| More and more frequently in our UK hypno | | | | out a few times, thereby increasing the level |
| psychotherapy practice, we are seeing clients | | | | of carbon dioxide in the blood, and slowing |
| who present with symptoms of extreme anxiety | | | | the breathing down. |
| and panic attacks. These feelings can and do | | | | |
| have a really profound affect on a person's | | | | Above all, it is important to remember that |
| life, often seriously curtailing his or her | | | | you will not die because you experience a |
| ability to function normally in their | | | | panic attack. In fact, it is the fear of fear |
| personal, work or social life | | | | which really drives and magnifies the |
| | | | experience. Just take the time to practise, |
| But what, in fact, is anxiety and what is its | | | | remembering to focus on breathing deeply and |
| relationship to panic? | | | | slowly; learning to relax your muscles |
| | | | systematically, the whole experience will be |
| Well, anxiety itself is simply a symptom that | | | | over and you will be able to pick yourself up |
| is produced in response to a fear. It is | | | | and go on. But there is a far better way to |
| based in the feeling that something bad is | | | | live your life than having to constantly |
| going to happen, and this triggers the flow | | | | manage symptoms. That would be a bit like |
| of the hormone adrenalin in the body, | | | | living with an elephant in your living room - |
| eliciting a 'fight or flight' reaction. | | | | yes, you could perhaps learn to cope with it |
| | | | being there, but how much better it really |
| Because of this, the body produces a number | | | | would be if you simply evicted the elephant. |
| of responses which may include increased | | | | |
| heart rate, sweating, muscular tension, rapid | | | | The truth is that there really is no reason |
| breathing, churning stomach and even nausea. | | | | why you or anyone you care about should |
| | | | continue to suffer from anxiety and panic |
| Anxiety can quite easily turn into feelings | | | | attacks. |
| of panic when the symptoms of anxiety become | | | | |
| so acute that they are allowed to consume the | | | | Now, feelings of anxiety and panic are |
| individual, producing heightened feelings of | | | | initiated at the subconscious level of the |
| loss of control. As symptoms are experienced, | | | | mind -- because the subconscious is the |
| they seem to feed the fear and, in so doing, | | | | powerhouse of all feelings -- and this part |
| they thereby enhance it and - hey presto, | | | | of the mind has latched onto the incorrect |
| panic! | | | | perception that the person is in very real |
| | | | danger. Now, the subconscious mind simply |
| A good example of this is hyperventilation, | | | | cannot tell the difference between a real and |
| or too rapid breathing, that causes us to | | | | an imagined event, and it is reacting as |
| breathe in a shallow manner forcing us to | | | | though the situation and thought that |
| exhale too much carbon dioxide, which in turn | | | | provoked the attack was indeed dangerous. The |
| produces its own symptoms, ranging from pins | | | | anxiety and the feelings of panic are |
| and needles to muscular stiffness, dizziness | | | | actually symptoms of this process. |
| and perhaps even spasm. | | | | |
| | | | Through the medium of transformational |
| It feels like the person is trapped in some | | | | hypnotherapy, we are able to connect directly |
| kind of vicious cycle: fear just creates more | | | | with the subconscious mind and re-programme |
| fear and symptoms create more symptoms | | | | its beliefs in line with reality. Once we |
| leaving the individual with feelings of being | | | | have uncovered the origin of its faulty |
| overwhelmed and trapped in a rapidly | | | | perception, we are empowered to correct and |
| accelerating downward spiral. | | | | neutralise it. The individual is then free to |
| | | | move forward, leaving this difficult and |
| Needless to say, such experiences can be | | | | restricting condition in the past. |
| filled with terror for the individual who is | | | | |
| forced to endure them. | | | | No-one was born to live in a constant state |
| | | | of anxiety and panic. With the correct |
| Perhaps the first thing that needs to be done | | | | treatment, you can put these states behind |
| when actually experiencing a panic attack is | | | | you. You can move on. |
| to slow things down and focus on breathing | | | | |
| calmly. If necessary, a paper bag can be | | | | In short, with effective transformational |
| quickly inflated and held to the nose and | | | | hypnotherapy, you can get your own life back |
| mouth, enabling the person to breathe in and | | | | - and back on track. |