Phobias and Fears

Blood Phobia and Needle Phobia – Hypnotherapy Ely and Newmarket

by Dan Regan | Jan 18, 2024 | Phobias and Fears

Blood Phobia and Needle Phobia – Hypnotherapy Ely and Newmarket

Blood phobia and needle phobia are two of the main fears that I help people to overcome. And the other day, as I was donating blood again, I was reminded of all the people that I’ve helped over the years to overcome this specific fear, anxiety and phobia.

As with all phobias and fears, if you can avoid anything to do with blood and needles then you very much will. That can mean avoiding anything on TV that is related to it and feeling anxious and uncomfortable if someone mentions the subject. Just the thought of anything to do with blood or needles may be enough to ramp up your anxiety. And with avoidance being the number one strategy for blood phobia and needle phobia, you may have been able to swerve things like blood tests for a a long time. Yet, at some point a need arises for a blood test or injection of some kind and your fear and anxiety quickly escalates.

Before I gave blood for the first time I was very apprehensive. I had no idea then of how easy and straightforward it all is and how, apart from a bit of tiredness afterwards, there are no real impacts. And with your phobia, you may logically know that it’s all a bit harmless and painless yet the overwhelming anxiety, worry and panic still strikes.

No matter how severe your anxiety seems, it is possible to change how your mind perceives blood and injections from something fearful and threatening, to something more calm and comfortable. I’ve helped people at all levels of fear, including those who cancel appointments that they really should attend for their health. There have been those who can’t lift their arm for the nurse to have a blood test. And there have been those who, before hypnotherapy, used to pass out at the sight of blood or a needle.

Your mind works on patterns, habit and repetition and so, once you overcome your phobia, you can calmly and confidently be exposed to anything blood or needle related. You can handle it in the way you would many other straightforward things that you already deal with now with hardly a troublesome thought.

Fear of Spiders – Hypnotherapy in Ely and Newmarket

by Dan Regan | Aug 31, 2023 | Phobias and Fears

Fear of Spiders – Hypnotherapy in Ely and Newmarket

Spider season is now well and truly upon us here in the UK. Barely a day goes past at the moment where I’m not called upon to trap a spider in our house and then release it back out into the garden. And as well as the little house spiders, there have been some whoppers recently with dark, chunky bodies and long, thick legs.

If you have a fear of spiders then this can be one of the most challenging times of the year. During spider season, you’re more likely to encounter the little critters and they may well seem to be more active (I’m told it’s spider mating season so those male spiders are out and about looking for a mate). Sometimes they are just sitting there on the floor or ceiling, and other times you notice that bit of movement out of the corner of your eye and then turn and see one scuttling across the floor towards a dark space.

I’ve worked with many people to help them overcome their fear of spiders. Rather than feeling anxious, having to check everywhere you go, and struggling with panic when you encounter one, you can learn how to calmly and confidently handle, deal and cope with any spiders should you come across one.

Fear of Flying Help and Support – Hypnotherapy in Ely and Newmarket

by Dan Regan | Jul 19, 2023 | Phobias and Fears

Fear of Flying Help and Support – Hypnotherapy in Ely and Newmarket

More and more people are discovering the fear of flying help and support available through hypnotherapy and from my individual, bespoke fear of flying course.

We’ve just completed yet another awesome fear of flying course, and the feedback is that this has certainly helped the person we worked with to take control over their own thoughts and feelings about flying. Our course, which is held at the simulator centre in Mildenhall, is designed to make sure that you come away with the knowledge and information you need about planes and flying. Fear thrives on uncertainty and so knowing what is happening and why on the plane starts to remove the scope for your imagination to make up terrible, unfounded, scenarios.

As well as gaining understanding about flying, you also get a bespoke hypnotherapy session and a whole range of strategies and techniques for taking back control over your own thoughts, feelings and behaviours when you fly. There’s then the chance to have a flight in the Boeing simulator (which uses some amazing technology) and to immerse yourself in the experience of flying.

