Dan’s Blog

Working with Grovemere for Mental Health Week

by Dan Regan | May 12, 2024 | Hypnotherapy Hypnosis and NLP

Working with Grovemere for Mental Health Week

This Mental Health Awareness Week I’m delighted to be working with Grovemere Property Services, based at Lancaster Way in Ely. Mental Health Awareness Week takes place from 13th to 19th May (I talked about it here: Mental Health Awareness Week).

Grovemere and I have joined together this year to help raise awareness of mental health in the workplace. I’ll be running drop in mental health sessions for those on the Lancaster Way Business Estate on Wednesday 15th May. Anyone who would like a confidential chat can contact me to book in for a chat.

More and more people are struggling with their mental health and, in particular, issues such as anxiety, stress, depression and worry.

These issues, and the uncomfortable thoughts and feelings that come with them, can impact upon all aspects of your life. We all know that your mental health and sense of well-being can impact upon your performance and focus at work, as well as upon other aspects of your life.

I’m delighted to be working with Grovemere this Mental Health Week to help anyone on site to help you start the journey towards feeling better in yourself. If you are based on Lancaster Way, you can book in and come along and have a free and confidential chat about any aspects of your thoughts, feelings and behaviours that you may be currently struggling with.

Mental Health Awareness Week

by Dan Regan | May 11, 2024 | Hypnotherapy Hypnosis and NLP

Mental Health Awareness Week

Mental Health Awareness Week 2024 takes place from 13th to 19th May. The theme this year is about movement and moving more for your mental health.

There is a mass of evidence about the benefits of exercise to support your mental health. Exercise and movement can help with reducing anxiety, depression and stress symptoms. It can also support boosting your mental health and well-being to help you stay feeling good. Moving helps support both your mental health and your physical health.

Movement and exercise have long formed part of how I manage my own thoughts and feelings. From running on my own I get to set and accomplish goals, think about everything or think about nothing and to enjoy the sights of nature (and time in nature is also good for your mental health). And from bootcamps there is the opportunity to mix with others, to do the exercises I probably wouldn’t do if left to my own devices and often there is no time to think about anything except what I am doing in the moment.

I also love biking to and from work. It sets me up nicely for the day and creates a positive separation from after work and before I arrive home.

If you are struggling with anxiety, stress or lowness then moving can help you to feel better. Whether its a walk, run or something else, moving can help release tension and restless feelings and switch your mental focus outside of your own head (rather than the spiral of overthinking within it).

When out running I get to see all sorts of wonderful views and sights in nature, such as in this recent image:

Emetophobia and Fear of Vomiting – Hypnotherapy in Ely and Newmarket

by Dan Regan | Apr 30, 2024 | Anxiety Stress and Panic Attacks, Phobias and Fears

Emetophobia and Fear of Vomiting – Hypnotherapy in Ely and Newmarket

Emetophobia and the fear of vomiting are a much more common anxiety issue than many people realise. Only recently I was talking to an anxiety client who mentioned in passing that she also has a fear of being sick. It’s one of those irrational fears that rarely gets talked about and can be hidden quite well and so many sufferers feel pretty alone with their worry.

Emetophobia is a fear of vomiting or of seeing other people being sick. Although it can be hidden quite well by avoidance, the anxious thoughts and feelings can creep into all sorts of situations, can dominate your planning before you do anything and can have a limiting impact upon your life. As with most anxiety and fear, you fear being out of control in a situation whether either you or someone else is, or could be, sick. Yet, in trying to control for the possibility of it happening, you actually feel less and less in control.

You may worry that you will be sick and so you pay attention to every physical sensation you have, especially in your stomach or throat. Many people with emetophobia that I work with may not have actually been sick for a long time. As a result, they can become convinced that every physical sensation is a sign that this is the time it is going to happen, that this time is different and that you are going to vomit. Of course, that anxiety causes more physical sensations and so your anxiety and fear spiral upwards higher and higher.

