Anxiety

Anxieties and fears generally develop from an unknown primary cause through an association with something else. The trigger (which is usually non-threatening itself) is frequently buried in the subconscious and over time an association with the fear or anxiety develops later at a moment of extreme stress or suggestibility. These fears and anxieties tend to develop in adulthood and the person suffering from them can feel vague and unclear about how they stared and are aware that their reactions are irrational.

Many anxieties show a direct link to a drop in blood sugar which can cause physical and emotional symptoms and may include dizziness, weakness, nausea, mood swings, anxiety, shakiness, cravings for sweets and/or a general inability to function normally. The repetitive cycle of blood sugar drops alternating with adrenaline increases (from the fear or anxiety or even simply the body’s effort to balance the blood sugar drop) can create tremendous physical and psychological stress. If these emotional and physical symptoms are associated with any particular event (such as going outside, driving a car, flying, being home alone, etc.), an individual can start to associate those symptoms with that specific event and a vicious cycle ensues.

By understanding the possible relationship of blood sugar levels to the anxiety and balancing those levels with diet can reduce or eliminate many of the physical sensations thus eliminating one major contributing trigger to that phobia, fear or anxiety. Also, if the individual can learn to think of their own adrenalin release as excitement rather than anxiety or nervousness they can remove much of the fear and anxiety associated with the physical sensations of such an adrenalin release.

It is important to remember that we all experience periods of stress and anxiety on a daily basis in one form or another. It is during times of stress that we become hypersuggestible. Unfortunately in a stressful and uncontrolled environment and in this hypersuggestible state, anything and everything that is heard or observed drops much more easily into the subconscious and then becomes much more influential than it normally would. This also occurs when a person is in an altered state of consciousness due to the use of prescription and/or illegal drugs and alcohol. This is what I mean by hypersuggestibility when that term is used.

By reducing hypersuggestibility with the aid of hypnosis and then using suggestions that they will no longer experience the fear or anxiety that has been bothering them will eventually relieve or eliminate the phobia, fear or anxiety.

As more and more doctors and patients are beginning to recognize that mental states and emotional and physical well-being are connected, hypnosis continues to be used more frequently. Fears, phobias and anxieties are one of those areas that lends itself to treatment with hypnosis.

The above is an excerpt from Realize Your Full Potential: An A-Z Guide to Renewing and Reclaiming Your Life by Linda Simmon, C.Ht.