Anxiety, Panic Attacks, and Hypnosis

Anxiety is considered to be a normal reaction to stress. It may help a person to deal with a difficult situation, for example at work or at school, by prompting one to cope with it. When anxiety becomes excessive, it may fall under the classification of an anxiety disorder.

Wikipedia defines anxiety as a psychological and physiological state characterized by cognitive, somatic, emotional, and behavioral components. These components combine to create an unpleasant feeling that is typically associated with uneasiness, apprehension, fear, or worry. Anxiety is a generalized mood condition that can often occur without an identifiable triggering stimulus. As such, it is distinguished from fear, which occurs in the presence of an observed threat. Additionally, fear is related to the specific behaviors of escape and avoidance, whereas anxiety is the result of threats that are perceived to be uncontrollable or unavoidable.

Another view is that anxiety is "a future-oriented mood state in which one is ready or prepared to attempt to cope with upcoming negative events", suggesting that it is a distinction between future vs. present dangers that divides anxiety and fear.

Panic attack has been described as an episode of incredibly intense fear or apprehension that is of sudden onset. The DSM-IV (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders) describes a panic attack as a discrete period of intense fear or discomfort in which (at least 4 of 13*) symptoms developed abruptly and reached a peak within 10 minutes.

According to the American Psychological Association, the symptoms of a panic attack commonly last approximately thirty minutes. However, panic attacks can be as short as 15 seconds, while sometimes panic attacks may form a cyclic series of episodes, lasting for an extended period, sometimes hours. Often those afflicted will experience significant anticipatory anxiety and limited symptom attacks in between attacks, in situations where attacks have previously occurred.

The effects of a panic attack vary from person to person. Some, notably first-time sufferers, may call for emergency services. Many who experience a panic attack, mostly for the first time, fear they are having a heart attack or a nervous breakdown. Experiencing a panic attack has been said to be one of the most intensely frightening, upsetting and uncomfortable experiences of a person's life

The ABC’s of Anxiety, often called the ABC model:
The situation A, gives rise to the thought B, which in turn causes the anxiety C. This sequence can escalate by virtue of a feedback loop.
This happens when the feeling of the anxiety itself becomes the stimulus for a further catastrophic thought. You may make a second predicition for yourself, such as “I feel scared. This is really dangerous.” The new catastrophic thought makes you feel even more anxious, which promotes more thoughts about the danger, and so on.

This type of emotional escalation is particularly difficult to stop when you are in a situation that you can’t avoid: For example when you’re stuck in traffic or you are at a party and you can’t leave, or you’re at work, where you fear your boss’s anger, but you can’t go home. Or you feel an unsual pain or sensation in your body. In these types of situations you feel as though you are not in control and that an added danger exists: the situation might overwhelm you.

The Mechanics of Panic
Panic escalation usually exhibits four distinct phases.

1. You make unrealistic self-statements that keep you in a constant state of alarm. Your body senses in the fight-or-flight reaction: your heart beats faster, you feel short of breath, you have butterflies in your stomach … and so on. This chronic state of arousal makes you “sensitized” to any hint of possible danger. Sensitization means that your nerves are set on a hair trigger. The least reversal, unpleasant surprise, or minor conflict can set off a siege of panic.

2. You begin to fear fear itself. As your body becomes more sensitized, you begin to anticipate panic attacks. You try to avoid them at all costs. Now you have a new fear. You not only fear the violence or the boss’s criticism, yo also dread the symptoms that fear causes in your body.

3. You reject your own fears as your fear of fear escalates. You hate experiencing the symptoms of your fear: the pounding heart, the diziness, the shortness of breath, the trembling legs, the lump in your throat, the hot or cold flashes, and the confusion you feels in your mind. You resist and fight against anything unusual happening in your body. You become hypervigilant for symptoms of approaching panic. You come to fear any emotion or experience that trigger physical sensations that remind you of panic. Even feeling excited, exercising, or contracting innocuous illnesses such as the flu seems dangerous because the symptoms remind you of the symptoms of panic.