If you’ve ever had questions about the sights and sounds on the plane, about what turbulence actually is and how it affects the aircraft, and you also want to be able to relax and feel more comfortable on your flight, then our fear of flying help and support may be just what you need.

Injections, Needles and Giving Blood – Anxiety Hypnotherapy in Ely & Newmarket

by Dan Regan | May 24, 2023 | Phobias and Fears

Injections, Needles and Giving Blood – Anxiety Hypnotherapy in Ely & Newmarket

The other day I went to give blood here in Ely for perhaps the fifth or sixth time, and certainly the first time since the pandemic. My Dad was a regular donor of blood and it means a lot to me to follow in his footsteps (although I’m not sure I remember him acting as weak and pathetic as I do after a donation!). It’s also nice to know that for someone somewhere that I will never meet, my blood could make all the difference to them.

Whenever I mention to people that I’ve been to give blood there will undoubtedly be several people who tell me how they couldn’t do that because of their fear around needles and injections, or because of a phobia about blood.

It really does seem to be one of the most prevalent fears and phobias around. And, for the most part, if you are healthy then you may not have much need to go near a needle or injection, or to need something like a blood test. And so, when people come to see me for hypnotherapy to overcome their fear then it is likely that their avoidance strategy has failed because they need something dental or medical done, or because their health now requires regular blood tests or injections.

And, of course, you know logically that there is no need to fear that little needle, or to fear the sight of blood (after all you carry enough of it around inside you), yet the fear and anxiety can take over to the point where you delay things, suffer overwhelming panic, want to run from the room (and just keep running) or you worry you may faint. And if you’ve been anxious, fearful and had unpleasant experiences around blood, needles and injections, then those memories are a lingering reminder of what an ordeal you are facing.

Fears around needles, injections and blood are not uncommon and that pattern of anxiety can certainly be changed. You can learn how to feel calm, comfortable and in control to get done anything you need to get done, and to relax if a need for something like a blood test crops up.

(Note: There is a picture of me at my blood donation with a needle in my arm further down this article. Please scroll carefully if you want to avoid it).

Fear of Flying Help – Hypnotherapy in Ely and Newmarket

by Dan Regan | May 23, 2023 | Phobias and Fears

Fear of Flying Help – Hypnotherapy in Ely and Newmarket

Holiday season is approaching and the number of people seeking help for their fear of flying is rising.

For many people with a fear of flying the pandemic has an unintended consequence. Rather than having to hope flying somewhere wasn’t mentioned or feeling anxious about the possibility of flying, the restrictions probably meant a period of relief where you didn’t have to worry about it. Yet now, it is much more likely that either friends of family, or work, will be talking about booking flights and going away somewhere.

If you have a fear of flying, then no matter how much you love going away or seeing other places, your primary strategy is likely to always be avoidance. You’ll try to suggest other options, find reasons not to fly, look for other methods of travel or you’ll do just about anything else to get out of that thing that is filled with nervousness, dread, fear and anxiety.

Through avoidance you can find temporary relief from your fear of flying, yet the next time there is a possibility you may need to fly, the same old anxiety and fear resurfaces. And if your friends and family or work keep pushing you to commit to going somewhere that involves flying then, sooner or later, the prevarication, excuses and avoidance strategies will probably run out.

Pretty much every person with a fear of flying knows logically that flying is the safest mode of transport and that their fear is irrational. Yet that logic and reasoning can’t prevent all of the anxious feelings and emotions arising and all of the associated thoughts about the plane you will fly on being the one that is certain to fall out of the sky.

Sick of your Emetophobia? Hypnotherapy in Ely and Newmarket

by Dan Regan | May 18, 2023 | Phobias and Fears

Sick of your Emetophobia? Hypnotherapy in Ely and Newmarket

Emetophobia (fear of vomiting) can be a particularly debilitating form of anxiety and fear. After all, in theory there is the possibility that you or someone around you could become unwell and be sick at any moment. That possibility that anyone can vomit, and the uncertainty around what if it happens, drives the anxious thoughts and feelings that can easily start to control your life.

