OCD thoughts can be difficult to deal with at times. There are a vast amount of obsessive compulsive disorder informational sources out there that can provide help.

It’s unfortunate that many of these informational sources are incomplete because they don’t offer the necessary treatment to overcome your OCD.

These sources provide you with different methods to treat the symptoms. The problem with this is that they only provide treatment for the symptoms; they don’t really provide a true cure.

The best way to deal with your OCD is to overcome it altogether and many methods out there don’t provide that answer. Because of this, you need to find a source that will provide you with the necessary solution that does what you need it to do.

When it comes to OCD thoughts and how to overcome them, many people out there have failed to accomplish it. The reason that people find themselves failing this task is often due to being misinformed. You receive information from sources that either aren’t fully informed themselves, or are simply not providing correct information. There are sources out there like that. Not every source is that way though. There are a large amount of sources out there that are actually trying to aid you in getting past your obsessive compulsive disorder. It’s best to choose to seek out information provided by people who have dealt with the symptoms of OCD and have overcome them.

Many will tell you that your OCD thoughts are the result of some sort of condition or illness, something that is hardwired into your mind. This is simply not true. The truth about obsessive compulsive disorder is that it’s a habit and it can be cured. The popular idea for getting treated is the use of medication. This is not the best idea. You are actually better off avoiding medication altogether in most cases because it simply masks the symptoms; it doesn’t cure you.

The stress that OCD thoughts can bring to you can be really difficult. People’s minds work in such a way that we make decisions based on emotions, not logic. Our minds tell us to perform obsessive compulsive disorder based tasks even when we don’t want to. This shows that we will act opposed to our own logic or basic understanding to do something based on what we actually want. To overcome this, you must utilize mental retraining. Your mind must be trained to respond to the same situations in a different way. Once you’ve learned how to do this, you will be on your way towards overcoming your OCD.

You may run into difficulties when trying to overcome your OCD thoughts. There are many sources out there that will provide you with ways to deal with your obsessive compulsive disorder. These sources will mostly treat you in ways that just manage your OCD, not cure it. The best way to deal with your OCD is to overcome it altogether. Many people have failed to overcome their symptoms because they’ve been misinformed. When looking for sources of information, you want to find information written by people who have dealt with the symptoms of OCD and have overcome them. Obsessive compulsive disorder is a habit, not a illness or condition. It doesn’t require the use of medication to overcome it. People make decisions based on emotion, not logic. This can cause us to act on things even when you have no desire to do so. To overcome this, we must use mental retraining to get our minds to respond to OCD situations in a different way. Enjoy the cutting-edge information I have for you below!

PTSD is a major problem for veterans today and is going to become a bigger problem over time. That’s not speculation it’s a fact, based on the enormous number of troops that have been in combat in recent years.

In fact, more than 2.0 million American and coalition troops have served in military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan since 2003, with thousands deployed multiple times. Recent surveys found that 20% of soldiers who served in Afghanistan now suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) or major depression.

However, alarming these figures may be, it’s comforting to know that diagnosis for PTSD is getting better and numerous treatments are available. So what treatments are available for suffers of PTSD?

Medication;
One of the most common symptoms of PTSD is difficulty sleeping, which can be a major problem and have a disruptive effect on one’s ability to concentrate and focus. A drug called Prazosin is often prescribed for nightmares and has been used for a long time in the treament of hypertension.
Anxiety and depression is another common issue and many drugs are available to treat this symptom. The one thing to consider with any medication is that side-effects are often associated with their use and dependency can also become an issue. Working closely with your doctor should help you find the right medications and manage any side-effects that are experienced. Ideally, medication will help out in the short-term and provide a route into more sustainable and natural treatments.

