How to get rid of a phobia. Intrusive fears. How to get rid of fears (phobias), obsessive disturbing thoughts? Recipes for various fear phobias

Every person has phobias and fears. The main thing is to be able to recognize and accept them in time. There are many methods to get rid of phobias. They mean self-treatment.

You can fight fears with folk and traditional methods

There are folk remedies. It is possible to cope with fear both independently and with the help of psychotherapy. It is important to understand the source of the phobia and not be afraid to try different treatment techniques.

Psychoanalysis as the basis of treatment

The first thing to start treatment is psychoanalysis. Its main goal is to drive out negative intrusive thoughts.

The first step is to determine the cause of the phobia. We need to figure out how and why it arose. Typical primary sources are innate fear of something, childhood trauma, stress from being in a new environment, rejection by loved ones, etc. It happens that damage to the central nervous system affects the development of the disease.

A great way is to write down on a piece of paper all the identified aspects related to the phobia. Next, it is important to accept your phobias and work hard on yourself. Pushing yourself to take action is the key to success. Ask yourself questions:

what will happen if I do not eliminate fear;
what happens if I start treatment;
why do I need to get rid of the phobia;
Will it become easier for me to live without fear of anything.

The patient determines the prospects. He knows what to expect after phobia treatment. You can additionally write out and place motivating quotes in a conspicuous place. When a person knows what he is striving for, the incentive is higher.

Psychologists say that you can get rid of a phobia on your own if you meet it. The first time will be difficult mentally and physically. But subsequently, the reaction to the stimulus will be less pronounced. The person will no longer feel stress and anxiety. Panic attacks will be eliminated. It is important to overcome yourself and dare to take such a step.

Another necessary aspect is to change negative thinking to positive. It is necessary to exclude from your vocabulary the words and phrases “always”, “never”, “I can’t”, “I won’t”, “but”, “I will try”, “should”, etc. Through these statements, negative accumulates inside. Reconsider your attitude towards the object of fear. Change your negative mindset to a positive one. It is important to believe in yourself, and then everything will work out!

The third requirement is to do everything regularly. Once will not be enough. To get the desired result, you need to work on yourself daily. The technique is like going to the gym. If you attend all workouts regularly, then, after a while, a person has a beautiful figure and a healthy body. If you practice a different number of times, then the result will be appropriate.

Getting rid of panic attacks

Panic attacks are the most common manifestation of a phobia. Therefore, treatment should begin after the detection of this symptom.

At the moment of a panic attack, it seems to the patient that all signals from the outside world come late. There is a slight trembling, the pulse and respiration become more frequent, the pressure rises. There are obsessive thoughts about suicide. Such a person becomes a danger to society.

Start by improving your lifestyle. Follow the recommendations of doctors regarding the duration of sleep, nutrition. Increase the amount of physical activity. Spend more time hanging out with positive people. Other treatments:

Meditation. 30 minutes a day is enough to reboot. Get into a comfortable position in a chair. Present a picture that inspires. Visualize your own desires and dreams.
Aromatherapy. You can use an aroma lamp. Take an infusion of lavender, chamomile, lemon balm. Turn on quiet, relaxing music without intrusive motives.
Breathing technique. When a panic attack occurs, inhale deeply and exhale slowly through your nose. You can hold your breath for a few seconds. Do this until the negative thoughts subside.
Self-hypnosis. An effective technique in psychotherapy. Repeat in a whisper the affirmations “I will succeed”, “I am calm, fear recedes”, “my body is relaxed, I feel good”, “I feel happy”, “my thoughts are clear, my mind is serene”, etc. This is how a person sets up yourself positively.

It is important to understand that panic attacks are preventable. If you learn to cope with them, then there will be no threat to life.

Lavender infusion is an excellent sedative

Auxiliary techniques in psychotherapy

The purpose of the techniques is to get rid of the phobia forever. Subsequently, a person should react neutrally to the objects of fears. It is important to realize that fear is not the cause of the phobia. The problem is in the reaction to the objects of fears. Therefore, treatment consists in changing the perception of phobias.

Imagine an object or event that causes panic and horror. Try to hold back your emotions for at least a couple of seconds. Shift your attention to what causes joy and delight.