Emetophobia is a fear of vomiting or feeling sick, seeing or being near vomit, or watching someone else be physically sick. With many people I’ve helped with this, even the mention of the words ‘sick’ or ‘vomit’ can be enough to trigger a sense of rising anxiety.

As with all forms of anxiety and fear, avoidance or seeking to try and take control over things, tends to dominate. You may avoid alcohol or being around lots of people drinking as there is an increased possibility of someone being sick. You may struggle with travel, especially with boats, trains and planes where you are trapped and, again, where there is an increased possibility of someone being unwell. And most likely, things like fairground rides or anything that can cause that sick feeling in your stomach will be well off your fun things to do list.

Yet the fear and anxiety goes beyond just the problematic nature of avoiding these situations. Recently I worked with someone who would avoid any foods that they had eaten before a time they were sick before (even if the food wasn’t responsible for the vomiting), and who would also feel anxious if someone around them was eating that food. You may scan people as you go through your day for signs of them potentially being unwell, and you may be anxious if someone coughs of hiccups too much. I’ve also worked with people who struggle to go into certain rooms at home that they associate with them, or someone else, being sick on a previous occasion.

If you know someone has been unwell recently, even if they are now better, you might try and keep your distance from them. If there is a sickness bug going around, you can be on edge and fearful. And if you feel sick or someone close to you says that they feel sick, or in the worst case, you or they actually vomit, it can lead to uncontrollable panic.

Emetophobia limits your life and can lead to a roller coaster or anxious thoughts and emotions that impact upon your well-being, sleep, appetite, social life, relationships and ability to get on and do the things you need or want to do.

Anxiety and Fear in The Swimming Pool – Hypnotherapy in Ely and Newmarket

by Dan Regan | Apr 17, 2023 | Phobias and Fears

Anxiety and Fear in The Swimming Pool – Hypnotherapy in Ely and Newmarket

Helping people overcome their anxiety and fear is one of the main things that I do within my hypnotherapy sessions. Whether it is a general anxiety, panic attacks or a fear of a certain thing or situation (such as a fear of flying, driving anxiety, fear of the dentist or public speaking anxiety), it is very possible to change all of those uncomfortable thoughts and feelings that you have been experiencing.

The number one strategy for dealing with anxiety and fear is always avoidance. You feel better when you can swerve that situation or thing that is currently linked with anxiety and dread and that sends your mind into a racing panic. Yet whilst avoidance usually makes you feel a bit better in the short term, it does nothing to help you to get past that fear or to ease your future anxiety. Your mind perceives there is a threat of some kind and you get all of the negative thoughts, feelings and sensations each and every time you are faced with something similar.

However, in the same way that you at some point developed that pattern of anxiety and those associations of fear, it is possible to change your thoughts, feelings and behaviours to something more comfortable that allows you to do whatever it is you need to, or want to do. In fact, you’ll probably only decide to do something to change how you feel when you either no longer want to feel that way because of how it interferes with things, or because you can no longer avoid it and have to find a way to be able to handle, deal and cope in that situation. That is where hypnotherapy can help you, regardless of whether you actually know what initially caused your fear and anxiety.

Fear of Flying – Hypnotherapy in Ely and Newmarket

by Dan Regan | Sep 29, 2022 | Phobias and Fears

Fear of Flying – Hypnotherapy in Ely and Newmarket

Throughout the summer, I’ve been busy helping people to deal with their fear of flying so that they can head off to their destination while feeling more comfortable and in control.

I’ve also been over to the flight simulator centre in Mildenhall too, to deliver our fear of flying course. It’s always a huge positive to see someone walk through the door anxious and worried at everything flying related, and to leave feeling more calm and confident about flying.