Some people with a fear of vomiting are only worried about being sick themselves. For many, there is also the fear of seeing others being sick (which could bring the increased risk that you will also then be sick). You may avoid some situations around others, or activities you associate with an increased risk of people being unwell. You may even struggle watching if an actor on TV is sick. Certain sounds, such as coughing or burping, may place you on edge. And if you know someone has been unwell then you probably try to avoid them, even if they are now better again. Rather than being supportive and empathetic, if someone says they feel sick then your first instinct is to get away.

Being sick or around someone being sick is an unpleasant experience. Most people get through it, forget about it and move on if it happens. With emetophobia, the fear and anxiety lurks and influences your decisions before you do anything. You can be on high alert in public places. And if something was to happen, it already feels like it would be the worst possible thing that could ever happen to you.

Pets and Anxiety: National Pet Month

by Dan Regan | Apr 29, 2024 | Anxiety Stress and Panic Attacks

Pets and Anxiety: National Pet Month

It’s National Pet Month and an opportunity to celebrate responsible pet ownership as well as the many benefits of having a pet as your companion. To be honest I didn’t actually know it was national pet month until I had an email trying to sell me pet insurance to cover my dog or cat (I don’t have a dog or a cat). Yet having a pet is something I have covered before because of the potential mental health benefits that come with having a little companion in your life.

We have two lovely rabbits at home and with the weather improving it’s my favourite time with them. Now that the weather is generally drier, we can let the two of them run out and about all around our garden. They eat the grass, sniff everything, hide behind plant pots and generally just seem to have a lovely time. During the fun times, the rabbits belong to all of us in the house and then as soon as they need clearing out they become my daughters responsibility! It is lovely thought to see them munching and running their way around the garden for hours at a time.

As well as the general enjoyment of pet ownership, pets can have a positive impact upon your mental health and sense of well-being too. With regard to pets and anxiety, your pet can bring you companionship and a focus outside your own thinking. Being responsible for your pet means you have to keep busy and get stuff done (such as exercise, cleaning, feeding, checking, sharing time and so on). The connection and emotional bond you have with your pet can help you to manages aspects of your anxiety and can support your mental health.

Exam Stress Hypnosis in Ely and Newmarket

by Dan Regan | Apr 23, 2024 | Anxiety Stress and Panic Attacks

Exam Stress Hypnosis in Ely and Newmarket

Exam season is upon us and that means revision and focus. It can also mean exam stress and anxiety.

I can well remember the revision season back when I was at school and university. Day one of revision was drawing up a nicely coloured timetable to make sure everything would get covered. Then, armed with my very pretty timetable, it was head down and going everything all over again. The first wave was always reading, making sure I understood the content and getting my notes written up. These notes were then what I would religiously review, learn and memorise the day before the exam. I would go over and over them, covering them up and testing myself, until I could almost recite the information word for word.

With all the information going through my head and feeling a bit stressed, I would always struggle to sleep the night before. There were just so many bits of information going around and around my head when I closed my eyes and tried to sleep. On the morning of the exam I would usually avoid talking about it with others, especially that person who is always there before an exam who claims to have done no revision (which seems plain daft, particularly as you could normally see they had a bag full of revision notes with them). Then it was into the exam room, take my seat and then block out everything else until that moment where we were allowed to turn over the exam paper and begin. I would do my best to leave all the information into my exam answers and then to leave and forget all about it. It was then onto the next exam subject and repeat.

The period around your exams can be intense and stressful. I’ve been watching my daughter as she prepares for her GCSE exams this year. It’s all perhaps a little harder now with so much information only accessible online and so many other distractions waiting for you every time you look at the screen. All I had to distract me around exam time was my ZX Spectrum or watching something on one of the four available channels on television. I’ve been very proud of the way my daughter has been applying herself to her revision. As an added bonus she is doing catering so I got to enjoy a freshly made scone with home made blueberry jam yesterday as she did a run through for her practical exam.

We all know that a little bit of exam stress can be helpful. It gives you motivation and focus to revise and then perform to your best in the exam room. However, too much stress and your ability to function gets compromised. You can feel restless, tense, agitated and on edge. You can struggle to eat and sleep. And you may struggle to think clearly, focus on what you need to and to remember what you have learnt. It can diminish the success of your revision and can leave you anxious and unable to perform in the exam room.