Then return to the visualization of fear again. Do the procedure several times. Subsequently, at the moments of manifestation of a phobia, a person will be able to switch to a positive one.

An important requirement is that you do not need to analyze your condition. You just need to come to terms with the fact that the phobia is there, and this is normal. You can change your mood by doing the following:

Write down your fears. Describe the emotions that come up during a panic attack. Write down all mental images, impulses, desires. Keep writing until the fear disappears. You can describe the associations that appear when you see an object of panic fear. The essence of the method is the materialization of fears. After that, they will seem to the patient primitive, meaningless.
Sing. It sounds strange, but singing helps in a stressful situation. Thus, a person brings out the negative. You can even sing about your own fears. Form a simple phrase that describes a phobia or a state of panic. This will be the lyrics. Take a simple motive as a melody. Sing in a whisper for a few minutes. When the fear begins to recede, switch your attention to something else.
Change the picture in your head. It happens that phobias are presented in the form of images. Her motive needs to be changed. If a person is afraid of fire, he sees fire. You need to imagine a fireplace in your home, a fire in the company of friends, etc. Create a variety of images. The main thing is to restore a comfortable state.

The best solution is to combine actions, in combination they will give the best effect. Remember that the healing process will not be quick. It will take time to improve mental health, to suppress panic fear. It is necessary to redirect emotions in a different direction. You can fix the result of the techniques with breathing exercises.

Popular folk methods

At the moments of approaching fear, remember the cases when phobias did not materialize. Fear arises on a subconscious level. Therefore, you can control your emotions. Remember, making mistakes is normal and inherent in every person. The main thing is to see the error and correct it.

Don't let others impose fear. People tend to complain and only make things worse. They literally transmit their negative impulses to others, which causes irritation and depression.

If possible, stop communicating with such people. They will always be afraid of something, and spread their experiences to others. Know that even in a bad situation, there is something positive to be found.

Scientists argue that fear is a consequence of stereotypical thinking. Everyone is afraid of death, but they don't know what it is. This increases anxiety and panic, which is a favorable environment for the active development of a phobia. Work on changing your nervous system. Familiarize yourself with the basics of psychology, find out the nature of phobic fears and methods of dealing with it.

Working on your psyche will help get rid of fears

Therapeutic work with fears

You can cope with a phobia on your own with the help of therapeutic work with fears. It consists of Gestalt therapy and art therapy. Both psychological exercises are aimed at identifying the mechanisms of mental actions and operations that help reduce a person's anxiety, remove fixations on negative emotions. Recognized as one of the most effective methods in psychotherapy.

Art therapy

The bottom line is getting rid of fears with the help of art. Shows that it is possible to overcome a phobia by working with it symbolically. Based on the materialization of the object of fears in the form of drawings. Directions:

Abstraction. Fear is depicted as a combination of lines and simple ornaments. Color shades are important. A person is invited to comment on every detail of his creation. Explain why he chose these colors and gave these shapes.
Materialization. There are no restrictions on drawing. Both abstract and concrete objects will do. A person can do whatever he wants with a drawing: crumple, tear, pour water over it, spray it with paint, burn it, throw it away.
Games. A story is created where there is a main character who has a phobia, the phobia itself and an assistant who is needed to get rid of fears. The patient is invited to continue to tell and offer their methods of treating the patient from feelings of fear and panic.

The main thing in art therapy is the emancipation of a person. He should not experience discomfort during the session.

Abstraction will help to reveal the essence of fear

Gestalt therapy

A feature of therapy is that feelings and emotions must unite into a single whole (gestalt). Violations of harmony are any interference between the feelings and actions of a person. The same situation occurs with an obsessive phobia. Exercises:

The perception of fear. A person analyzes the primary sources of his phobia. So he comes to the realization of the specifics of fear. He studies the effect on activity and the body. And subsequently reconsiders his personal priorities and prospects.
Unification of polarities. Every person has conflicting feelings. They are needed to maintain internal balance. You need to provide arguments for positive and negative emotions. Describe the benefits of fear. Find out what character trait is needed to prevent it.
Concentration. In a moment of fear, one should not think about the past or the future. Pay attention to the present. Fully feel the panic attacks, understand their nature and study the symptoms. To learn how to get rid of a phobia, you need to study it in detail.

