Let's look at the Impact of Hypnotherapy for Panic Attacks

There's no doubt we are busier than ever and bombarded with stimuli all day every day. So it's no wonder that I help so many clients who are suffering from panic attacks. Panic attacks are totally overwhelming and can leave you feeling helpless and uncertain, and you can even end up in a state of panicking about panic attacks. Very often those that suffer appear calm on the outside; you'd never know they're struggling with anxiety, which in turn affects confidence. Some are ashamed or embarrassed to reach out to friends and work and are therefore unsupported and internalising all the difficult feelings they are experiencing.

Understanding Panic Attacks

Panic attacks can start with feelings of anxiety and negative thinking, constant worry, and a feeling that something is about to go wrong. Those physical symptoms can begin to become overwhelming and develop into panic attacks.

Anyone who has experienced a panic attack will know what an overwhelming event it is. Fear, anxiety and a desire to escape strike without warning, so panic attacks can be surprising, intense and frightening. Physical symptoms include heart palpitations, sweating, trembling, and shortness of breath - sometimes sufferers even mistake them for heart attacks. What causes the triggering of your threat response, the fight-or-flight response and a cascade of chemical responses in the body, such as stress hormones cortisol and adrenaline?

The threat response: Meet your amygdala, your 24/7 security guard.

When a panic attack sets in, the amygdala, the brain's fear centre, goes into overdrive, perceiving threats where there may be none. This leads to a cascade of physical and chemical reactions that prepare your body to either confront the danger or flee from it. The mind becomes hyper-focused on the perceived threat, often making it difficult for you to think clearly or rationally.

The Role of Solution Focused Hypnotherapy

Enter hypnotherapy, a therapeutic approach that harnesses the power of suggestion and relaxation to reframe negative thought patterns and promote positive change. Solution-focused hypnotherapy, in particular, aims to help individuals focus on solutions rather than dwelling on problems. By guiding clients into a deeply relaxed state, hypnotherapists can bypass the critical faculty of the conscious mind and work directly with the subconscious to reframe perceptions and cultivate confidence.

How Hypnotherapy Helps with Panic Attacks

You may be wondering how hypnotherapy works for panic attacks. Working together we will explore what your best hopes from our work together are, whilst getting a sense of your how you have been coping (or not!) and when you last felt able to cope. We'll explore what achieving your best hopes will mean to you.

Hypnotherapy for panic attacks centres on reprogramming the subconscious mind to respond differently to triggers that typically induce panic. We'll share techniques for breathing and other tips for calming the nervous system.

Each week, I'll encourage you to take a small step forward towards your best hopes for the future. As your brain considers this, so positive changes happen to its structure, known as neuroplasticity, and you'll start to form better ways of thinking, feeling and behaving.

Through a series of sessions, you can develop your own coping mechanisms, relaxation techniques, and positive reinforcement. I may also use techniques that allow you to practice a positive visualisation of a difficult situation, helping you run through that situation going really well in your mind's eye, whilst allowing you to face fear-inducing situations from a safe distance.

Finally, the practice of hypnosis helps with emotional regulation, it helps you down-regulate the nervous system. Evidence shows how brain waves slow down, and we are more open to suggestion, learning, and experience deep rest.

The Time Investment for Relief

One common question that arises when considering hypnotherapy for panic attacks is the duration of treatment needed to see results. While this can vary depending on the individual and the severity of their condition, many clients report experiencing significant relief between ten to twelve weekly sessions. The process is a journey of self-discovery and empowerment, with each session building upon the progress made in the previous one.

Conclusion

The aim of hypnotherapy for panic attacks is to help you get back on your feet and feeling confident to get out and about without the worry of an attack, or an attack itself, hanging over you. Working together we'll help you manage your stress levels, get better sleep, feel more in control, and visualise the future more positively. If you are suffering from other physical symptoms associated with anxiety such as IBS, insomnia, bruxism, fears and phobias

If you do find yourself grappling with the grip of panic attacks, please do book an introductory call. It might just be the key to unlocking a newfound sense of calm within you.