(This blog was originally posted on October 28,
2016)
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| Photo by Rick Hustead |
If there is no specific cause for being
afraid of being alone—for example, a specific traumatic incident that
threatened the person, such as a physical attack—the individual may be
agoraphobia. The late Dr. Ron Hodges, a psychiatrist and
colleague of Hypnosis Motivation Institute founder John Kappas, Ph.D., and former director of the Atlanta,
Georgia branch of HMI, contended that fear of being alone is many people’s
Number One Fear. Since this reaction is often associated with low
blood-sugar levels, it is imperative for the hypnotherapist to address this
issue before working with the client
to alleviate the actual fear or phobia.
“[Fear of being
alone] is an irrational fear based on physical sensations,” Dr. Kappas explained.
“You think something will happen to you.” These include irregular heartbeat,
dizziness, shaking, confusion, increased suggestibility
and anxiety or panic. But the related anxiety of losing control, which is
triggered by these physiological sensations, forms the basis of this fear. Once
better nutrition is established and the person’s blood-sugar levels are
stabilized, the hypnotherapist must teach the client face the fear of being
alone. This is accomplished by demonstrating how to induce and ameliorate the
physical symptoms that come up whenever he or she thinks about situations that
typically trigger fear.
“Desensitize
the physical feelings for every situation you feel the fear. It’s got nothing
to do with the event,” he said. Remember that it can take some time—months or
even years—until the person can completely overcome this fear, Dr. Kappas
warned.
Sara R. Fogan, C.Ht. is a certified hypnotherapist based in
Southern California. She graduated with honors from the Hypnosis Motivation
Institute in 2005. For more
information about Calminsense Hypnotherapy® and to set up an
appointment, please visit http://www.calminsensehypnotherapy.com/.
© 2018
