Image of happy people jumping for joy
Image of happy people jumping for joy
The Surrey Hypnotherapy Clinic
The Surrey Hypnotherapy Clinic  

Breaking News - Beat the Coronavirus restrictions !
Online Therapy and Consultations in your own home now available - e-mail Peter now for details of our new Online Therapy

Phobic Disorder (Phobias) - Best Help, Advice, Therapy & Treatment...

A Phobia is an irrational, unrealistic or exaggerated fear response to a specific trigger object, activity, or situation that in reality presents little danger.

 

Common phobias include fear of animals (such as dogs, snakes and spiders), fear of flying, and fear of heights. For severe phobias, you might go to extreme lengths to avoid the thing you fear.

 

A phobia is an overwhelming and debilitating fear of an object, place, situation, feeling or animal.

 

Phobias are more pronounced than fears. They develop when a person has an exaggerated or unrealistic sense of danger about a situation or object.

 

If a phobia becomes very severe, a person may organise their life around avoiding the thing that's causing them anxiety. As well as restricting their day-to-day life, it can also cause a lot of distress.

All phobias can limit your daily activities and may cause severe anxiety and depression. Complex phobias, such as agoraphobia, social phobia and emetophobia, are more likely to cause these symptoms.


People with phobias often purposely avoid coming into contact with the thing that causes them fear and anxiety. For example, someone with a fear of spiders (arachnophobia) may not want to touch a spider or even look at a picture of one.


In some cases, a person can develop a phobia where they become fearful of experiencing anxiety itself because it feels so uncomfortable.


You don't have to be in the situation you're fearful of to experience the symptoms of panic. The brain is able to create a reaction to fearsome situations even when you aren't actually in the situation.

Anxiety disorder

A phobia is a type of anxiety disorder. You may not experience any symptoms until you come into contact with the source of your phobia.


However, in some cases, even thinking about the source of a phobia can make a person feel anxious or panicky. This is known as anticipatory anxiety.


Symptoms may include:

  • unsteadiness, dizziness and lightheadedness
  • nausea
  • sweating
  • increased heart rate or palpitations
  • shortness of breath
  • trembling or shaking
  • an upset stomach

If you don't come into contact with the source of your phobia very often, it may not affect your everyday life.

 

However, if you have a complex phobia (see later) such as agoraphobia, social phobia or emetophobia, leading a normal life may be very difficult.

How common are phobias?

Phobias are the most common type of anxiety disorder.


They can affect anyone, regardless of age, sex and social background.

 

Some of the most common phobias include:

  • arachnophobia – fear of spiders
  • claustrophobia – fear of confined spaces
  • agoraphobia – fear of open spaces and public places
  • social phobia – fear of social situations
  • emetophobia - fear of vomiting

Types of phobia

There are a wide variety of objects or situations that someone could develop a phobia about. However, phobias can be divided into two main categories:

  • specific or simple phobias
  • complex phobias

The two categories are discussed below.

Specific or simple phobias

Specific or simple phobias centre around a particular object, animal, situation or activity.

 

They often develop during childhood or adolescence and may become less severe as you get older.


Common examples of simple phobias include:

  • animal phobias – such as dogs, spiders, snakes or rodents
  • environmental phobias – such as heights, deep water and germs
  • situational phobias – such as visiting the dentist or flying
  • bodily phobias – such as blood, vomit or having injections
  • sexual phobias – such as performance anxiety or the fear of getting a sexually transmitted infection 

Complex phobias

Complex phobias tend to be more disabling than simple phobias. They tend to develop during adulthood and are often associated with a deep-rooted fear or anxiety about a particular situation or circumstance.


The three most common complex phobias are:

  • agoraphobia
  • social phobia
  • emetophobia

Agoraphobia

Often thought of as a fear of open spaces, but Agoraphobia is much more complex than this. Someone with agoraphobia will feel anxious about being in a place or situation where escaping may be difficult if they have a panic attack.

 

The anxiety usually results in the person avoiding situations such as:

  • being alone
  • being in crowded places, such as busy restaurants or supermarkets 
  • travelling on public transport

Social phobia

Also known as social anxiety disorder, social phobia centres around feeling anxious in social situations.

 

If you have a social phobia, you might be afraid of speaking in front of people for fear of embarrassing yourself and being humiliated in public.


In severe cases, this can become debilitating and may prevent you from carrying out everyday activities, such as eating out or meeting friends.