Psychotherapy;
A number of forms of therapy are available for suffers of PTSD, and whilst in the past many people have been reticent to consider ‘seeing a shrink’, therapy is one of the most effective ways to tackle the condition.
It’s possible to enter into a one-on-one or a group therapy programme. Group therapy has benefited many people facing challenging mental or physical situations and the power of connecting with people who have been through similar experiences should not be underestimated.
Some types of therapy used in PTSD treatment include:

Cognitive therapy. Talking about self-destructive thoughts and what causes this can help you develop strategies to change these notions.
Exposure therapy. This is a behavioral therapy technique to help you face up to the things that you find upsetting so you can learn to deal with it.
Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR). This seems like an unusual approach, but combining Exposure Therapy with a programme of guided eye movements can help sufferers deal with traumatic memories. This is because there is a strong connection between eye movement and the function of the memory.

A combination of these approaches will likely be the best route, and working with your healthcare professional should allow you to find the best approach for you. Just remember that there’s no need to deal with the symptoms of PTSD on your own and effective treatment can have a massive difference on the quality of your life.

 

Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) is a common psychological condition that I see frequently in my work as a therapist in Edinburgh. A diagnosis of OCD is made when a person shows the two key features of obsessions and compulsions. An obsession is a persistent thought, image, or urge that seems to enter the mind from nowhere and causes significant distress. Compulsions are things done again and again in response to an obsession or obsessions, in an attempt to reduce the stress. Compulsions are usually physical acts (such as washing the hands excessively or repeatedly checking door locks), but they can also be mental acts.

As a therapist in Edinburgh I see a lot of clients suffering from OCD, and I am frequently asked what causes it. Unfortunately the causes of OCD are not known for sure, but there are some likely culprits and I give a brief summary of these in this article.

Genetic factors seem likely to play some role in a person developing OCD. If you have a “first-order” relative with OCD (that is, a parent or sibling has OCD), then your chance of developing OCD yourself is in the region of 5%. However, it should be noted that OCD affects about 1% of the general adult population in the West, so an increased risk is present but it certainly isn’t enormous.

Subtle abnormalities in the brain have also been put forward as causes of OCD, but this has not been well supported by the research to date. Brain scans do not show any structural abnormality, and the more recent “functional” scan results (e.g. showing high frontal lobe activity) probably reveal the brain’s response to OCD, rather than being the cause of OCD.

It has been hypothesised that a key element underlying OCD is a relative lack of the neurochemical serotonin in certain parts of the brain. The only evidence for this has been the fact that OCD seems to respond (at least sometimes) to the SSRI class of antidepressants (SSRI meaning Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitor – these drugs increase the amount of serotonin in the brain). Obviously the fact that some condition improves when a medicine is taken does not mean that the medication is acting on the cause of the condition. If you break your leg and are in severe pain, morphine will reduce the pain but it will have no affect on the cause of that pain!

One of the more interesting theories about the causes of OCD has been related to sufferer’s memories. This theory postulated that OCD sufferer’s may have poor memories and that is why they repeat their compulsions so frequently! In reality, OCD sufferer’s memories are fine but they don’t seem to trust them as well as other people do.

A final focus of research in OCD has been the apparent “triggering” of the condition. OCD commonly starts in the late teens and early twenties, and often seems to follow on from some form of emotional, psychological or physical stress. Common stresses include pregnancy and childbirth, physical violence, bullying, bereavement, or even the change of job or role at home. Whilst such “triggers” are common, they are not ubiquitous and a significant minority of people I see as a therapist in Edinburgh develop OCD without any identifiable stress.

So, in summary, the cause or causes of OCD remain obscure and more research needs to be done. However, even without definite causes being known, there are well-researched and effective treatments for OCD. As mentioned above, SSRI drugs are commonly used to help OCD sufferers, but the most effective treatment is Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, or CBT. This is the treatment of choice recommended by NICE (the Institute of Clinical Excellence – a Government body that advises clinicians about the safety and efficacy of different treatments for illness). Please see my other articles for more information about CBT in Edinburgh.

Dr Steve Last is a Psychiatrist and therapist in Edinburgh who uses CBT techniques to treat common psychological problems such as depression, anxiety and OCD. Please visit http://www.drstevelast.co.uk for more information about psychological problems and CBT.

