Fear, anxiety, panic, terror, dread. They are all shades from the same area of the emotional spectrum, and they are all generally based on the anticipation of what is to happen. With the exception of PTSD, no one is fearful or anxious what has happened in the past, it is a future orientated emotional state.
People say thing like “I am scared my past will catch up with me” which is more about keeping secrets as secrets and the anticipation of what would happen if they are not.
Often clients will talk about Panic Attacks, as if the Panic is a thing that literally sneaks up and attacks them. More often, the feeling of fear or dread, comes from the way you think about, the way in which you picture things turning out, and the words you use to describe to yourself doing what you expect you will do.
Our powers of personal future predicts can be remarkable gloomy and pessimistic, more so than we would ever tolerate from another person. “I just know I am going to make a huge mess of this” “I am so not going to pass this exam” “I just can’t stand going to work anymore, I am crap at this.”
Everyone does there own type of fear, anxiety, or dread differently about different things; trying to analyse the cause and the ‘meaning’ serve less use than looking at the way in which a person generates those feelings, what pictures, thought or words they use. It is hardly ever relevant to consider why the client feels like they do, is of a lot more useful to look at how they generate the feeling states they do which are a problem for them.
Give me a call and if I can help you I will.
Richard Stone - Modern Hypnotherapy
0208 647 7441
Richard.Stone@ModernHypnotherapy.co.uk