Psychologists say that this method will help get rid of fears at any stage of their development. They are not universal.

It is necessary to try all possible options and decide on the most effective of them.

Psychocorrection of phobias in children

Children are also prone to fear. Improper upbringing, lack of attention from parents, rejection by relatives - there are many reasons for phobias. The best way to overcome a phobia is the psycho-correction of fears. Implemented with the help of art therapy.

Exercise "Magic Mirrors"

The kid is offered to draw 3 pictures. At first, he is scared and defenseless. On the second - joyful and happy. On the third - fearless and self-confident. After drawing, the kid should answer the questions:

who looks prettier;
what picture is it in?
Who would he like to be like?
what I felt while drawing.

Children are very sincere, so they can easily answer questions. They do it on a subconscious level. They do not know how to lie and will tell the truth. Parents will be able to assess the current mental state of the baby. It is important not to criticize the drawings, but to praise the child.

Exercise "Draw your fear"

Provide your child with many colored crayons. Do not restrict him in his actions. Offer to draw your fear. It is important that the child gives him a name. Let the kid make a verbal portrait, that is, describe his object of fear.

Ask how he would get rid of the phobia. Let the child choose from several options: burn the drawing, tear it, or cut it. You can add some details and turn the monster into a cute creature. Offer to decorate the picture so that it evokes positive emotions. Ask if the attitude towards fear has changed now. Let the child describe his emotions.

This technique will help to find out the causes of panic in a child. It will allow you to see if the baby is ready to deal with his phobias. If so, how. This will provide an opportunity to assess the mental health of the baby and identify depressive moods.

The child should be allowed to freely draw his fear

Conclusion

Getting rid of phobias and fears on your own is real. To do this, you can learn the basic methods and techniques of psychotherapy. Gestalt therapy and art therapy are effective. There are folk remedies based on relaxation and breathing techniques. All this will help patients cope with moments when they experience panic fear.

Each of us is born fearless. The child does not know how hot the fire is, how deep the rivers are, which can happen at high altitude or speed. There are no fears, which means there are no negative experiences. It appears over time, in contact with the realities of life.

For some, experience helps to respond correctly to dangerous situations, a defensive reaction is formed. And for someone, negative emotions are transformed into a phobia. At a traumatic moment, thoughts disperse, it is not possible to concentrate, it becomes more and more difficult to control oneself. Constant stresses and neuroses prevent them from leading a full life, so such people need to deal with them as soon as possible. How to get rid of phobias once and for all? How to treat phobias? Everyone should know the answer to these questions!

What is a phobia?

A phobia is an uncontrollable fear. At the moment of panic, when a person finds himself in a frightening situation, sees some kind of dangerous, in his opinion, object, he begins to behave unreasonably. Even harmless things can cause negative emotions. The body is trembling and weak, thoughts are hard to control, feelings are overwhelmed and crushed. There are quite harmless phobias, but there are also those that become a heavy burden. They interfere with living, communicating with people, performing their daily and work duties, enjoying the little things and smiling at a new day. Overcoming a running fear is hard, but real. That is why there are a huge number of psychological centers and clinics.

In order to accept and begin to deal with an obsessive fear, it is necessary to recognize it. You have an exaggerated fear if, at the sight of some object or at the moment of a special situation:

panic and anxiety seizes you;
the body trembles with fear, the heart beats faster, there is profuse sweating and dry mouth, nausea and dizziness;
it is difficult to gather your thoughts and build a logically correct plan of action;
you want to run away, get away, hide;
after what you see or experience, you feel weak, have nightmares, experience paranoia.

Where do fears come from?

A complete victory over panic, anxiety and phobias is possible when you realize the cause of your fear. You must remember the very traumatic moment that sowed the seed of the disease. Most often, fear is the result of some kind of shock. For example, intimophobia may occur in a victim of violence, and demophobia in someone who suffered during a terrorist attack. A lot of fears originate in childhood itself. The child's psyche is not yet formed, there is no experience, there are not enough skills to manage their emotions. Each situation leaves a deep imprint in the subconscious. The same thing happens with impressionable people. For them, even a picture in a magazine or an article from the Internet can cause a deep shock.