 

If you suspect that you or a loved one has post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), it’s important to seek help right away. The sooner PTSD is confronted, the easier it is to overcome. If you’re reluctant to seek help, keep in mind that PTSD is not a sign of weakness, and the only way to overcome it is to confront what happened to you and learn to accept it as a part of your past. This process is much easier with the guidance and support of an experienced therapist or doctor.

Get Your Free Personal Copy Of Curing Your Anxiety And panic Attacks Right Now

It’s only natural to want to avoid painful memories and feelings. But if you try to numb yourself and push your memories away, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) will only get worse. You can’t escape your emotions completely ? they emerge under stress or whenever you let down your guard ? and trying to do so is exhausting. The avoidance will ultimately harm your relationships, your ability to function, and the quality of your life.

Today, there are good treatments available for PTSD. When you have PTSD dealing with the past can be hard. Instead of telling others how you feel, you may keep your feelings bottled up. But talking with a therapist can help you get better.

Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) is one type of counseling. It appears to be the most effective type of counseling for PTSD. There are different types of cognitive behavioral therapies such as cognitive therapy and exposure therapy. There is also a similar kind of therapy called eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) that is used for PTSD. Medications have also been shown to be effective. A type of drug known as a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI), which is also used for depression, is effective for PTSD.

Eye-movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) is a form of cognitive therapyin which the practitioner guides the person with PTSD in talking about the trauma suffered and the negative feelings associated with the events, while focusing on the professional’s rapidly moving finger. While some research indicates this treatment may be effective, it is unclear if this is any more effective than cognitive therapy that is done without the use of rapid eye movement.

Here are a few alternative treatments to consider:

• Massage: Gentle massage can help relax tension and promote circulation and better sleep patterns.
• Acupuncture: This ancient medical treatment involves inserting needles into specific points in the body. It is painless and helps to relax muscles.
• Art and music therapy: This treatment involves listening to relaxing music and expressing your emotions through art. It is very effective at helping you to work through difficult feelings.
• Drama therapy: This therapy allows you to reenact traumatic experiences in a safe and guided manner.
• Exercise: Just 20 minutes a day can help you relieve stress and anxiety and get your mind off of your worries.

Although it may be tempting to ignore the symptoms of PTSD, treatment is best approach. Although many people with PTSD get better on their own, up to one third of people will get worse. You owe it to yourself to learn how to live your life without fear.

Want to cure your panic Attacks? Head over to get a free instant access to Break The Anxiety panic Cycle: End Your panic Today . Find out about a technique thats got medical professionals the world over talking.

 

? 2009 by John D. Moore with www.mychicagotherapist.com

What is PTSD?

PTSD is the acronym for a clinical condition known as Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. PTSD is an anxiety disorder that can occur after you have been through a traumatic event. Typically, the traumatic event is one in which the fear for your life or the life of another person. Commonly, others who have been diagnosed with PTSD report that they felt as if they had no control over what was happening or the situation they were involved with.?

According the United States Department of Veterans Affairs, anyone can develop PTSD (National Center for PTSD, 2009). These events can include:?

• Combat or military exposure
• Child sexual or physical abuse
• Terrorist attacks
• Sexual or physical assault
• Serious accidents, such as a car wreck.
• Natural disasters, such as a fire, tornado, hurricane, flood, or earthquake.

How does PTSD Develop?

People who live with PTSD have survived a life threatening or traumatic event. Not everyone who experiences this however will develop PTSD. How likely it is that you will develop PTSD depends on a variety of factors, including the intensity of the trauma, if you lost someone close to you, how much support you received after the event and many other factors.?

What are the symptoms of PTSD?

According to the National Center for PTSD, there are four symptoms that are strongly related to Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. These four symptoms are:?

1. Reliving the event
2. Avoiding situations that remind you of the event
3. Feeling numb
4. Feeling keyed up or anxious?

What treatments are available for PTSD?

