Phobias are described as unnecessary fears of life situations, objects or places. They affect individuals differently depending on the person and the reactions they exhibit. Excessive fears are signs of phobias that can adversely affect quality of life, resulting in mental disorders and stress. Other people exhibit adverse reactions that lead to depression, anxiety, panic attacks, insomnia, and mood affective disorders. Some of the causes of phobias include stress, traumatic experiences, genetic factors, and family issues. Psychoanalytic arguments assert that phobias start from early childhood incidences that remain in one’s subconscious mind for long. This condition can be ameliorated through various treatment techniques aimed at reducing the symptoms. These include psychotherapy and pharmacology. Hypnotherapy is an example of a psychotherapeutic intervention that can be used to provide faster and effective solution to the problem.
Researchers have tried to examine the efficacy of hypnotherapy in reducing the symptom of phobias. In a study conducted by Auna (2020) individuals with phobias were taken through different sessions of hypnotherapy and examined thereafter to determine if their symptoms reduced. The therapy was conducted by professionals with experience in administering hypnotherapy. It was determined that hypnotherapy helped reduce phobia symptoms and brought about relaxation, happiness and comfort. The researchers argue that hypnosis reduces phobia by decreasing brain waves to theta and produces signals that activates the brain’s positive emotional response. Hypnotherapy also helps in reducing heart rate, blood pressure and respiratory rate. The individual then enters into a relaxation state in which the phobia symptoms are relived.
In another study by Iglesias & Iglesias (2018), an eight year old girl with dog phobia was treated with hypnosis to reduce her symptoms. In the first phase of treatment, the patient was taken through a session of ‘driftwood hypnosis’, a kind of hypnotherapy that uses suggestions that produce a ‘woody’ sensation in the lower body. In phase 2, the patient was gradually exposed to the dog in a kernel at varying distances. These exposures were repeated to ensure that the patient could tolerate each distance of exposure. The researchers determined that the hypnotic approach combined with in-vivo desensitization was effective in managing phobic reactions. The girl showed little to no phobic reactions after the treatment.
These studies show that hypnosis is an effective alternative therapy that can be used to reduce the symptoms of phobias. Hypnosis is a quick, easy and cheap treatment method that can produce permanent treatment effects. The treatment method targets the subconscious mind to re-educate it to elicit the desired effects in an individual’s behavior. The therapy can be used to help patients explore the situations they fear in a controlled environment, thereby helping them reduce anxiety, improve their coping mechanisms, gain control of the situation, and overcome their inner conflict and forget the past traumatic experiences.
References
Auna, M. S. S. (2020). Effect of Hypnotherapist in Reducing Phobia Symptoms. International Journal of Nursing and Midwifery Science, 4(1), 30-40.
Iglesias, A., & Iglesias, A. (2018). Driftwood Hypnosis: Hypnotic-Mediated in-vivo Desensitization for Paediatric Dog Phobia. Contemporary Hypnosis & Integrative Therapy, 33(1).
Melvin S. Marsh is a certified hypnotherapist serving Atlanta GA, Augusta GA, Statesboro GA, and Savannah GA. He performs hypnotherapy appointments both in person and worldwide virtually. He can be reached at www.afterhourshypnotherapy.com .
Melvin S. Marsh is a certified hypnotherapist serving Atlanta GA, Augusta GA, Statesboro GA, and Savannah GA. He performs hypnotherapy appointments both in person and worldwide virtually. He can be reached at www.afterhourshypnotherapy.com .