Many fears originate from the most ancient times. A phobia of darkness, thunderstorms, water - long before us, our ancestors were frightened by these phenomena.

The experience of others, the experience of friends and parents play an important role. After all, we all interact with each other at a subtle level, and other people's danger signals can make us afraid of something.

It is possible to overcome the disorder, you just need to realize and accept its cause. Sometimes it lies on the surface, and sometimes it is hidden behind a spiritual curtain. In this case, you need to contact a specialist to cure the phobia once and for all. Treatment of phobias and fears should not be postponed until later. Every postponed visit and experienced stress feeds your problem.

How to cure a phobia?

The treatment of phobias is a huge area in modern psychiatry. The main and fundamental method is psychotherapy. This method is practiced in every country, because it gives a huge effect. With the help of professional skills, the doctor is looking for the root of evil, the cause of fear. During the conversation, he dispels inaccuracies, shows the patient the true side of his illness. If you were afraid of spiders, then the doctor will explain to you all the groundlessness of disturbing thoughts, because only a small part of these individuals is dangerous.

The second stage of the conversation is the development of a new model of behavior. They learn to cope with problems, to solve difficult situations on their own. After all, how to get rid of phobias if you are constantly tense, and a thousand thoughts are spinning in your head? Harmony with oneself is the basis of successful treatment. You will be taught not to give up, to look for strength in yourself even in very difficult times.

For some, psychotherapy can take place in a group. There are phobias that are complicated by loneliness, lack of communication. It will be useful for such people to feel needed, to share and express the problem with others.

Visualization of the problem has also become a popular method of treatment. A therapist can help create a calm environment for you to imagine your fear. Outlined his features, imagined how he looks. This may cause some discomfort, but under the supervision of a specialist, you will quickly learn to keep it under control, seeing what is dangerous. Gradually, the fear will spill out onto the paper, and in the end it will completely disappear. Many people who have undergone such therapy experience "hypercompensation". This means that someone who, for example, previously experienced excruciating anxiety and anxiety in front of snakes, after therapy, acquired a reptile as a pet.

In especially severe cases, when a phobia has made a person its hostage, medication is prescribed. All drugs are selected taking into account the general physical condition, symptoms, sex, age, weight. Therefore, you should not practice self-medication with medicines, because each of us is individual.

Does the mood of others matter?

Treatment of phobias alone, even with the best specialist, does not guarantee you a 100% result, because a complete victory over panic, anxiety and phobias is possible only with the support of loved ones. A good specialist and a strong support nearby - that's how you can overcome fear forever. Close people should create an atmosphere of harmony, comfort and reliability in the environment, in the house. Friends will be the springboard to a healthy life. After all, it is impossible to overcome the fears that are laughed at and made fun of by loved ones. Everyone should be sympathetic to the problem of the other, provide moral support. Relatives and relatives should show that the phobia is not so terrible, that you can get rid of it and you have all the strength for it.

Sometimes during therapy, a psychiatrist may involve friends or relatives in a conversation in order to better feel the problem, to overcome it together. Do not refuse such visits, help your dear person find himself.

Is it possible to get rid of phobias on your own?

In especially neglected cases, you should not engage in self-digging. Usually such a person does not understand the problem, but runs away from it, trying to hide the pain as deeply as possible. But there are also those cases when a phobia is detected at the earliest stages. A person notices that some object or situation causes him great anxiety, sees how some functions of the body are disturbed. In this case, you can try to get rid of the disorder without the help of a specialist.

How to get rid of phobias on your own? First, you need to realize that your fear is unfounded and irrational. Only such an acceptance of the problem guarantees a further therapeutic effect. Secondly, find in yourself the root of evil that sowed fear. Try to remember the traumatic moment as accurately as possible. Scroll through the situation, look at it from different angles, ask yourself the question: “What led to this? Can this happen to me again?" Ask yourself anything that will help you realize the meaninglessness of fear. Third, learn to control your emotions. Have you begun to experience stress, fear from something you have seen? Think of everything that will help you find peace. Take a breath, drink water, think about something good, take your hands and thoughts with some interesting activity. Often phobias appear when the patient has nothing to do with himself, both physically and mentally. Hobbies, sports, socializing with friends - all this will help you get distracted and get rid of negative emotions.