According to the National Center for PTSD: ?When you have PTSD, dealing with the past can be hard. Instead of telling others how you feel, you may keep your feelings bottled up. But treatment can help you get better. There are good treatments available for PTSD. Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) is one type of counseling. It appears to be the most effective type of counseling for PTSD. There are different types of cognitive behavioral therapies such as cognitive therapy and exposure therapy. A similar kind of therapy called EMDR, or eye movement desensitization and reprocessing, is also used for PTSD. Medications can be effective too. A type of drug known as a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI), which is also used for depression, is effective for PTSD?.

?Source: (2009) National Center on PTSD. What is PTSD? Retrieved from the web at: http://www.ptsd.va.gov/

To learn more about PTSD and other forms of anxiety?visit www.mychicagotherapist.com

 

What is OCD?

Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder is one of the more widely known types of anxiety disorders, but in actuality, few people understand how it works. People with Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, or OCD, aren?t crazy. They simply have persistent behaviors that upset their daily lives. OCD ranges from very mild to severe, and some have even suggested that everyone has OCD, but it is simply a matter of controlling your thoughts and actions so that you can live a normal life.

OCD, as its name implies, has two main components?the obsession and the compulsion.

What are Obsessions?

The obsession is usually a fear or desire, such as the fear to contamination or the desire to be perfect. A person with OCD can have obsessions about anything like cleaniness, illness or injury. Their brain does not move forward but are repeating the same thing. The difference is that the obsessive thoughts come from anxiety.

The person how has OCD, can have obsessions about

Dirt

Illness ( either their own or others )

Unlucky numbers

Unlucky words

Making mistakes

Not being sure

Doing or thinking something bad will happen

What are Compulsions?

The compulsion is the repetitive behavior that is a result of the obsession. For example, someone with the fear that a loved one will die may feel a compulsion to always count everything to a certain number. They irresistibly feel as though their loved one will somehow die if they do not count to this number. Obsessions and compulsions can sometimes be relieved with rituals, which may help to temporarily relieve the stress.

Plenty of people have certain rituals like, tapping the pen 3 times before they start an examination. Perhaps we do have some lucky numbers and unlucky numbers also. But OCD compulsions are much beyond luck.

OCD can be categorized as:-

• Washers ? they generally have cleaning for hand washing compulsion
• Checkers ?they associate with harm and danger, repedeatly check things (doors locked, oven turned off, and security alarm off).
• Sinners and Doubters ? They have feeling that nothing is perfect and things will go wrong and they will be punished.
• Counters and Arrangers ? They have a superstitious about certain numbers, or with words etc. They are obsessed with order.

Although many people will joke that they have OCD when they are nit-picky about cleaning or do something odd, OCD is truly no laughing matter. A person who suffers severely from these conditions will probably not be able to work, go to school, live alone, drive, or even go out in public.

OCD is chronic, although many people try to hide their symptoms from others and stop the compulsions at the very least. Most people with OCD understand that they are being irrational, but they just can?t help it.

What causes OCD to develop in the first place?

? While many originally thought it was due to childhood environmental conditions, it is now reported that a specific neurological problem may be the cause. More than one factor is probably at work here and although there are treatments, there are no known cures to OCD.

? OCD runs in the families.

? The way mind handles the messages about fear and doubt. It has to with the chemicals that carry the messages to the brain with help of the nerve cells. If these gets ?blocked ?, then OCD can develop.

? Some therapists are studying the connection with the OCD and body?s immune system response to the strep infection (Strep throat is a disease caused by tiny egg-shape bacteria called group A?streptococci. These bacteria cause 15%-20% of all sore throats and are found in your throat and on your skin.)

Treatment for OCD

OCD can be treated in 2 ways:-

Medicine: – these medicines make the person calmer and make the obsessions and compulsions less intense. They also help to tone down the worries and fears of the patients suffering from OCD.

Behavioral therapy: The ?talk therapy ?, most commonly known as the Cognitive behavioral therapy also works, with or without the medicine. There are special therapists who ask certain questions related to the fear and the obsession the patients have and then helps them to overcome fear, deal with anxiety, resist compulsion and slowly and gradually overcome OCD.