4. You avoid, ultimately, any situation, person, or thing that evokes feelings of arousal or anxiety. What started as nervousness when walking empty streets becomes avoidance of going anywhere alone. What stated as anxious thoughts when talking to the boss becomes avoidance at work altogether. What started as painful shyness at parties becomes avoidance of every social contact.

Every symptom you experience during a panic attack is a natural, harmless part of your of your body's fight or flight reaction. All panic symptoms are the direct result of the hormone adrenaline which is released by your adrenal glands when you perceivbed that you are in danger. Adrenaline is metabolised by your body in less than three minutes. Its effects can go away just as quickly. Therefore if you can stop with catastrophic predicitions, your panic attack will be over entirely in three minutes. This means that your anxiety need never last more than three minutes. But it is necessary to stop the loop of catastrophic predictions you find yourself making about your panic symptoms.

2. The hypnotherapist teaches you certain strategies for dealing with the symptoms.

3. The hypnotherapist applies general hypnosis to induce a feeling of calm and relaxation for you.

5. The hypnotherapist may set some tasks for you to complete before the next meeting.

6. In most cases anxiety and panic attack can be eliminated after three meetings.

Alfred Bellanti (BSc, GrDipSSc, DipClHyp, Dip BMed, NLP Master Practitioner) is an experienced Clinical Hypnotherapist established in Sydney Eastern Suburbs for over 15 years. Alfred is a Member of the Australian Society of Clinical Hypnotherapists (A.S.C.H.)

To make an appointment ring: 9315 5764, 0418 861 396 or email: alfred@mindbody.biz