There are several additional techniques. For example, a method of recording your anxiety and worry. Did something frighten you, upset you, shock you? Write down your emotions from what is happening. Duplicate notes, do not be afraid to repeat yourself, splash out all your feelings on paper. For some, this therapy helps to remove obsessive and unreasonable fear. A person sees how everything that seemed dangerous takes on a material shape. It can be touched, reread, crossed out, or even crumpled up and thrown away. Seeing their thoughts in simple letters, many realize the absurdity and insignificance of their fear.

For those whose phobia manifests itself in the head not with specific thoughts, but with pictures, there is a method of internal replacement of images. Are you afraid of death, a plane crash or a terrible disease? At the moment of fright, begin to replace the images in your head with the opposite ones. Replace pictures with anxiety with ones that bring joy. Gradually, such an action will become a habit, at the moment of shock and anxiety, terrible images will not spin in your head, finishing off and exhausting.

For any sign of anxiety, panic, or even when you feel bored or sad, do something to help you relax. Take a bath, read a good book, spend time with your pet, drink tea with thyme or mint, wrap yourself in a cozy blanket, make something or just watch an interesting movie. Peace of mind and peace of mind is the most important thing. After all, very often internal problems give rise to external ones. Every fear starts in our head, with our thoughts and memories. Create yourself what you want to get from life, not being afraid of difficulties and worries!

Fear is a natural and necessary emotion for life, or rather an affective state. Healthy fear ensures self-preservation. This is a sign of intelligence and fantasy, the desire to live. Justified fear, such as the fear of a fire due to an electrical appliance left on, is helpful. Like pain, it warns us of a possible or emerging problem. But what if the fear is out of control and interferes with life? Read on.

Like any phenomenon, fear can be viewed from two sides, positive and negative:

The negative power of fear is that, being uncontrollable or turning into anxiety, behavioral disorders and the like, it spoils the life of an individual.
The positive power of fear is that it provides development. From the fear of ignorance, schools appeared, from the fear of death and injury in road accidents, mechanics improve cars, the fear of poisoning makes us carefully process and store products.

The difference between fear and anxiety

Fear is an emotion that is closely related to another one - anxiety. Sometimes these definitions can be confused. However, there are 3 characteristics that distinguish between these concepts:

Fear is more specific, for example, there is a fear of heights. While anxiety does not have a clear outline.
Anxiety is a subjectively significant emotion. It is caused by things, values that are significant for a particular individual. Anxiety arises against the background of a threat to the personality itself, its essence, worldview.
Before anxiety, a person is often helpless. For example, if uncertainty causes anxiety during an earthquake, then a person cannot influence this.
Anxiety is a constant phenomenon, fear is caused by a specific situation.

Specificity of fear

We can distinguish between real and false fear:

The first we experience in critical situations. For example, when the car got into a snow drift and is about to roll over.
False fear - imaginary feelings about what did not happen (“What if I get into a skid?”). We need to fight against false fears.

When we experience fear, there is an increase in sensory attention and motor tension. That is, we observe more actively and are ready to quickly run (act).

Uncontrolled and unprocessed fears turn into phobias and anxieties, which provokes personality neuroticism.

Signs of fear

Signs of fear include:

anxiety;
anxiety;
jealousy;
shyness;
other subjective states;
uncertainty;
physiological changes;
avoidance of the object of discomfort.

Reasons for fear

Among the reasons are:

self-doubt and other disorders;
childhood psychological trauma;
constant stress and often recurring critical situations;
the instinct of self-preservation.

The last reason encourages normative fear.

As noted by V. A. Kostina and O. V. Doronina, fear can be hereditary. Moreover, women are more likely to have social fears, and men - the fear of heights. By inheritance, the fear of heights, darkness, fear of doctors, punishment, loss of loved ones is transmitted.

How dangerous is fear

With fear, a number of physiological changes occur in the body. The work includes the hypothalamus, pituitary gland and adrenal cortex. As a result of activation of the hypothalamus, corticotropin is produced. It in turn includes the nervous system and the pituitary gland. It triggers the adrenal glands and produces prolactin. The adrenal glands secrete cortisol. Along with this, adrenaline and norepinephrine are produced. Externally and internally, all this is manifested:

pressure increase;
increased heart rate and respiration;
opening of the bronchi;
"goose skin";
decreased blood flow to the organs of the digestive and reproductive systems;
pupil dilation;
the release of glucose into the blood;
fast burning of fats;
increased acidity in the stomach and decreased production of enzymes;
shutdown of the immune system.