Getting help, however, is very important. With medication, behavioral therapy, and counseling, patients with OCD can truly start to lead somewhat normal lives one again. Talking to your doctor about your OCD concerns is the first step to controlling your life and health. At the very least, talk to a friend. He or she may be able to help you take the right steps toward treating your OCD.? This disorder can be devastating, but with a little hard work, one can overcome OCD.

 

OCD ran my life. Really, it controlled every aspect of the day. I would constantly check the door knob when leaving my house just to make sure the door was locked. Of course that was after already checking it 5 or 6 times.

It’s not the easiest disorder to describe to someone. OCD affects everyone differently. Ultimately though, I think it comes down to worry. You worry about whether or not your alarm clock is set. You worry about whether or not you left the stove on. You worry about the slightest germ or miniscule piece of dirt on anything you own.

Sooner or later all this worry builds up and leaves you feeling helpless and victimized by your own obsession with perfection.

OCD has innocent victims as well. Your co-workers, family and loved ones around you all suffer from your problem. They’re all affected by your quirks. It could be as simple as making them late for meetings, dinners, outings or special events with time consuming compulsions to quadruple check things around you.

You may avoid physical contact with those you love out of your own discomfort towards germs or uncleanliness. It’s possible you’re losing touch with friends and family around you due to your fear of driving. Perhaps your work is suffering due to your inability to stay focused on anything other than your own OCD tendencies.

These are just a few random scenarios that OCD can create. Whatever degree of OCD you suffer from, you NEED help and the fact is the only one who can save you is yourself.

The good news is… you’re not alone.

Did you know that Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) affects 2.2 million Americans or 1.0% of the U.S. population from ages 18 and older?

To get a better idea of the definition of OCD…

OCD is characterized by unwanted, recurring, disturbing and uncontrollable thoughts called obsessions and/or repetitive and habitual behaviors called compulsions.

Among the most common obsessions are fear of being contaminated with germs, sexual or violent images, excessive orderliness and excessive attention to superstitions.

On the other hand, symptoms might be milder like repeatedly washing hands, obsessively worrying if doors are left unlocked, counting and silent repetition of words, etc.

If you have any of the above signs, it is necessary to take action now. You may think these innocent habits aren’t such a big deal but their long-term effect becomes degenerative. Once you think it’s ok to obey one particular superstition, your mind will create all sorts of new rules to follow. Make the responsible decision to nip this problem in the bud now.

The fact of the matter is that there is no cure for OCD. It’s not like you get a shot in the arm from some doctor and your obsessive habits cease to exist. A habit is both broken and created within 90 days. Some people will argue that you can create and break a habit every three weeks, but honestly – I’ve seen this theory in action.

In order to break your OCD habits, you’ve got to engage in “normal” behavior and responses for 90 days. That kind of habitual training conditions you for a permanent solution.

You do have to go through some rite of passage through.? You?ll need to expose yourself to the triggers of your compulsion in order to overcome the relentless urges to engage in the compulsive OCD behavior.? This particular strategy is known as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy.

It?s not a guaranteed fix though. Effective treatment of OCD anxiety may or may not widely reduce the repetition of your obsessions and compulsions. YOU decide whether or not this works. There’s no one to blame but yourself. Let me give you a little example to illustrate my point.

My Totally Embarrassing Nail Biting Story…

?

When I was a younger I bit my nails terribly. Really it was quite gross. This was long before my OCD really became prevalent in my life. I was about 16 or 17. BTW – I don’t consider nail biting OCD. That is, unless of course you meticulously bite your nails in a compulsive or repetitive nature. However, for the sake of this story nail biting is just a bad habit.

Anyway, I was a young, shy guy in high school and a very significant time was right around the corner.

Prom was coming up and I really really wanted to look great for my date. She wasn’t a girlfriend or anything. I was just going to prom with a really nice girl that I liked for a while.

So, anyway…

Here I was about 3 months before prom and I had these disgusting bloody fingers from all the terrible biting. I REALLY wanted to make a great impression on Jill (my date), so I swore off the nail biting and proceeded to try every remedy under the sun to end the habit.

I tried using that nail polish that tastes terrible – I just bit them anyway and cringed every time. It didn’t work.