Alfred Bellanti - Clinical Hypnotist, NLP Master Practitioner

Clinic: 269 Bronte Road, Waverley NSW 2024, Australia

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	Anxiety, Panic Attacks, and Hypnosis Anxiety is considered to be a normal reaction to stress. It may help a person to deal with a difficult situation, for example at work or at school, by prompting one to cope with it. When anxiety becomes excessive, it may fall under the classification of an anxiety disorder. Wikipedia defines anxiety as a psychological and physiological state characterized by cognitive, somatic, emotional, and behavioral components. These components combine to create an unpleasant feeling that is typically associated with uneasiness, apprehension, fear, or worry. Anxiety is a generalized mood condition that can often occur without an identifiable triggering stimulus. As such, it is distinguished from fear, which occurs in the presence of an observed threat. Additionally, fear is related to the specific behaviors of escape and avoidance, whereas anxiety is the result of threats that are perceived to be uncontrollable or unavoidable. Another view is that anxiety is "a future-oriented mood state in which one is ready or prepared to attempt to cope with upcoming negative events", suggesting that it is a distinction between future vs. present dangers that divides anxiety and fear. Panic attack has been described as an episode of incredibly intense fear or apprehension that is of sudden onset. The DSM-IV (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders) describes a panic attack as a discrete period of intense fear or discomfort in which (at least 4 of 13) symptoms developed abruptly and reached a peak within 10 minutes. According to the American Psychological Association, the symptoms of a panic attack commonly last approximately thirty minutes. However, panic attacks can be as short as 15 seconds, while sometimes panic attacks may form a cyclic series of episodes, lasting for an extended period, sometimes hours. Often those afflicted will experience significant anticipatory anxiety and limited symptom attacks in between attacks, in situations where attacks have previously occurred. The effects of a panic attack vary from person to person. Some, notably first-time sufferers, may call for emergency services. Many who experience a panic attack, mostly for the first time, fear they are having a heart attack or a nervous breakdown. Experiencing a panic attack has been said to be one of the most intensely frightening, upsetting and uncomfortable experiences of a person's life The ABC’s of Anxiety, often called the ABC model:* The situation A, gives rise to the thought B, which in turn causes the anxiety C. This sequence can escalate by virtue of a feedback loop. This happens when the feeling of the anxiety itself becomes the stimulus for a further catastrophic thought. You may make a second predicition for yourself, such as “I feel scared. This is really dangerous.” The new catastrophic thought makes you feel even more anxious, which promotes more thoughts about the danger, and so on. This type of emotional escalation is particularly difficult to stop when you are in a situation that you can’t avoid: For example when you’re stuck in traffic or you are at a party and you can’t leave, or you’re at work, where you fear your boss’s anger, but you can’t go home. Or you feel an unsual pain or sensation in your body. In these types of situations you feel as though you are not in control and that an added danger exists: the situation might overwhelm you. The Mechanics of Panic Panic escalation usually exhibits four distinct phases. 1. You make unrealistic self-statements that keep you in a constant state of alarm. Your body senses in the fight-or-flight reaction: your heart beats faster, you feel short of breath, you have butterflies in your stomach … and so on. This chronic state of arousal makes you “sensitized” to any hint of possible danger. Sensitization means that your nerves are set on a hair trigger. The least reversal, unpleasant surprise, or minor conflict can set off a siege of panic. 2. You begin to fear fear itself. As your body becomes more sensitized, you begin to anticipate panic attacks. You try to avoid them at all costs. Now you have a new fear. You not only fear the violence or the boss’s criticism, yo also dread the symptoms that fear causes in your body. 3. You reject your own fears as your fear of fear escalates. You hate experiencing the symptoms of your fear: the pounding heart, the diziness, the shortness of breath, the trembling legs, the lump in your throat, the hot or cold flashes, and the confusion you feels in your mind. You resist and fight against anything unusual happening in your body. You become hypervigilant for symptoms of approaching panic. You come to fear any emotion or experience that trigger physical sensations that remind you of panic. Even feeling excited, exercising, or contracting innocuous illnesses such as the flu seems dangerous because the symptoms remind you of the symptoms of panic. 4. You avoid, ultimately, any situation, person, or thing that evokes feelings of arousal or anxiety. What started as nervousness when walking empty streets becomes avoidance of going anywhere alone. What stated as anxious thoughts when talking to the boss becomes avoidance at work altogether. What started as painful shyness at parties becomes avoidance of every social contact. The Major cause of panic Every symptom you experience during a panic attack is a natural, harmless part of your of your body's fight or flight reaction. All panic symptoms are the direct result of the hormone adrenaline which is released by your adrenal glands when you perceivbed that you are in danger. Adrenaline is metabolised by your body in less than three minutes. Its effects can go away just as quickly. Therefore if you can stop with catastrophic predicitions, your panic attack will be over entirely in three minutes. This means that your anxiety need never last more than three minutes. But it is necessary to stop the loop of catastrophic predictions you find yourself making about your panic symptoms. A General Protocol for Hypnosis 1. The hypnotherapist discusses your particular anxiety or fears. 2. The hypnotherapist teaches you certain strategies for dealing with the symptoms. 3. The hypnotherapist applies general hypnosis to induce a feeling of calm and relaxation for you. 4. The hypnotherapist may run you through some systematic desensitization. 5. The hypnotherapist may set some tasks for you to complete before the next meeting. 6. In most cases anxiety and panic attack can be eliminated after three meetings. Alfred Bellanti (BSc, GrDipSSc, DipClHyp, Dip BMed, NLP Master Practitioner) is an experienced Clinical Hypnotherapist established in Sydney Eastern Suburbs for over 15 years. Alfred is a Member of the Australian Society of Clinical Hypnotherapists (A.S.C.H.) To make an appointment ring: 9315 5764, 0418 861 396 or email: alfred@mindbody.biz Alfred Bellanti - Clinical Hypnotist, NLP Master Practitioner Clinic: 269 Bronte Road, Waverley NSW 2024, Australia © 2010 by Bellanti Enterprises hypnotherapy nlp hypnotherapy nlp hypnotherapy nlp hypnotherapy nlp hypnotherapy nlp australia australia australia australia australia australia australia australia australia australia self hypnosis self hypnosis self hypnosis hypnotism hypnotism hypnotism hypnotism hypnosis hypnosis