You want to go on a ski-lift or see a view from the balcony, but your fear gets in the way. Many people can get over a fear of heights with hypnosis. Known as acrophobia, a fear of heights can hold you back. From hiking a mountain to flying on a plane, your choices are limited. While this can be frustrating, you do not have to live with it.
Like any fear, a fear of heights is rooted in the subconscious mind. It may have started from a childhood experience or a traumatic event. If your subconscious can learn to be afraid, it can also unlearn the fear. This is where hypnosis comes in.
Hypnosis for a Fear of Heights
It is possible to get over a fear of heights with hypnosis. This natural state is like the way you feel when you lose track of time while driving or reading. You are brought to a state of total relaxation. In this state, the hypnosis may use neurolinguistic programming, suggestions or visualizations to help your fear. You may be guided to imagine being high up on a mountain. Then, you work with your reaction. You learn new ways to cope with the fear and prepare for encountering the fear in the real world.
Unlearning Patterns
Hypnotherapy for a fear of heights works because it helps you unlearn patterns. For years, you have reinforced the fear. Each time you encountered a high place, you felt the same anxiety and stress. When you did not get hurt, your subconscious connected your fear to your safety. It learned that reacting with fear meant that you did not get hurt. Now, you have to unlearn that mental pattern.
To get over a fear of heights with hypnosis, clients visualize the fearful event. Powerful suggestions help to change how the mind works. Instead of reacting with terror, they feel safe and confident.
In the session, clients may be asked to look at these experiences on a mental movie screen. They see the same tall mountain, but hypnotic suggestions are added. These suggestions nudge the person into seeing the situation as safe.
Boosting Confidence
Hypnosis does not just target the fear. It also works to boost your confidence. Sometimes, fears are connected to low self-esteem or a lack of confidence. During hypnosis, your mind relearns how you approach life. The fear is removed. In its place, you feel calm and confident. You know that the tall building is safe, so you can finally relax.
An estimated 5 percent of people are afraid of heights. This fear affects people even when they know that where they are is safe. It could be a few steps up a ladder or on a protected mountain road. No matter where they are, they feel afraid and anxious.
When someone feels panic, they cannot think clearly about how safe the place is or how to get down safely. Overcoming a fear of heights starts by changing the fear response. During hypnosis, individuals remove habits and thought patterns from their mind. Soon, they are able to approach the same situation without feeling panic or anxiety