4 Types of Anxiety That Can Be Relieved with Hypnotherapy

For most people, anxiety is a part of any normal life, such as being a bit nervous before an interview. But there are people who suffer chronic anxiety, and it interferes with how they live daily.

Anxiety is not only a behavioural issue; it can be detrimental to your physical health. Symptoms such as headaches, dizziness, and depression can be brought on more frequently by regular release of stress hormones (adrenaline and cortisol) due to long-term anxiety and panic attacks. Long-term exposure to these hormones can be harmful to your long-term physical health; for example, cortisol can contribute to weight gain.

When you suffer from anxiety, you can be at an increased risk of high blood pressure and heart disease as it can cause rapid heart rate, palpitations, and chest pain. It can also affect your excretory and digestive systems by causing stomach aches, nausea, diarrhea, and other issues.

Anxiety can wreak havoc on other functions of your body including the immune and respiratory systems. It can cause other symptoms to arise including headaches, muscle tension, insomnia, depression, and social isolation.

There are many types of anxiety that exist to date, including GAD (generalized anxiety disorder), social anxiety disorder, PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder), OCD (obsessive-compulsive disorder), phobias, and panic disorder. Hypnotherapy can address and relieve all forms of anxiety; it is a natural form of treatment, in that there is no medication involved. However, there are a few extreme types that stand out the most and where I have seen great growth and transformation occur in people’s lives. Here are four of the most common types of anxiety I’ve seen as a hypnotherapist and where my practice can help.

1. Panic Disorder

Panic disorder is characterized by fear and worry, with one of the most noticeable symptoms as experiencing constant and abrupt panic attacks. These attacks are a combination of distressing thoughts and emotions and frightening physical sensations, with no actual threat or danger present.

Hypnotherapy can help with coping these symptoms of panic disorder. It can guide you and bring attention to these symptoms, with techniques to help cope and overcome its limiting behaviours.

An example would be, once the hypnotherapist has the client in the hypnotic state, they may ask them to focus on their panic attacks. They will bring awareness to the physical sensations, emotions, and cognitions associated with these attacks. They will use positive, calming words of encouragement and make suggestions to cope with and alter the feelings.

2. Social Anxiety

Social anxiety, while not well understood by the general population, including some professionals, is a common psychological problem. Those who suffer from social anxiety feel they are being judged and evaluated whenever they are in social and performance situations. They are aware that it is an unwanted, controlling anxiety and fear, and feel that preventing it seems impossible.

Certain traumatic and anxiety-provoking events in people’s lives can have connecting physical and emotional reactions. If you had a traumatic first public speaking experience, further experiences when exposed to public settings and situations may be associated with the first, causing intense anxiety as a result.

With hypnotherapy, you will work with your hypnotherapist on separating your body’s anxiety response from the experience of public speaking or other social situations. Your hypnotherapist will give you coping tools, such as post-hypnotic suggestion that you will be able to relax when you wish to once you leave the session.

3. Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD)

Characterized by uncontrollable obsessive thoughts and compulsive behaviours, OCD is a mental disorder that can seriously take control of people’s lives, robbing them of their happiness, peace of mind, and health.

A known trigger of OCD is anxiety, which becomes a problematic cycle. When your anxiety gets worse, your OCD symptoms get worse too.

Enter hypnosis. You’ll find deep calm and relaxation to help address your negative OCD thoughts and actions. With teaching and practice, one with OCD can teach themselves to relax whenever they feel OCD tendencies coming back.

Through hypnotherapy, you can identify your OCD thoughts and urges indirectly, recognizing the compulsions and obsessions while building your confidence in realizing the OCD is happening in your mind, and you can help with fixing it by avoiding or stopping the associated compulsive behaviour.

4. Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)

Triggered by experiencing or seeing a traumatic event, PTSD is a mental health condition that may include flashbacks, nightmares, and severe anxiety. Those living with PTSD will rethink the event constantly, day in and day out.

Hypnosis may help prevent or reduce detachment after exposure to a traumatic event, reduce anxiety symptoms, and help people connect with memories and feelings associated with their traumatic experience. You will have heightened focus and concentration in a trance-like state when under hypnosis, thus lending to the mental healing process.

Keep in mind, hypnotherapy does not work the same for everyone living with anxiety. Some people are more suggestible than others resulting in a difference in number of sessions required. Make sure if you suspect you may be suffering from any of these anxiety disorders that you are properly diagnosed. Then you can take the proper steps to ensure that hypnotherapy is right for your treatment plan.

Anxiety doesn’t have to control your entire life. If you experience any of these symptoms, hypnotherapy may be well worth your consideration. Call me if you want to transform your life and become anxiety-free.

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