As with all objects of anxiety and fear, your first strategy will always be avoidance. You try to get out of that business trip or to suggest some holiday alternatives and destinations that don’t require setting foot on a plane (or a metal box in which you are trapped and out of control, as you may perceive it). Some people get anxious about any mention of flying or a plane, even if it is about someone else. You might avoid programmes and films which involve a flight because of your anxious associations or because you imagine how bad you would feel if you were on that plane (and about to drop out of the sky to your death!!).

Others will start to feel more anxious once the flight is booked and the date is set in stone in your diary. You may try to pretend to yourself that it isn’t happening and try to ignore it. Yet, as the date approaches and you know you will soon be sitting on that plane for a while, your anxiety starts to escalate and take over (and you may still be wondering if there is some way of getting out of it).

And then there’s the ordeal of the airport, with all the hustle and bustle and planes and people, and the knowing that this it it, you are going on a plane and flying. The panic and discomfort can feel overwhelming. And that’s where learning about flying and how to control your thoughts and feelings becomes really handy indeed.

Help with Fears and Phobias – Hypnotherapy in Ely and Newmarket

by Dan Regan | Aug 23, 2022 | Phobias and Fears

Help with Fears and Phobias – Hypnotherapy in Ely and Newmarket

I’m just back from a week in Wales with the girls. Whilst we hit the end of the recent heatwave while we were there, we also got to enjoy lovely rain! I never thought I could love the cooling Welsh drizzle so much!

On the way to Wales we seemed to hit every traffic jam, busy road and stoppage that you could possibly encounter. Remind me never to travel across the UK on a Friday again! Although we nearly didn’t travel on the Friday because we had it in our heads that we were leaving on the Saturday! Luckily we discovered the correct dates a couple of days beforehand (I’m blaming my wife for the mistake!! Only please don’t tell her that it turns out I had the correct dates written in my diary the whole time had I bothered to check!!).

While we whiled away the time stuck in traffic, my youngest mentioned that she’d recently watched a video that ran through the top one hundred fears and phobias. And what started as a game of how many could I correctly guess, soon turned into a game of how many have I helped people to overcome with hypnotherapy. The answer (unsurprisingly) is a lot! Aside from the most obscure ones (or easily avoidable), I must have helped people to deal with at least seventy five per cent of the fears and phobias listed.

Luckily for us, based on where we were staying, hills, woodland and rivers didn’t appear on the list (or at least not on the list of any one of us!).

Fear of Flying – Another Success Course with the Flight Simulator and Anxiety Hypnotherapy

by Dan Regan | Nov 1, 2021 | Phobias and Fears

Fear of Flying – Another Success Course with the Flight Simulator and Anxiety Hypnotherapy

As with most forms of anxiety and fear, the number one strategy for dealing with it, is to try and avoid it. Avoidance makes you feel better in the short term because of the relief it brings to you from the anxiety and stress reducing. However, it doesn’t solve the problem or make it go away; it just postpones it until the next similar situation.

It’s estimated that up to about 25% of people struggle with flying anxiety to some degree. There can be forms of general flying anxiety from even seeing a plane or talking about flying with others. Most flying phobics have elements of anticipatory flight anxiety where you feel anxious as you think ahead to your flight and you overthink and catastrophise even before you set foot on a plane. And then there’s the flight anxiety itself where you may worry about something bad happening, feel tense and on edge and become very panicky around every sound and movement of the plane (especially that dreaded turbulence!).

But if avoidance has been your main anxiety-coping strategy, what happens when you need to fly? How can you cope with the anxiety, fear and worry that you may start to experience even weeks before your flight? That’s where the fear of flying course comes to your rescue. Based upon sound research, and incorporating elements of psychology, virtual exposure and knowledge and information about anxiety and flying, you can start to feel more calm and relaxed around flying. Rather than feeling out of control on the plane (and perhaps almost wanting to take back control by flying it yourself!), you can learn how to take back control over your own thoughts, feelings, actions and reactions.

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