Emetophobia

Often thought of as being simply a fear of vomiting, or a fear of being sick, but the effects of emetophobia can be far much more wide ranging and debilitating.

 

Someone with emetophobia will feel anxious about being in a place or situation where someone might be sick, or where escaping may be difficult if they are in the presence of someone who might vomit or who is vomiting. So emetophobia sufferers might well, for example, avoid using late night public transport, for fear of a late night reveller vomiting nearby on either the bus, tube or platform.

 

Similarly emetophobia sufferers may well exhbit excessive cleanliness, and be unusually concerned about picking up a bug, or being ill, for fear that it will lead to them having to vomit.

 

Many people with emetophobia also experience anger, frustration and despair at not being understood, believed or supported – especially about the severity of the feelings of terror and horror. 

 

Other secondary fears that may arise as a result of emetophobia include:

  • fear of eating outside of one’s home, or eating food one has not prepared (in case it may lead to food poisoning which would cause vomiting)
  • nausea, stomach cramps, diarrhea a great deal of the time. (While these symptoms should be checked out, they are usually due to anxiety.)
  • fear of taking any prescription medication that may have nausea or vomiting as a listed side-effect.
  • fear of animals who vomit
  • fear of all children (as they vomit more often, sometimes without warning, and they are more prone to viruses)
  • fear of pregnancy (due to morning sickness, or vomiting at delivery)
  • fear of anesthesia – due to vomiting as a side-effect
  • fear of hospitals and nursing homes
  • fear of traveling (in case they are motion sick, or someone else is)
  • fear of alcohol consumption, or parties where alcohol is consumed
  • fear of amusement parks where people may be sick on rides
  • fear of television and movies (more and more, vomiting is becoming commonplace in the media)
  • fear of psychotherapy (lest it involves exposure therapy they feel they can’t handle)
  • fear of a number of jobs, limiting career choices. (Emetophobics also often have difficulty holding down a job, due to the number of sick days they take.)
  • fear of sick or injured people no matter what they have, as vomiting can be a symptom of every illness.
  • fear of public toilets (as someone may come in there and vomit)
  • fear of others’ coughing, burping, touching their stomachs, looking pale, saying they don’t feel well
  • nightmares – particularly about vomiting, but night terrors are common as well
  • refusal or inability to actually vomit. Most emetophobics do not vomit at all but for exceptional circumstances.

What causes phobias

Phobias don't have a single cause, but there are a number of associated factors. For example:

  • a phobia may be associated with a particular incident or trauma
  • a phobia may be a learned response that a person develops early in life from a parent or sibling (brother or sister)
  • genetics may play a role – there's evidence to suggest that some people are born with a tendency to be more anxious than others

Diagnosing phobias

Phobias aren't usually formally diagnosed. Most people with a phobia are fully aware of the problem - although some might put it down to them 'just being the way they are' - not realising that they really don't have to be that way.

 

A person will sometimes choose to live with a phobia, taking great care to avoid the object or situation they're afraid of. However, if you have a phobia, continually trying to avoid what you're afraid of will make the situation worse.

 

Almost all phobias can be treated successfully.

Help for phobias and fears using Hypnosis, Hypnotherapy, Psychotherapy & Counselling

Hypnosis, Hypnotherapy, Psychotherapy and Counselling can be used in combination to successfully treat fears and phobias.

 

Learn how phobias and fears may be helped using Hypnosis, Hypnotherapy, Psychotherapy & Counselling

 

YOUR NEXT STEP...

 

Either:

 

Contact Peter to make an appointment for a free initial consultation.

 

or

 

Read Peter's website welcome letter.

The Surrey Hypnotherapy Clinic TM

Need an individual consultation?

For professional, caring and confidential help, advice, therapy or treatment for, or about, any of the above issues or topics, or similar, just contact Peter, preferably by e-mail, to arrange an appointment for your free initial consultation.

Articles about fears and phobias

Select here for some additional background Articles about Phobic Disorder (Phobias).

