Hypnosis for panic and anxiety disorders

Are you constantly dragging around worries and fears that put a psychological strain on you? You are not alone in this. Anxiety has many faces and they range from a queasy feeling in the stomach, palpitations, and dizziness to full-blown panic attacks. We often blame many of the symptoms on stress, when in fact they hide fears or even anxiety disorders. In Germany, anxiety disorders are even among the most common mental illnesses: About 14% of people suffer from them.

Many people increasingly restrict their lives because of their fears and avoid situations that can trigger anxiety. But this does not have to be the case: Hypnosis is an extremely effective tool in the treatment of anxiety. It helps with mild and specific fears: from exam anxiety to clinically diagnosed anxiety disorders. There is hardly a topic that shows itself in so many facets as anxiety.

Hypnosis makes it possible to access the subconscious, release conditioning and create new, healthy connections. In this way, fears are banished quickly and in the long term.

With my hypnotherapy (on-site in Berlin or as a video appointment) I would like to help you very specifically to lead a fear-free and fulfilled life. Because no person should be limited by their fear.

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What is anxiety anyway and how does an anxiety disorder manifest itself?

First of all, fear is not something bad per se. Rather, it is our body's natural reaction to danger. Evolutionarily, it makes sense that when we see a predator, for example, we get scared, our hearts beat harder, and our body is pumped full of adrenaline. In this "fight or flight" mode, we have a better chance of escaping the danger. In this aspect, fear is useful for us.

But anxiety in the sense of an anxiety disorder also occurs in situations that are not life-threatening or even dangerous. But it still feels that way. With an anxiety disorder, our body reacts to seemingly normal things as if it were a matter of life and death. This excessive anxiety can also be triggered by very specific situations, such as large crowds or confined spaces.

The following symptoms may accompany an anxiety disorder:

Palpitations

Sweats

Dizziness

Nausea up to and including vomiting

Trembling

A feeling of pressure on the chest

Hyperventilation and shortness of breath

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What are the different forms of anxiety and anxiety disorder?

Panic disorder is characterized by recurrent panic attacks that occur unexpectedly and repeatedly for those affected. Agoraphobia, on the other hand, is characterized by consciously avoiding places and situations that could trigger panic, out of fear of them. Both can also occur together.

Generalized anxiety disorder is characterized by persistent extreme fears and worries about everyday life situations. Normal obstacles in everyday life become catastrophes that cannot be overcome.

Social phobia, on the other hand, is the constant fear and avoidance of certain social situations, such as speaking in front of many people or certain groups. The fear here is mainly of being perceived negatively by other people. Other specific phobias can be fear of flying, fear of heights, or fear of animals such as spiders.

There is also obsessive-compulsive disorder, in which certain actions are performed compulsively, and hypochondria, an enormous fear of physical illness. Unprocessed traumas can also trigger strong fear in the form of nightmares or memories.

The good news is: hypnosis can be a very effective tool for a wide range of anxiety disorders and can dissolve irrational fears in the long term.

You don't have an anxiety disorder, but you have avoidably "normal" fears in everyday life?
Anxiety manifests itself differently depending on the person and the trigger. Exam nerves, fear of expectations, and the fear of failure can also put a lot of stress on us. We often dismiss these fears as stress and tell ourselves that they are completely normal. But if you are not only nervous before a lecture or exam, but also truly afraid (for example, you keep calling the upcoming situation to mind and imagining that you will fail), hypnosis can also help you here.

How can hypnosis help with an anxiety disorder?

Hypnosis can be an important tool for relieving anxiety and panic. It works quickly, effectively, and sustainably. Hypnosis also includes relaxation training (such as controlling the breath and heartbeat), which in turn helps sufferers regain control in acute anxiety situations.

To understand why hypnosis is so effective in overcoming anxiety and panic, it is important to understand how anxiety arises in the first place: If you are in a situation that scares you, you usually experience physical symptoms such as palpitations or dizziness. The perception of these feelings leads to even more tension, the fear gets worse, and often those affected flee the situation. This avoidance behavior leads to the idea of not being able to cope with the anxiety and so the anxiety gets worse and worse. A truly vicious circle. Often the enormous fear is then associated with certain places, feelings, or situations.

Many conventional methods reach their limits here. Because even if we can logically and consciously understand that our fear reactions often do not make sense, this does not necessarily help us to cope with them. Talking about fears can provide relief in the form of support but this rarely helps to fix the problem where it lies: in the subconscious.

