, kidney and liver were the worst. To this day, the sight and smell makes her heave, as does boiling pork. So at six years of age she became a vegetarian. Some of her family owned farms so her decision wasn't well received. However, for her, this helped her decision because she'd made friends with many of the animals so eating them didn't seem right.
Of course, the particular phobic reasons for her vegetarianism pose no problem nutritionally or socially.
Another client would only eat white foods. Chicken, potatoes (no skin!), pasta only or with 'mushroom soup sauce' with the mushrooms strained out, white bread and chips. Any type of crisps were allowed as was chocolate. However, he became addicted consuming around ten bars a day. He had no recollection of when, why or how long he'd been this way.
Treatments
Luckily, in order for those with this type of eating disorder to heal, it is not necessary to know details of how they became this way. The special techniques of NLP and hypnotherapy can help remedy food phobias, often in two to three sessions. Also there are hypnosis recordings which can help overcome the issue in the privacy and comfort of your own home.
Debbie Williams invites you to visit her page where she shares information about how hypnosis can help you to learn to eat more variety and enjoy it http://www.debbiewilliamsassociates.co.uk/overcome_food_phobia.htm also her you tube channel has many helpful videos about hypnosis http://www.youtube.com/user/DebbieWilliamsNLP?feature=mhee
Article Source: [http://EzineArticles.com/?Food-Phobias-and-Fussy-Eating:-How-to-Break-Out-of-the-Restrictions-and-Fear-of-Eating-Certain-Foods&id=6566689] Food Phobias and Fussy Eating: How to Break Out of the Restrictions and Fear of Eating Certain Foods
Those suffering from food phobias have restricted diets varying in extreme from avoiding meat to only eating a handful of items. However, some food phobics and fussy eaters have a list of food so limited, it seriously affects their health and many have issues adding variety to their main diet.
We all have foods we can't tolerate. Sometimes the taste, texture, origin or look of a food simply puts us off. Yet someone with extreme food phobia feels this way over a large variety of foods leaving precious little to nourish them.
Luckily, this type of eating disorder can be successfully treated. NLP and hypnosis treatments can help sufferers to add more variety and content to the limited range of what they deem, acceptable food.
Nutrition Studies and the Body's Resilience
A controversial study with very interesting findings on diet and nourishment was carried out by Professor Werner Kollath at the University of Rostock. He fed animals a junk-food type diet of processed foodstuffs devoid of virtually all minerals apart from zinc, potassium phosphate and a little thiamine. Up until their thirties they managed on this nutritiously low diet and grew normally. However, a rapid deterioration followed after that.
He also discovered that if the animals were then fed healthy, mainly raw foods, their previous junk-food diet did not have a negative impact on their long-term health, even though nutritionally bereft. The power of a living being to heal and repair itself is immense and beyond comprehension.
Why and How do People Get Food Phobias - Client Case Studies
Many NLP and hypnotherapy practitioner's typical clients are male, sometimes in their late teens, who realise they cannot go out with their friends for meals. Other's are men in their late twenties or early thirties who suddenly become worried about the health implications of not eating well. Often, practitioners wonder if a client's unconscious mind prompts them to do something at this age. Perhaps they realise they must change or, suffer the future implications if they do not eat a balanced diet.
Each food phobic or restricted eater has different reasons for their eating disorder. However, commonly, their problems start in childhood.
Many sufferers have childhood memories involving the decision to shun certain foods for varying reasons such as the taste, texture, smell or look of the food.
Another factor is power. The decision can be a means to exert their will and have a degree of control in their world. Many children will decide on a whim they no longer like tomatoes or peas this week and bananas and pears the next.
Emotional Challenges
One client refused to eat his mother's food to punish her for barring his father from their home. He was angry that Dad was no longer welcome in the house. Their separation was disturbing for him and this was his way of expressing his emotions. By default, his actions bought him attention, quickly learning he could manipulate situations. Looking back, he realised his mother was living in guilt and would compensate through giving him treats.
Forced to Eat Certain Foods
One food phobic's problems started in childhood, as many do. She now won't eat meat because she was forced to as a child. Steak, kidney and liver were the worst. To this day, the sight and smell makes her heave, as does boiling pork. So at six years of age she became a vegetarian. Some of her family owned farms so her decision wasn't well received. However, for her, this helped her decision because she'd made friends with many of the animals so eating them didn't seem right.
Of course, the particular phobic reasons for her vegetarianism pose no problem nutritionally or socially.
Another client would only eat white foods. Chicken, potatoes (no skin!), pasta only or with 'mushroom soup sauce' with the mushrooms strained out, white bread and chips. Any type of crisps were allowed as was chocolate. However, he became addicted consuming around ten bars a day. He had no recollection of when, why or how long he'd been this way.
Treatments
Luckily, in order for those with this type of eating disorder to heal, it is not necessary to know details of how they became this way. The special techniques of NLP and hypnotherapy can help remedy food phobias, often in two to three sessions. Also there are hypnosis recordings which can help overcome the issue in the privacy and comfort of your own home.
Debbie Williams invites you to visit her page where she shares information about how hypnosis can help you to learn to eat more variety and enjoy it http://www.debbiewilliamsassociates.co.uk/overcome_food_phobia.htm also her you tube channel has many helpful videos about hypnosis http://www.youtube.com/user/DebbieWilliamsNLP?feature=mhee
Article Source: [http://EzineArticles.com/?Food-Phobias-and-Fussy-Eating:-How-to-Break-Out-of-the-Restrictions-and-Fear-of-Eating-Certain-Foods&id=6566689] Food Phobias and Fussy Eating: How to Break Out of the Restrictions and Fear of Eating Certain Foods
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