Find out more about the anxiety disorders

Phobic Disorder is one of six major anxiety disorders that have been identified, each with their own distinct symptom profile. You can read more about the other anxiety disorders here:

Directions to The Surrey Hypnotherapy Clinic

Select a town or district place name close to your location to see the route/direction of The Surrey Hypnotherapy Clinic from your selected town or district:

 

Towns & Districts/Boroughs in Surrey:

Addlestone Banstead Camberley Chertsey Dorking Egham

Elmbridge Epsom Ewell Farnham Godalming Guildford Knaphill

Leatherhead Mole Valley Reigate Runnymede Spelthorne

Staines Sunbury Surrey Surrey Heath Tandridge Waverley 

West Byfleet Weybridge Woking

 

Towns & Districts/Boroughs in Hampshire(Hants):

Aldershot East Hants Farnborough Hampshire Hart Rushmoor

 

Towns & Districts/Boroughs in Berkshire(Berks):

Berkshire (Berks) Bracknell Bracknell Forest Maidenhead

Reading Slough Windsor Wokingham 

Best help, advice, therapy & treatment for:

Addictions, Alcohol Abuse, Anger Management, Anorexia, Anxiety DisordersBinge Drinking, Binge Eating, Bulimia, Blushing, Bruxism, Childbirth, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Compulsions, Compulsive Behaviour, Depression, Drug Abuse, Eating Disorders, Emotional Problems (e.g. Anger, Rage, Sadness, Jealousy, Suspicion, Paranoia,Grief, Guilt, Shame, Trauma), Exam Stress, Fear of Flying, Food Addiction, Problem Gambling and Gaming Addiction Disorder, Gastric Band Hypnotherapy, Generalised Anxiety Disorder (GAD), Habits, Insomnia, Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS), Low Self Confidence, Low Self Esteem, Obsessions, OCD (Obsessive Compulsive Disorder), Pain Management, Panic Disorder (Anxiety Attacks or Panic Attacks), Phobic Disorder (Phobias), PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder), Public Speaking, Smoking or Vaping, Relationship Issues, Relaxation, Sadness, Sex Addiction, Sexual Issues, Sleep Disorders, Social Anxiety Disorder (Social Phobia), Sports Performance, Stress, Stuttering, Tinnitus, and Weight Loss

The Surrey Hypnotherapy Clinic serves the Surrey boroughs of Elmbridge, Epsom and Ewell, Guildford, Mole Valley, Reigate and Banstead, Runnymede, Spelthorne, Surrey Heath, Tandridge, Waverley and Woking.

For Hypnosis therapy and Hypnotherapy in Surrey, the Surrey towns of: Addlestone, Aldershot, Bracknell, Byfleet, Camberley, Epsom, Farnborough, Godalming, Guildford, Knaphill, Leatherhead, Runnymede, Staines, Sunbury, Walton, West Byfleet, Weybridge and Woking are all within a short 30 minute drive from Woking Hypnosis Hypnotherapist Peter Back at the Surrey Hypnotherapy Clinic,

 

If you would like to find out more about how Surrey Hypnotherapist Peter Back might be able to help you, or if you are simply looking for the best help, advice, therapy or treatment, from a highly qualified and experienced Psychoanalyst, Psychotherapist, Hypnotherapist or Hypnotist, just contact Peter by e-mail, at the Surrey Hypnotherapy Clinic, Woking, to arrange an appointment to learn more about Hypnosis and Peter's own unique form of specialist, evidence based, Hypnotherapy and Psychotherapy.

Make an Appointment

Situated in a quiet, discreet, setting with easy, and free, parking - you are assured that your consultations will be discreet, private and confidential.

 

All callers are by prior appointment, which is very easy to arrange - just select the button below to e-mail Peter first to arrange a convenient time for your appointment.

Treatments

Therapies that facilitate effortless and transformational change in thoughts, feelings and behaviour mean that a number of problems of psychological or emotional origin can be helped.

 

Select the button below for more information about symptoms and the therapies that may be able help you, or instead just e-mail Peter to arrange a convenient time for a consultation.

For the Best Help, Advice, Therapy & Treatment ...

...Speak to Peter !

Image of Surry Psychoanalyst and Hypnotherapist Peter Back at The Surrey Hypnotherapy Clinic Surrey Psychoanalyst and Hypnotherapist Peter Back at The Surrey Hypnotherapy Clinic

Welcome

Select the button below for a welcome letter from Peter, with more about the Surrey Hypnotherapy clinic, or instead just e-mail Peter to arrange a convenient time for a consultation.

Beat the Coronavirus Restrictions !
Safe Online Therapy and Consultations   available now in your own home
e-mail Peter today for details of
 Online Therapy

The Surrey Hypnotherapy Clinic TM

A Client Talks about his Gambling Addiction Cure Therapy ( more... )

May is Mental Health Awareness Month ( more... )

Prince Harry is an Advocate of Talking Therapies ( more... )

How can The Surrey Hypnotherapy Clinic TM help you ?

