Hypnotherapy: John Teleska

Occasional anxiety is a normal part of life. You might feel anxious when faced with a problem at work, before taking a test, or making an important decision. But for some people anxiety involves more than temporary worry or fear. The anxiety may be intense, not go away, and can get worse over time. The feelings can interfere with daily activities such as travel, socializing, work or school performance, and relationships.

* Restlessness or feeling wound-up or on edge
* Being easily fatigued
* Difficulty concentrating or having their minds go blank
* Irritability
* Muscle tension
* Difficulty controlling worry
* Sleep problems (difficulty falling or staying asleep or restless, unsatisfying sleep)

Base level of anxiety: Some people experience an almost constant level of anxiety—as if the anxiety switch got turned “on” and they can’t find the “off” switch. This can produce any of the symptoms listed above.

Anxiety can arise in particular situation such as test taking, public speaking, performance. Anxiety can also arise as a result of a past traumatic experience. For instance, after a car accident, we might be anxious when faced with the prospect of or actually driving or riding in a car. Here anxiety is a problem when it interferes with the task at hand.

Anxiety can arise in anticipation of a particular situation—such as taking a test, giving birth, having surgery. This becomes a problem when it persists and produces symptoms described under “Symptoms..." above.

A phobia involves persistent fear and anxiety and avoidance of a specific object or situation. This type of phobia includes, but is not limited to, the fear of heights, spiders, and flying. A phobia is limiting and therefore can be a problem.

Social anxiety (or social phobia) is anxiety that arises in social settings and can cause avoidance of social situations.

A panic attack can be an unexpected wave of intense fear—that may include palpitations, pounding heart, or accelerated heart rate; sweating; trembling or shaking; sensations of shortness of breath, smothering, or choking; and feeling of impending doom. The person may even mistake these symptoms of anxiety for a heart attack, which further fuels the anxiety.

Anxious about becoming anxious: Once having experienced a panic attack, people can become anxious about the possibility of having a panic attack in the future.

…for addressing and resolving anxiety and phobias (see Bibliography, below). Simply learning self-hypnosis can relieve much chronically held anxiety. Other times more exploration is needed to untangle what holds the anxiety or phobia in place.

See unsolicited client feedback immediately below (used with permission).

The links below connect to entries on my my blog recounting therapeutic work with people with anxiety or phobias.

Snakes triggering paralyzing fear... big ones, tiny ones, dead ones, pictures of them, it doesn't matter.

Waking up in the morning with anxiety and fear... and feeling "it's safer to stay in bed," but you can't figure out why.

Fear of flying... on a plane, or of any new adventure.



John Teleska, M.Ed., NBCCH Integrative Medicine Department, Clifton Springs Hospital & Private Practice, Pittsford, NY (near Rochester)

		Hypnosis for Relief from Anxiety and Phobias