Fear is a very basic emotion that every one of us experiences at times. Whether you are scared of heights or get weak in the knees at the thought of speaking in front of an audience, it is natural to feel discomforted and avoid the situation. While a little fear can keep you safe from accidents, irrational or exaggerated fears of any kind can hold you back in life.
Fear and anxiety that lasts longer can take over your life, affecting your physical and mental health. Such overwhelming fear should be dealt with before it renders you unable to live your personal and professional life. Studies have found that psychotherapy can help individuals overcome their fear and anxiety by helping them cope with these emotions step by step.
Understanding fear and anxiety
People can be scared of many things. Some of these fears can be helpful and keep you away from danger. But irrational fears may hold you from doing things that need to be done. As these fears vary from person to person, the first step to overcoming this feeling is to identify and acknowledge its existence.
Anxiety is a type of fear that most people undergo from time to time. Even at this very moment, many of us may be worried about our job, health, or family. This persistent and nagging feeling of worry may develop into a serious fear unless it is addressed at the right time.
When you fear something, your body reacts to it. Your heartbeat may increase and become irregular, you may sweat profusely, feel weak and dizzy, breath harder and faster and muscles may tense up. Then you are feeling scared or anxious, your body identifies the thing or situation as a potential threat and prepares for an emergency. But as this fight or flight response gets triggered even without real danger, it becomes problematic.
Psychotherapists classify fear and anxiety as a mental health issue only when it is severe, long-lasting, and renders the individual to live a normal life. As people may be suffering anything from panic attacks to phobias, therapists recommend personalized ways to cope with the fear.
How can psychotherapy help?
Psychotherapy is a popular treatment method that addresses mental and emotional distresses. This non-invasive treatment focuses on natural healing techniques that help the patient cope with his or her issues in an organic way. Psychotherapy focuses on talk therapy, where the patient speaks to the specialist, identifying and dealing with their issues in due course. Therapists use a variety of approaches like Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Emotional Freedom Technique, Psychoanalysis & Inner Child Therapy, Parts Therapy, NLP (Neuro-Linguistic Programming), Satir Family Therapy and Hypnotherapy to assist the patients in their healing process.
During a psychotherapy session, the patients are offered a calm and confidential space to talk in length about their issues. The therapist helps the patient to come in terms with their challenges and face them proactively through simple everyday tasks. Mental exercises and relaxation techniques are some of the prescribed methods that allow the individual to take control of their fear or anxiety and live a healthier life.
Final words
Living with fear and anxiety is not easy. But understanding the root cause of the fear and taking steps to cope with it will help you live your life better. Through different therapy models, our mental health specialists help patients overcome their irrational fear and continue towards self-growth. So, if you or a loved one requires expert counseling, don’t hesitate to reach out to us at The Hundred Wellness Centre.