In order to visit

Our address is:

The Surrey Hypnotherapy Clinic

Sandcroft
Blackbridge Road

Woking

GU22 0DN

 

Note. All callers by prior appointment.

Guideline directions:

Directions from nearby towns and districts are given here: Directions.

 

Particularly convenient for:

Addlestone, Aldershot, Ashford, Bookham, Bracknell, Bracknell Forest, Brookwood, Caterham, Camberley, Chertsey, Chobham, DorkingEghamElmbridgeEpsom, Ewell, Farnborough, FarnhamGodalming, Guildford, Hampshire, Hart, Horley, Jacobs Well, Knaphill, Leatherhead, London, Ottershaw, Pirbright, Reading, Ripley,  Runnymede, Rushmoor, Sheerwater, Send, SpelthorneStaines, SunburySurrey, Surrey Heath, Sutton Green, Walton, WaverleyWest Byfleet, Weybridge, Woking, Wokingham, Worplesdon

Select the button below for a map, address & e-mail contact form:

Contact info

Please note, if you should 'phone it is quite likely that Peter will be busy with a client and unable to take your call.

 

E-mail tends to be the best way to contact Peter, to arrange or reschedule appointments.

 

However, If urgent, you might be able to reach Peter on the following 'phone number but please be prepared to leave a message... Thank you.

 

Phone:  08707 606765 08707 606765

Select the button below for a map, address & e-mail contact form:

" The measure of success is not whether you have a tough problem to deal with, but whether it's the same problem you had last year."

- John Foster Dulles

" Tell your friends about

The Surrey Hypnotherapy Clinic TM "

 

A member of the Surrey community

 Partner Links:

The Surrey Hypnotherapy Clinic, Home Page, Areas Served, Hypnotherapy Surrey, Guildford Hypnotherapy and CBT PsychotherapyHypnotherapy4GuildfordSurrey West Byfleet Woking Guildford and Surrey Hypnotherapy West Byfleet Woking Guildford and Surrey Hypnotherapy West Byfleet Woking Guildford and Surrey Hypnotherapy blog Pennsylvania PA Hypnotherapy West Byfleet Hypnotherapy Woking Hypnotherapy Online Hypnotherapy Surrey Hypnotherapy Surrey Hypnotherapy Portsmouth Hypnotherapy Surrey Hypnotherapy Clinic Surrey Hypnotherapy Clinic  Farnborough Hypnotherapy Guildford Hypnotherapy West Byfleet Hypnotherapy Woking Hypnotherapy Surrey Hypnotherapy Farnborough Hypnotherapy Guildford Hypnotherapy Penn PA Hypnotherapy West Byfleet Hypnotherapy Woking Hypnotherapy Southampton Hypnotherapy Surrey Hypnotherapy Surrey Hypnotherapy  Surrey Hypnotherapy Surrey Hypnotherapy Hampshire Hypnotherapy  Surrey Hypnotherapy   Poole Hypnotherapy Surrey Hypnotherapy hypno counselling psychotherapy Bournemouth Hypnotherapy counselling hypnotherapy Hypnosis Counselling Psychotherapy - Surrey - Woking - Guildford - West Byfleet PA Hypnosis  Hypno Counselling Therapy for Woking Guildford & West Byfleet Hypno Counselling Therapy for Woking Guildford & West Byfleet Hypno Counselling Therapy for Woking Guildford & West Byfleet Hypno Counselling Therapy in Guildford Woking & West Byfleet Surrey Woking Guildford & West Byfleet Hypno Counselling Therapy in Surrey Surrey Hypnotherapy Surrey Hypnotherapy Surrey Counselling Hypnosis Woking Guildford Surrey Online Therapy Online Counselling Online Hypnotherapy Online Hypnosis London Hypnotherapy Essex Hypnotherapy Sussex Hypnotherapy Online Hypnosis Online Counselling Online Therapy Online Hypnotherapy Online Hypnotherapy Surrey Hypnotherapy Surrey Hypnotherapy Online Hypnotherapy Hypno Counselling The Surrey Hypnotherapy Clinic online surrey hypnotherapy Bucks Hypnotherapy The Surrey Hypnotherapy Clinic HOCD HOCD HOCD

Print | Sitemap
© Peter Back @ Surrey Hypnotherapy & The Surrey Hypnotherapy Clinic