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