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Overcoming Phobias: The Top Tips You Need to Follow

Overcoming Phobias

Overcoming Phobias

Around one in ten Canadians have a phobia of something.

Are you terrified of spiders? Are you have a fear of heights? Whatever your phobia, it can really wreak havoc on your everyday life.

A phobia can be an irrational or extreme fear of something. This can be connected to childhood or a bad experience later in life.

If you have decided the time has come to learn about overcoming phobias, you’ll be glad to hear there are many ways to conquer your fear. Let’s check them out!

1. Gradually Desensitize Yourself to the Fear

People say that you should face your fears. This can be terrifying. You don’t have to do everything at once.

Are you scared of heights? You can slowly build up to higher and higher levels.

Do you have a phobia of spiders? Gradually get closer to spiders until you can even tolerate touching them.

By desensitizing yourself to your fear over time, the phobia may gradually go away. You may never totally overcome the fear, but learn to cope with it better.

This is also known as the “fear ladder” in which you gradually expose yourself to more extreme versions of your fear.

2. Embrace the Flooding Technique

What is the worse thing you can imagine?

Once you have experienced the worse of your fear, you may be able to handle anything. This is a daring way to conquer your fear.

Are you claustrophobic? Spend an afternoon in a small closet by yourself. Every small space will feel huge compared to this experience.

Are you a bit of a germaphobe? Roll around in the mud and cover yourself in other people’s germs. See what happens?

When you eventually undertake this experience and come out the other side without any problems, you won’t feel so much fear.

3. Get Involved With a Support Group

If you’ve got a phobia, you may start to feel that you’re crazy and strange. Nobody understands how you feel.

That’s why attending a support group can open up your eyes to the fact that you’re not alone. There are lots of people who have had similar experiences.

The support group can help each other to overcome your fears. Whenever you’re scared, contact a support group member to give you assurance.

4. Educate Yourself on the Topic

Are you afraid of something which is totally irrational? This may be because you don’t actually understand anything about the topic.

Actually, one expert says that around 20-25 percent of people suffer from the fear of flying.

Surely, the experience of flying in the air is understandably terrifying. But, what if you knew how airplanes actually worked?

For example, airplane accidents are extremely rare. Even when they occur, people often aren’t injured. Knowing more about your fear can help you build the confidence to overcome it.

5. Relax How to Relax Right

When you’re scared of something, it’s not just a bunch of thoughts whizzing around your head. No, you’ve also got the physical symptoms.

Does your breathing speed up? Does your heart beat faster? Do you start to shake?

These are common symptoms which can be handled with relaxation techniques. Pick up a few methods to help yourself relax.

Experiment with daily mindfulness, regularly listen to soothing music and try out hypnosis. You never know what could help you with your phobia.

6. Recruit the Support of a Friend

You don’t have to overcome your fear by yourself. Remember, you have friends and family who can step in to help you deal with your phobias.

Are you scared of being in a crowd of people? Ask a friend to accompany you when you expose yourself to crowds.

You can even ask your friend to gradually walk a little bit behind you. Build up to longer and longer distances until you’re practically on your own.

7. Take Medication for Your Fear

There is no magic pill which can help you with overcoming phobias. Medications also shouldn’t be taken without the advice of your doctor. And yet, medication can help your recovery from your fear.

For example, beta-blockers are used to prevent the effects of adrenaline worsening your fear. You could also take anti-depressants to help you balance your mind during times of distress.

8. Experiment With Biofeedback

No, it’s not science-fiction. Biofeedback can allow you to learn about how your body responds to stress.

Your doctor attaches electrodes to your body. You’ll then be able to watch a monitor which displays your heart rate, muscle activity, etc.

By watching how your body responds to stress, you may be able to more effectively learn to overcome your fear. Knowledge is power!

9. Exposure Therapy

Getting help from experts and loved ones is important. You need to know that you’re not on your own here.

However, ultimately, it’s down to you to overcome fear. Learning to grab the steering wheel on your fear can be helpful.

You can achieve this with the help of exposure therapy. This is a type of CBT (cognitive behavioral therapy) which can help you to gradually take control of your fears.

With the support of self-help books and support groups, you can battle your phobias. This isn’t quite the same as saying “do it anyway.”

Instead, it’s about recognizing that at the end of the day, you’re the only person that can conquer the fear.

