Hypnotherapy to overcome a phobia?

Charlies_Mummy

Hello all

Has anyone on here ever totally overcome a phobia through hypnotherapy? I have had a vomiting phobia all my life; about 12 years ago I had hypnotherapy for it, which helped greatly and I'm fine when other people vomit and can watch someone vomiting on TV, clear up my childrens' sick etc, no problems.

However, the problem is really still with me being sick, I'm still terrified of it, and really want to try and get over that, too, and I'm thinking perhaps I should have some more hypnotherapy to cure that too. I also am a bit of a hypochondriac really so would like to deal with that if possible.

Has anyone else had hypnotherapy or hypnoanalysis for anything similar? Did it work? How would I go about finding a good hypnotherapist?

Many thanks

belfastgirl23

Not the same thing at all but I had hpnotherapy for fear of flying. I'm not exactly sure whether actually doing something about the fear was in itself enough to help me overcome it or whether the hypnosis worked, but either way I now just feel a little bit apprehensive before flying rather than the full on panic attacks I used to have. I now could consider flying long haul whereas before even a one hour trip to london was enough that I would be anxious for weeks beforehand.

I think it's well worth a try!

I got my recommendation from someone on the NI board here - don't know where you are but it might be worth saying your area and seeing can someone recommend a qualified person for you.

Ellie2758

Have had hypno for two problems but neither is cured. They are not yer normal everyday kinda probs though. I think hypno works well for things like stopping smoking, fear of flying etc so you may well be fine.

Mayflower10cat

My husband was helped greatly by hypnotherapy in conjunction with counselling a few years ago for what seemed almost insurmoutable issues. I think you need to find a practitioner you feel comfortable with, who comes with recommendations from people you trust. And also, I feel you really need to WANT to get better!

KaliMa

Hey all,

I used to have a fear of vomiting, and would do whatever I could to avoid being sick when I felt nauseous. Weridly, it's kind of gone away over the years to the point where I am not fearful of it, but am probably more averse to it than the average person. When I feel nauseous I have to put a cushion or something on my belly, take slow deep breaths, and generally keep myself calm - it usually works. Although by 'works' what I'm probably referring to is reducing panic, rather than stopping myself being sick - I think I might have heightened awareness of nauseous feelings (very typical of a fear) and may not have been sick even if I didn't do these things!

Anyway, having worked in mental health, I think hypnotherapy can be very useful and if it has worked for you before it might be worth another try. However, I've found that actively working on how you think about things (with some sort of cognitive therapy/counselling) is important to coping with things as well and this might be something you need to consider. Whether it's through self-help reading (not sure if there are any decent 'vomit fear' books) or through talking to a therapist. Depending on where you live, your GP or local PCT may provide something at a primary care level without the need for a mental health referral.

Hope you manage to deal with your fear even better than you already are! All the best to you

guineapig

I had private Hypnotherapy for Anxiety attacks/fear of everything ( I am in the Menopause and that's the root of it and I have tried to do the hormone route but it had side effects).

I found it VERY useful BUT it I think it is a work-in-progress and once you have been given the "tools" in the sessions you need to work on it, it's a bit like a muscle, you have to use it or lose it.

That said it was the best £60 I have spent in a very long time:)

There is a good book called "Manage Your Mind" by Gillian Butler and Tony Hope. Not even read it all but it had some useful stuff that I found helpfull.

Good luck, I hope you get sorted.

bandraboy

I had Hypnotherapy to give up smoking. Actually I had hypnotherapy to help me lose weight and then a month later, after losing more than a stone, I went back to give up smoking. And speaking as someone who has given up smoking 10 times before and always put on tons of weiggt, get this, I actually lost weight after a gave up smoking. I just didn't have the desire to binge and snack! Best 200 quid I've ever spent.

This really is mind over matter guys! And if you can't do it all by yourself, then go to someone who understands the mind! Just my two pence worth!

Citygirl1

KaliMa wrote: »

Hey all,

I used to have a fear of vomiting, and would do whatever I could to avoid being sick when I felt nauseous. Weridly, it's kind of gone away over the years to the point where I am not fearful of it, but am probably more averse to it than the average person. When I feel nauseous I have to put a cushion or something on my belly, take slow deep breaths, and generally keep myself calm - it usually works. Although by 'works' what I'm probably referring to is reducing panic, rather than stopping myself being sick - I think I might have heightened awareness of nauseous feelings (very typical of a fear) and may not have been sick even if I didn't do these things!

Anyway, having worked in mental health, I think hypnotherapy can be very useful and if it has worked for you before it might be worth another try. However, I've found that actively working on how you think about things (with some sort of cognitive therapy/counselling) is important to coping with things as well and this might be something you need to consider. Whether it's through self-help reading (not sure if there are any decent 'vomit fear' books) or through talking to a therapist. Depending on where you live, your GP or local PCT may provide something at a primary care level without the need for a mental health referral.

Hope you manage to deal with your fear even better than you already are! All the best to you

Hi there, I am just the same as this. I used to have a terrible phobia of vomiting and its kind of eased over the years but not totally gone away. When I do get nausea or tummy pains/upsets I do panic but I don't spend every waking moment thinking and fearing being sick like I used to do, even when I wasn't feeling sick I worried that I would start to feel that way, it affected my social life, my eating habits, everything and my weight went down and down. The phobia is the same of others being sick though I can just about stomach it when it happens on telly now.

I did try hypnotherapy at the time the phobia was at its worse and it did help but didn't take it away altogether. I think its just a case of finding ways to deal with the nausea and panic. I used to try sipping water, I even started smoking at one stage to try and ease the panic but I wouldn't recommend that to you, I didn't smoke for long anyway. It will ease in time. Have you talked to your doctor about it? I did go for counselling for it through the doctor once and that helped.

Take care.