However, there is a solution that can support you with doing your best in the exam room. Exam stress hypnosis can help you to manage your thoughts and feelings so that you can capably revise and learn before putting into practice in your exam so that you perform calmly and confidently on the day.

What Triggers A Panic Attack?

by Dan Regan | Apr 21, 2024 | Anxiety Stress and Panic Attacks

What Triggers A Panic Attack?

The wave of fear races through you. You feel cold and hot at the same time. You’re frozen to the spot yet also have a restless urge to move. Your heart pounds in your chest and you can feel it beating in your ears. You breathe faster and faster yet still feel like you can’t breathe or get enough air. Your mind races, you can’t think straight, you may feel sick and you feel desperate. If it’s your first panic attack you probably have no idea what is going on and you might well call for an ambulance thinking it’s a heart attack or stroke.

If you’ve ever had a panic attack then you very likely remember it. You may be able to very vividly go back to that time in your mind and certain details will stick out clearly. It may be what you saw, what you heard, the feeling of panic or even a smell that was there at the time. The fear, discomfort and anxiety can loom large in your mind. Some people can recall panic attack details clearly yet don’t have any of the old feeling when they think back. For others, just thinking back on it is like going back in time and experiencing again some of the fear and panic.

I can vividly recall the panic attacks that I used to experience. The wave of panic and cold fear, the frantic feelings and struggle to function normally. There were times I was in tears as the panic took hold and I struggled to even leave the house.

Having experienced a panic attack you can then live in fear and dread of another one happening. It can lead to an ongoing sense of anxiety and worry that can filter into other aspects of your life. You feel anxious that you may have a panic attack, you struggle when one happens and then you feel drained and exhausted afterwards.

Having experienced one panic attack, you may get others that seem to come out of nowhere. This just adds to the uncertainty and fear as you can never be sure what might happen and when. So what triggers a panic attack?

Business Awards in Ely – One Month To Go!!

by Dan Regan | Apr 17, 2024 | Hypnotherapy Hypnosis and NLP

Business Awards in Ely – One Month To Go!!

There is just over one month to go until the business awards in Ely are announced at the grand final!

This year I am super excited to have been shortlisted in three categories: Service Excellence, Business Innovation and Business Person of the Year. It’s a massive honour to be shortlisted amongst the best businesses in the area and I can’t wait to celebrate at the final.

As always, I am massively grateful for all of your support. It’s a privilege to be able to help so many people to tackle issues such as anxiety, low self-esteem and panic attacks. And I’m very grateful that you keep recommending me to your friends and family.

I’m also massively grateful that so many of you kindly continue to share your positive reviews that can help and inspire others to take effective action to support their mental health. Your written and video hypnotherapy reviews really do encourage those who may be suffering to take that sometimes difficult first step of reaching out to me for help and support. Thanks so much.

How Long Do Hypnotherapy Results Last?

by Dan Regan | Apr 16, 2024 | Anxiety Stress and Panic Attacks, Hypnotherapy Hypnosis and NLP

How Long Do Hypnotherapy Results Last?

If you are about to enter therapy then you are going to want to know how long do hypnotherapy results last.

You don’t want to just feel better for a bit, although that would be better than constantly struggling with anxiety. You want to feel better and stay feeling better.

When I work with someone to help them overcome their issue, I want them feeling better and able to stay that way. That’s why I always teach you strategies for managing and being in control over your own thoughts and feelings. That way, no matter what challenges may come your way in the future, you can feel equipped to handle, deal and cope with things rather than being thrown from one problem to another. There are many ways that you can learn that will help you to confidently and capably interrupt, dispute, challenge, amend and move on from unwanted thoughts and feelings.

Alongside these strategies, there are also many hypnosis audios, articles and resources that you can call upon as little, or as often, as you desire or need to after your sessions are completed.