I tried putting strings around my wrists to remind me that I was specifically trying not to bite them. This tactic failed quickly. I just ignored the rules whenever I felt stressed and started chomping away.

Then I put band-aids on all my fingers. I must have looked so silly. For weeks I showed up at school with ridiculous band-aids on my fingers. It was just as well. At the time I was a very shy kid and didn’t have many friends anyway.

This worked for the remaining 8 weeks (mainly because I never took the band-aids off long enough to go at it.) and when Prom came around, my hands looked great for Jill. I remember feeling so proud of myself.

Now the few days following were fairly good. After all, I was out of the habit. I didn’t need to bite my nails right?

Not quite. Can you guess what happened the week after prom?

I was so ravenous for nail biting that I chewed my fingers worse than ever! Eventually I learned to control the habit with a combination of the band-aid treatment for a couple more months and some SERIOUS conscious effort but this lesson isn’t so much about nail biting.

Any habit can be broken on the surface for a short period of time. However, you’ve got to really WANT to resolve a problem permanently to put forth the effort it takes to extinguish subconscious tendencies.

You can avoid OCD habits for any length of time but until you monitor yourself nonstop for an extended period of time (and I mean 90 days or more), you’ll never be able to train your brain away from these damaging compulsions.

If this doesn’t sound like it’s for you, that?s okay. There are more conventional ways to get relief.

Conventional OCD Therapy

?

Among the known procedures that help in OCD anxiety relief are behavioral therapy, cognitive therapy and pharmacotherapy.? There are also more general anxiety reducing strategies.

Psychotherapy

The first line in OCD anxiety relief is psychotherapy or behavioral therapy. With the assistance of your physician, you will undergo an exposure treatment and response prevention. The doctor will expose you to the source of your obsession and/or compulsion and you must prevent yourself from engaging the repetitive thoughts, ritual or habit you usually do under such circumstances. This method as an OCD anxiety relief has in fact found to be effective by 75% of patients who underwent this therapy. Cognitive therapy is also another way to relieve OCD anxiety. This approach will let you address the source of your compulsion and/or obsession and challenge them. When cognitive and behavioral therapies are combined, it is more effective as an OCD anxiety relief and is called cognitive-behavioral therapy.

Pharmacotherapy

Pharmacotherapy or the use of medication is another common method used as an OCD anxiety relief. Medication prescribed for patients with OCD anxiety helps in the reduction of obsessive thoughts and compulsive behaviors. Among these medications are Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs) such as include Celexa, Luvox, Paxil, Prozac and Zoloft. Another group of medicines, which was declared by one university as more effective is called Clomipramine like Anafril.? At the speed medications are being distributed, by the time this article reaches you, I?m sure there will be an array of difference medicinal names synonymous with OCD relief.

Support

For you to have effective OCD anxiety relief, seeking support is a must. Your family is instrumental to the success of your treatment so it is best if you make them a part of your recovery. Families and relatives, in most cases, do not understand the plight of patients with OCD anxiety when they are forced to deal with the patient?s obsessions and compulsions and your family may be the same. To minimize this, it is best if they come with you during your consultation with your doctor so that the latter may explain to them your predicament. If you do not have a family or live far from them, you can engage in support or self-help groups, talk to a trusted friend or seek spiritual advice from your church minister or priest.

Anxiety Reducing Strategies

You can start your road to improvement right now by tackling your anxiety using natural strategies that work.? I?ve posted 21 of the most effective anxiety stopping treatments in a video on my website called ?Anxiety Free Tactics?.

The video takes you step by step through resolving panic attacks, general anxiety, depression, social phobias and a whole host of other disorders ? all using natural treatments consisting of mental and physical exercises.

Now, it?s not the kind of thing where you just watch the video and feel better instantly.? You do actually need to take action and go through the exercises at home.? However, once you do that, you?ll start feeling better in just minutes.

