Feeling Frightened and Don't Know What to Do?
Have you ever felt frightened?
So frightened that you feared for your life? Have you had an overwhelming sense
of dread? Your heart pumping seemingly uncontrollably and you struggle to
breathe? You feel sick and sweat profusely? Do you feel detached from reality?
These are some of the symptoms of a panic attack – particularly when these
symptoms occur for seemingly no reason. It can be a very frightening experience
- but for those who have a panic disorder this can be a frequent occurrence.
These feelings can be
overwhelming – sometimes those who experience panic attacks can lose control of
their breathing, thus making the situation worse. The length of a panic attack
depends on the person experiencing one – after all, we are all different. An
attack can be between five and ten minutes or the more prolonged ones can last
up to two hours. Quite often, though,
panic attacks can end as quickly as they begin.
What
causes a panic attack?
There is no definitive answer
to this. In some cases there may be something which triggers one off, for
example a period of stress, a close family bereavement or a situation where one
is in an anxious situation such as a job interview or making a trip to the
hospital either or themselves or a loved one.
However, it is quite often the
case that the reason for the panic attack is unknown – an attack comes from
nowhere. In scenarios such as these, hypnotherapy can help. With the help of a
fully trained and qualified hypnotherapist, hypnotherapy can help bring to the
surface any deep-rooted concerns and worries that may be subconsciously causing
the panic attacks.
Panic
disorder
If you have experienced
frequent panic attacks, for example at least once a month, it is likely you are
experiencing panic disorder. It is estimated that one in ten people experience
panic attacks while one in fifty experience panic disorder. Quite often with
panic disorder there has been an initial sensitising event which triggered the
first attack but subsequent attacks may be random. The Catch-22 element here is
that anxiety about having a panic attack may contribute to this situation.
Panic
attacks can be triggered by feelings of anxiety. Hypnotherapy can teach you to manager this anxiety
through relaxation techniques. By relieving anxiety, this can help reduce the
number of attacks. So what is anxiety?
Well, this can be feeling uncomfortable or uneasy and continually worried about
something. We all feel anxious now and
again but when anxiety becomes a regular feature of your life and begins to
dominate then it becomes a problem.
There is a danger of generalising anxiety; however, there are different
types such as:
Generalised
Anxiety Disorder (GAD) – this is where someone feels anxious not just about one
thing but a wide range of issues.
Post-traumatic
Stress Disorder (PTSD) – this is usually triggered by a traumatic event and can
result in physical and psychological symptoms.
Phobias
– this is where someone is irrationally afraid of an object, animal, place or a
situation. Fear of spiders and other ‘creepy-crawlies’ is quite common but
there are other fears such as a fear of needles, flying and confined spaces.
If you are an
anxious person in general, this can increase your chances of developing panic
attacks.
Hypnotherapy
can help as it can be used to help both panic attacks and anxiety.
Hypnotherapy
has proven to be effective for people who experience anxiety, fear and stress,
and lends itself well to the treatment of panic attacks. This kind of therapy can to help you cope
with specific symptoms using the power of suggestion while helping you overcome
limiting beliefs.
As
a fully qualified hypnotherapist, I would begin the process by meeting you for
an initial consultation. This is where I
can explain to you in more detail about what hypnotherapy can do for you. I
also ask details about you – what helps you relax, your favourite place to go
on holiday, favourite song, hobbies, colour etc – this gives me a chance to
‘paint a picture’ of your personality and what is important to you. The meeting
also gives you the opportunity to ask any questions you may have. This meeting
usually lasts about an hour but I adopt a ‘how long is a piece of string’
approach – the meeting can take as long as you want it to. I certainly wouldn’t
show you the door as soon as the clock hits 60 minutes! After this meeting it
will be down to you whether you wish to proceed.
When
the hypnotherapy sessions begin, I will use the information provided at the
consultation meeting to help to get you in a wholly relaxed state. This will
mean you will be receptive to the power of suggestion. I begin with breathing
exercises to enhance the feeling of relaxation.
You
will not be ‘put to sleep’; you will be fully conscious and in control at all
times. You will be in a trance but this is similar to when you daydream - how
many times has someone said to you ‘hey, you’re away in a dream!’
I
will then offer powerful and long-lasting suggestions to your subconscious mind
with a view to re-training how your subconscious mind acts during times of
anxiety. These suggestions may include you picturing yourself somewhere calm
and safe and free from the everyday stresses of life.
How
many sessions it will take to help you address the panic attacks depends on
you. I should make it clear that I am not a ‘fixer’ but by working together we
can perhaps address the reasons behind the panic attacks and help tackle the
unwanted disorder that affects your life. Depending on the information you give
at the initial consultation meeting, there may also be some lifestyle changes
to be considered.
If you have experienced panic
attacks and would like a holistic approach to help you address this issue,
please contact me today to arrange an initial consultation. You can phone or
text me on 0752 1353 787 or email me at mike.smith@mgs-hypnotherapy-services.co.uk
Mind Generating Success is a
hypnotherapy practice based in the west end of Edinburgh.
Take that important step towards
improving your life!
Mike Smith Hyp CS
Mind Generating
Success
Source: http://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/Panic-disorder
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