We speak of consciousness when our mental states and processes are actively and consciously experienced. That is thoughts, memories, and emotions that we clearly perceive. The subconscious, on the other hand, contains our unconscious assumptions about the world, as well as associations and mental "programs". These can cause us to unconsciously perceive threats and ultimately feel fear. Whether this fear is real or not is irrelevant. As soon as our subconscious sounds the alarm, we can hardly fight it with conscious dispatch.

And this is where hypnosis is so powerful, because:
• In the highly concentrated state of hypnosis, the inner resistance to change can be tricked.
• During hypnosis, the power of our mind can be focused on the "language" of the subconscious - namely images and feelings.
• Through hypnosis, we bypass the conditioned filter through which we perceive things.
• With hypnosis, we create new neural connections that help us and do us good.

How effective is hypnosis for the treatment of anxiety?

The effectiveness of hypnosis is very high and the experiences of affected people are extremely positive. Hypnosis has proven its worth especially with various anxiety disorders and panic (attacks).

Since 2006, hypnosis has been recognized by the Scientific Advisory Board for Psychotherapy (WBP) in 11 of 12 areas of application for psychotherapeutic treatment (except for acute psychoses and severe personality disorders). Their expert opinion on the subject explains once again why hypnosis is recognized by the WBP in these areas.

Numerous scientific studies (such as this meta-analysis from 2019 ) also confirm the effectiveness of hypnosis for anxiety disorders.

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The testimonials of my clients also show time and again that hypnosis is a highly proven means of therapy for anxiety disorders.

Why you need not be afraid of hypnosis itself?

Hypnosis may sound at first as if you are asleep during the session or mentally "switched off" like with an anesthetic, but the opposite is the case: you are in full control the whole time, listen attentively and also remember everything clearly after the session. Many of my clients even really enjoy hypnosis and feel fresh and rested. So the fear of losing control during hypnosis is unfounded.

You can also safely discard the fear of not "waking up" from hypnosis. Because you don't actually get into a sleep-like state from which you would have to wake up again. In fact, your consciousness is more present and active during hypnosis than in everyday life.

How does it work?
In my practice, I always use a simple 3-step plan.

Detailed preliminary talk

Together we first discuss your personal fears and their triggers. I also clarify with you how the hypnosis will proceed and what you can expect. It is important to me that you feel comfortable and that no questions remain unanswered.

Hypnosis sessions

During hypnosis, you may make yourself comfortable and simply listen to my voice in a relaxed state. I put your mind into a relaxing trance and support you in anchoring the desired changes in your subconscious. For example, anxiety-provoking situations are charged with new, positive content and a different way of dealing with anxiety is learned. The link between certain situations and the feeling of fear is broken.

Don't worry: you will always remain in control of yourself and the situation.

Aftercare

After the hypnosis session, we discuss your experiences and clarify further questions. If necessary, we will also work out concrete options for action in the future.

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My process in treating anxiety disorders with hypnosis.

First, the cause of the fear is identified in hypnosis. Then this can be dissolved and new patterns of thinking, feeling, and behavior can be brought about.

In my treatments, I rely on a combination of hypnosis with other psycho-sensory methods that have a direct effect on the nervous system via the body. This variety of methods and an individually client-oriented approach make it possible that significant improvements are noticeable after just a few sessions. In addition, all my clients also learn self-hypnosis as well as other effective tools to quickly calm the nervous system again, even in the case of strong agitation.

Hypnosis is basically a highly concentrated focus on inner intentions. To a certain extent, hypnosis with the help of a hypnotist is also self-hypnosis. Because it only works based on your own intentions, after all, only you can decide what to focus on. In fact, you are more awake during hypnosis than in normal life.

This is how I approach hypnotherapy:

Application of highly effective, tested, and neurologically effective methods that directly address and control the nervous system.
Resolution of the traumas that are causally responsible for the disorder.
Identification and dissolution of negative thought patterns.

Frequently Asked Questions About Hypnosis for Chronic Stress

Will I be stress-free forever after hypnotherapy?

Anxiety is a normal reaction of the body and you can and should still be able to feel anxiety to the normal extent after hypnosis. But the body's excessively fearful reactions to ordinary situations and the triggering of panic by certain triggers will no longer be there after hypnosis.

Does hypnosis work for everyone?

Yes, because it is a natural state of concentration. For example, when one deeply concentrates and is in 'flow', that is a hypnotic state. So hypnosis is not something foreign that you don't know or have never experienced.

How many hypnosis sessions are needed to get rid of my fear?

This depends on your situation. During a free initial consultation (link here) we can discuss what exactly you are concerned about, which fears you want to work on and how we can proceed. As hypnosis works very quickly, you will experience significant relief from your anxiety after just a few sessions.