Take the first step towards overcoming your anxiety and OCD today.? You can watch the video right now at http://www.Stop-Anxiety-panic-Attack.com

Get relief today.? Don?t put it off.? Every day you live with your OCD is a day spent trapped in a cage.? Break free with tactics that work!? Start right now by learning to end the anxiety and feel better fast!

 

Phobia Cure

By Geraldine Paynter 12 Jan 2010

A phobia is not an illness, but the thought of coming into contact, or the actual contact with your feared object, place or situation can lead to panic,?shaking,? dry mouth,?intense sweating,?difficulty breathing,?feeling sick dizziness, and?chest pain dizziness or feeling faint, palpitations, increased heart rate,? sweating, trembling or shaking,?feeling of choking or nausea, numbness or tingling sensations,? chills or hot flushes,? feelings of unreality and detachment,? fear of losing control,? a?sense of great danger and an urge to escape.

People who suffer from traumatic memories, nightmares, post traumatic stress (PTSD) and even the severest phobias now have the opportunity to benefit from this extremely fast cognitive behaviour therapy, the fast phobia cure.

I first discovered the fast phobia cure while watching Paul McKenna and I couldn?t believe what I was seeing.? He was treating a? woman who had been bitten by a dog as a child, she felt so traumatised by the event that now in her adult life she couldn?t take her own child to the park in fear that she would meet a dog, her phobia was so intense. I watched Paul McKenna demonstrate the fast phobia cure and after just one session this woman was actually stroking a dog and taking it for a walk in a park, wow.

I looked into the Fast Phobia Cure and discovered a hypnotist who is now someone that I have high regard for, Keith Livingston. This is the guy I have to thank for making it possible for me to of helped so many people.

The Fast Phobia Cure is an extremely fast form of cognitive behaviour therapy, which communicates with the subconscious mind. The technique is unique because, it treats the cause, not the symptoms, many traditional treatments focus on the symptoms.? The fast phobia cure allows the person with the phobia to experience the trauma or phobia without experiencing the emotional content of the event.

You see at some point the unconscious mind got an idea that the feared object or situation was “life-threatening”, and ever since then it has attached all kinds of feelings of anxiety and panic to that thing or situation to make your client avoid going anywhere near it in future, and by its own kind of logic, keeping them “safe”.
To cure the phobia, this part of the mind simply needs the chance to re-evaluate that thing or situation as non-threatening, so it can attach a different emotion, and then go on to store that memory with different emotions attached to it.

Phobias are maintained by the subconscious and that the subconscious also has control over bodily functions such as releasing chemicals one being adrenalin. Would it matter what the phobia is? Is the subconscious going to react in a different way to a snake phobia than it would a spider phobia? No it isn?t.

It is not important what the phobia is or how long they have had the phobia, it doesn?t matter if its snakes, spiders, wasps the treatment doesn?t vary, so if you have a client that has experienced a traumatic event and doesn?t want to offer that memory up to you the therapist then that?s fine. People seem to think well I have had this phobia forty years it isn?t going to go in one session. A phobia is learnt in a split second so it can be unlearnt in a split second.

What can you expect after the Fast Phobia Cure: you can expect to notice that the memories and experiences around the phobia are now more at ease to think about, like factual memories or just something that happened. And that when thinking about that old phobic trigger the anxiety has gone, there is a neutral feeling, it is ?normal?.

If you or someone you care about suffers from a phobia, there really is something you can do about it. Often all it takes one NLP, hypnotherapy session in order to completely and permanently remove a phobia.

Geraldine has had substantial experience of helping people to rid themselves of phobias, to contact Geraldine please go to www.hypnoticgroup.co.uk or email enquiries@hypnoticgroup.co.uk

anxiety disorders are one of the most common psychiatric illnesses affecting both children and adults.? There are about 40 million known cases in the United States alone.? These disorders usually develop from a complex set of risk factors which may include personality, brain chemistry, genetics, and life events.? Though anxiety disorders may be derived from so many factors, they are highly treatable.? However, perhaps because of the stigma attached to anxiety disorders, only about one in three people afflicted actually receive any type of treatment.

