CBT HYPNOTHERAPY FOR ANXIETY, STRESS, AND PANIC DISORDERS
Anxiety arises when we overestimate the risk of a situation while underestimating our own ability to cope with it. It is a fear response to a triggering event, such as fear of others’ judgment, fear of a disaster, fear of future predictions and the emotions can range from a slight feeling of stress to panic attacks.
Many people can relate to having feelings of anxiety and stress, but for some, it can become a daily issue that has a big impact on their life.
A situation, or triggering factor, generates unhelpful thoughts that produce unhelpful emotions and lead to unhelpful behaviours - this is the vicious cycle of anxiety. Without treatment, the symptoms of anxiety can intensify gradually and increase to result in a panic disorder.
HOW CBT HYPNOTHERAPY CAN HELP WITH ANXIETY
LEARN TO THINK DIFFERENTLY
It is quite possible to break this vicious circle, through learning:
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to turn these unhelpful thoughts into useful thoughts
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to react in a more appropriate way
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to stay relaxed in a stressful situation
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to take more distance from our thoughts to no longer brood (especially at night!)
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to accept our emotions so we do not have to spend our life fighting them
This cognitive work added to a behavioural work, to adapt your actions, finally break the vicious circle.
CHANGE YOUR BELIEFS WITH CBT HYPNOTHERAPY
This cognitive work can go further and change your deepest beliefs. For example, “I’m not good enough” can create mistaken assumptions like “If I mess up, I’ll get fired”. Victims of anxiety also tend to seek safety by avoiding the thing they are afraid of - which fuels their anxiety!
Hypnotherapy is an important tool in this work, to strengthen the ego, reduce anxiety, learn relaxation, and anchor useful beliefs in the unconscious, to bring real and beneficial change. Hypnotherapy can help you to overcome negative emotions and evaluate events in a non-critical way. It frees the body and mind from the feeling of fear.
An important part of the treatment is systematic desensitization. Hypnosis is very beneficial here to condition the mind and body to cope with situations that would otherwise trigger anxiety.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
If you would like to learn to release feelings of anxiety and stress, get in touch today to discuss how hypnotherapy could help you.
"When I came to see Deborah for my panic attacks, I had tried everything. I was afraid to take a train, get on a plane, go to a shopping mall, get in an elevator, go to a cinema, and more and more I just wanted to stay home and not go out. I was just barely able to go to my job. I was desperate to get my life back. From the very first hypnotherapy session, I felt better, and after the second, I went for a whole week without a single panic attack. After four sessions, I took a flight home for a holiday with no problem!" - Mohamed H