Now, of course, none of us has a crystal ball to predict what our future may hold. Sometimes something so unexpected, upsetting, traumatic or anxiety provoking occurs that it knocks things off track again and you need a little more hypnotherapy help. Yet, in the usual course of things, once you are feeling better then that path of being calm, confident and in control continues consistently, habitually and automatically.

If you’ve looked through the hypnotherapy reviews on my website, you’ll have noticed some talk about how they are continuing feeling better quite some time after their hypnotherapy sessions came to end (because they had achieved their goals). Unlike some hypnotherapists, I don’t ask for feedback just right after a positive session when someone feels better in the moment, I ask after a period of time when their day to day life has been running in the usual way. It’s nice to feel positive and relaxed right after your hypnotherapy session but it’s even better to continue feeling positive and confident as you go through your normal daily life.

So, how long do hypnotherapy results last?

Hypnotherapy As A Treatment for Depression

by Dan Regan | Apr 16, 2024 | Anxiety Stress and Panic Attacks

Hypnotherapy As A Treatment for Depression – Hypnotherapy in Ely & Newmarket

In this article I’m talking about hypnotherapy as a treatment for depression. Depression, which is often experienced alongside anxiety, is one of the most common forms of mental health problems.

Recently I wrote about the evidence that supports the positive effect of exercise for helping with depression. A systematic review and network meta analysis of randomised controlled trials found that exercise is an effective treatment for depression, with walking or jogging, yoga, and strength training more effective than other exercises, particularly when intense. Yoga and strength training were well tolerated compared with other treatments. Exercise appeared equally effective for people with and without other issues and with different baseline levels of depression. There’s more on that here: Exercise For Depression

Of course, even thinking about exercising, let alone finding the energy and motivation for it, may seem overwhelming whilst in the grip of depression.

Depression can be debilitating and draining. You feel low, hopeless and unhappy. You may have lost interest in things and have become more and more insular. There can be periods of being tearful, tense or frantic. Your sleeping and eating can be adversely affected. And your mind is dominated with worry, catastrophe, anxiety, how bad you feel and the pointlessness of everything. Even more frustratingly, you may know that things in your life are fine and that you really should be happy. Yet you are not and you may not know why you feel the way you do.

How your depression affects you can vary by person. Some people continue to function and, despite their thoughts and feelings, can continue with some usual activities such as work. For others, it leads to feeling unable to function in their usual way. They can be very sedentary and caught up in all the negative thinking. Some people just want to stay in bed or sleep because they can’t face the outside world and normal day to day life. You may drink or smoke more and eat unhealthily, all of which lower your mood further and can impact upon your health.

You feel low in mood, struggle to find pleasure and interest in things and life is dominated by feelings of worthlessness and worry.

You have hopefully been to see your doctor and you may have been prescribed anti-depressants. This may help a little or a lot. Yet the same depressive thinking patterns and troublesome feelings and emotions continue to lurk unabated.

Huntingdon Ultramarathon Result – Thanks for all your support!

by Dan Regan | Apr 15, 2024 | Hypnotherapy Hypnosis and NLP, Sports Improvement

Huntingdon Ultramarathon Result – Thanks for all your support!

The great Huntingdon Ultramarathon has now been and I’m pleased to say I survived it!

Yesterday I headed over to Huntingdon on a warm Sunday morning and I’m pleased to report that I achieved my goal of nine laps of the course. I completed 29.5 miles in 5 hours and 23 minutes. I’m pretty pleased with that as the last lap was a bit of an ordeal! Huge thanks to my friend, Matt, who came up from Windsor to support me and to hold my water and fruit pastilles.

The event, by Zig Zag racing, was well organised and relaxed and everyone seemed to enjoy the day. Hinchingbrooke Park was a lovely venue, even with the deep, damp mud that lurked throughout the woodland part of the course.

A massive thank you to everyone who sent me good luck messages before the event. And a massive thanks to everyone who sponsored me to help me raise a bit for MacMillan Cancer Support (if you can spare a pound or two there is still time to sponsor me and help this great cause: https://www.justgiving.com/page/dan-regan-huntingdon-challenge – thank so much!).

Here I am before the start, that bit where you have no idea what is in store for you!

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