It is important to know that the phrase ?anxiety disorder? is an umbrella term for more specialized disorders including Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD), panic Disorder, Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), Social anxiety disorder (Social Phobia), and Specific Phobias.? Regardless of what specific anxiety disorder a person has, they can be quite debilitating with a variety of symptoms.? In most cases, anxiety disorders present themselves with other mental disorders such as depression.

The symptoms of anxiety orders may manifest themselves at an early age or start suddenly, perhaps after a triggering event.? During high stress periods, anxiety disorder symptoms may present themselves more frequently or with greater severity.? Symptoms include sweating, headache, muscle spasms, hypertension, palpitations, fatigue, and exhaustion to name a few.

As mentioned, anxiety disorders are highly treatable.? Patients suffering from anxiety orders may be treated by psychosocial therapies, medication, or a combination of both.? Psychosocial therapies are usually attempted first and include Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT), anxiety management, relaxation therapies, exposure therapy, and psychotherapy.? These therapies always involve working closely with a mental health professional, usually a psychiatrist, psychologist or social worker.? During such therapies, patients and professionals discover what the source of the anxiety disorder is and how to deal with it.

Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy is one of the most useful of the therapies for anxiety disorders.? CBT actually helps people change their thinking patterns so that their reactions to anxiety-provoking situations become less severe.? Successful CBT can make patients understand that their panic or anxiety attack is not really a heart attack

Many times, anxiety disorders are treated with not only psychotherapies but also with medications.? The drugs most commonly associated with anxiety disorder treatment include SSRIs, which are selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, beta blockers, benzodiazepines, tricyclic antidepressants, and MAOIs, which are monoamine oxidase inhibitors.? Medication alone will not cure anxiety disorders, but will help keep them under control.

The most successful treatments of anxiety disorders involve the combination of medication and psychotherapy.? Many doctors will prescribe medication shortly after diagnosis so that the symptoms are alleviated quickly (usually within 4 to 6 weeks) and allows the psychotherapy protocol time to become effective.

 

Phobias are defined according to the American Psychiatric Association, as an irrational and excessive fear of an object or situation. Phobias usually develop in late childhood, adolescence, or early adult life in response to a frightening event or situation.

Phobias are the most common mental disorder in the United States. Far more women than men are affected by phobias. Phobias affect people of all ages, from all walks of life, and in every part of the world. Phobias can deeply impact a person’s life.

Types of Phobias

Phobias belong to a large group of mental problems known as anxiety disorders that include obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), panic disorder, and post-traumatic stress disorder. Social phobia and situational phobias, such as fear of heights or of closed-in spaces, typically appear by the mid-20s.

The causes of complex phobias, such as agoraphobia and social phobia, are unclear. Sometimes phobias run in families. Phobias are persistent, irrational fears of objects or situations that persist even though the fear has no base in current reality.

Symptoms

Symptoms of a phobia include the following: Feelings of panic, dread, horror, or terror, rapid heartbeat, shortness of breath, trembling, and an overwhelming desire to flee the situation. Symptoms can last several hours, but usually peak after 10 minutes. Symptoms of Phobias can interfere with your ability to work, socialize, and go about a daily routine.

Therapy

One of the most successful is cognitive behavioral therapy which helps people with phobias face up to their fears, control their symptoms and in time accepting of whatever was causing their extreme anxiety. Therapy for anxiety disorders often involves medication or specific forms of psychotherapy. Supportive therapy, such as group therapy, or couple or family therapy, and to educate significant others about the disorder is also helpful.

In addition to conventional medicine, alternative treatments such as relaxation and deep breathing techniques as well as herbal and homeopathic remedies may be very helpful along with psychotherapy.

Conclusion

Phobias are among the most treatable mental health problems. Depending on the severity of the condition and the type of phobia, most properly treated patients can go on to lead normal lives. According to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, only about 10 percent of reported cases become life-long phobias. In fact, most people who seek treatment of phobias completely overcome their fears for life.

The good news is that with a proper mindset in place and the right tools to face life’s daily challenges, facing our anxiety phobias and fears can get much easier over time.