Overcoming Phobias

Phobias can seriously ruin your life. You shouldn’t simply learn to live a limited life always in fear.

With our tips, you learn about overcoming phobias so you’re not controlled by your fears and anxieties any longer.

Do you want to find out more about our professional services? Get in touch with us to book an appointment now.

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Stress Management 101: The Top Tips for Managing Stress for Parents with Kids Under 5

how to cope with stress

how to cope with stress

Being a parent can be a wonderful, rewarding experience most of the time, but for most parents, the duty at hand also fills them with feelings of anxiety and stress.

As a parent, a lot is expected of you each day, and it can be overwhelming, especially when managing young children under the age of 5 years. And if you’re feeling anxious and depressed, your kids will pick up on that and be affected as well. This makes learning how to deal with stress especially important.

So if you’re wondering how to cope with stress as a parent of kids under age 5, then read on:

Wondering How to Cope With Stress? Take a Time-Out

Raising small children can be all-consuming and exhausting, this isn’t news to you. And it can be so hard to take a shower some days let alone take time out for yourself. But to combat stress and anxiety, it’s important that you schedule a time to meet with other adults, whether that includes family members, friends, or even other parents at the park.

It becomes too easy to lose yourself in the demanding world of parenting, and before you know it, you’ve gone weeks without having a good conversation with anyone over the age of 10. So even if you have to schedule it well in advance and pay a babysitter for the break, make sure you make time for yourself and connecting with other adults.

Reduce Stress Through Acceptance

One of the most challenging aspects for parents of the toddlers is wondering if they will ever get their lives back. Toddlers require around-the-clock attention it seems, and it can get discouraging when you feel as though you will never again have the time you desire to work on a personal project, however small.

And while you’ve probably heard well-meaning elderly adults tell you to “enjoy it while you can” one too many times, there is wisdom in this advice. Children do grow fast, and if you can find it within yourself to embrace this phase of life and accept it for what it is, rest assured the free-time will come again in the future.

You will be able to take long hot showers again, go for leisurely walks, or work on writing that novel. But now you are in a phase where someone small needs you very much.

Acceptance has a big part in managing stress. By re-aligning your expectations for what you wish you were accomplishing with what’s realistic for now, you’ll find peace.

Make the Most of Routines

It often feels like your small children rule the day, and it can be difficult to make a schedule and stick to it. But if you can incorporate just a few cues that your kids will recognize, like getting them ready for a nap by reading books first and singing songs, or making a habit of going to the local park after lunchtime, your little ones will become accustomed to the routine.

Be fluid with your expectations, and if a child is having a meltdown, didn’t sleep well the night before, or is feeling ill, you might have to forgo your plans for the day. But kids appreciate having some structure. It helps them know what to expect and makes them feel more secure.

By having even just a couple of things you do each day at around the same time, things won’t be so up in the air, and you and your children will feel less stressed.

Practice Non-Violent Communication

If you’re wondering how to cope with stress when your toddler keeps hitting or biting, remember that it’s a natural reaction for children this young to use physical methods for showing their needs. Non-violent communication is a learned skill, whereas hitting, biting, or throwing is instinct.

You might feel like a broken record telling your children a dozen times a day not to hit. But by practicing patience and consistency, you’ll reduce stress in your household when children are able to express their needs without physically acting out.

Seek Out Professional Help

Tips for dealing with stress can be helpful, but sometimes the stress requires professional help. And that’s ok. Be honest with yourself and your limits and if you feel like you would benefit from professional help in dealing with stress or anxiety, then, by all means, seek it!

You might find that visiting a therapist to discuss your feelings of overwhelm does the trick. Or a doctor that can prescribe you medication for your anxiety. Or you might find that you gain the coping frame of mind that you need with the help of an experienced hypnotist.

Perhaps a combination of resources will assist you in feeling more capable of dealing with the stress that so many parents feel as they navigate through this demanding time of life.

Discover Our Stress Management Program

Find help from our team that knows all about how to cope with stress, whether it’s related to parenting, work, your marriage, or any other area of your life.

Hypnotherapy can provide you with the mental and emotional tools that you need to tackle the anxiety that so many of us feel on a daily basis.

We invite you to contact us to schedule a free consultation so you can ask any questions you have and learn more about how we can be of service to you. We look forward to hearing from you!