That is, the body comes into tension and becomes at a low start.

In real danger, this allows you to think faster, see better, hit harder, run faster. But if the fear is imaginary and constant, then the body does not benefit from everything that happens to it at this moment. That is why, against the background of fear, psychosomatic diseases develop:

stool disorders,
bronchial edema,
dyspnea,
chest pain.

Thus, there is a vicious circle. For example, you are afraid of getting sick, but against the background of fear you get sick. In addition, the more often you experience fear (stress), the less you can rationally assess the situation, which results in chronic phobias.

Just don't say that now you have a fear of fear (that was not my goal). In any case, we'll deal with it now. Read on.

The most popular fears: description and solution

One of the most popular fears is the fear of death (of one's own or loved ones). This is the most controversial phenomenon:

On the one hand, it can reach such proportions that a person will close within four walls and simply rewind the allotted time.
But on the other hand, this is a normal fear that makes us look around when we cross the road.

The only way to deal with it is to accept it. All people are mortal. It makes no sense to experience death several times in your thoughts and darken yourself with this all your life.

Other popular fears include fear of others, of oneself, of time, of fear.

Fear of others

The basis of fear is criticism, moreover, yours in the first place. To overcome this problem, try not to criticize yourself, but to praise. It is human nature to project our shortcomings or problems onto others, that is, in people we notice and scold what we do not accept in ourselves. And, as it were, we play ahead of the curve until it is noticed here. That is, we are afraid that our shortcomings will be noticed. This also includes:

pickiness;
resentment;
revenge;
unpleasant character traits (conflict, deceit, dishonesty, avoiding problems, indecision).

If you notice this in people and are afraid to experience it for yourself, then you probably already experienced it in your face a long time ago. On the same basis, there is a fear of seeming ridiculous, falling under the evil mood of someone. Solution to the problem: show yourself what you want to see in others.

Fear of self

We are talking about the fear of one's own ailments, imperfections of the body, loss of strength and the like. For such a problem, the solution is to achieve harmony of the body, brain and soul. This is a very difficult and wide path. Simply put, this is getting rid of psychosomatics.

Learn to listen to your body and accept the fact that it is a system capable of self-regulation, if it is not interfered with by imaginary fears. Have you ever said: “I don’t understand how I could do this. Now I won’t repeat it on purpose”? Here is the answer.

Fear of time

Learn the principle of "here and now." Fear of the passing time is often accompanied by self-flagellation due to postponing something for later or to the will of fate. You need to learn how to act and take responsibility for your actions.

Get rid of laziness.
Embrace the principle of "everything has its time," but in the context of your fulfilling your life plan and creating favorable conditions, and not waiting for the intervention of external forces.
Scroll through the situations in your head before doing something in practice (of course, only with a happy outcome).

Fear of fear

First of all, learn to call a spade a spade. Not "I'm nervous", but "I'm afraid of something". Basically, it's about the fear of the unknown. Read about overcoming it in the paragraph “From fear to freedom” of this article.

Learn to overcome your fears and use them for good. There is no need to be ashamed of fear, but you need to overcome it and resist. The optimal method in this case is the “wedge by wedge”. It's important to face your fears. If in alcoholism treatment begins with the acceptance (voicing, recognition) of the problem, then the correction of fears begins with a confrontation.
When working with fears, it is important to understand that it will not work the first time. You must be aware that it will not be easy, but it will be worth it. In case of failure, prepare an alternative plan (people with fears are best at coming up with workarounds), but use it only as a plan B.
Pretend you're not afraid of anything. Imagine that you have to play a role on stage. After a while, your brain will believe that you really are not afraid of anything.
Fears about the future are the least justified. You create your own future, so pay attention to the present. Fears about him are much more justified. By torturing yourself with something from the future, you spoil your whole life. You exist, you don't live.
Accept the fact that our life consists of white and black stripes, sometimes gray. Troubles, difficulties and uncertainties will often appear. It is important not to be afraid to face it, but to be sure that you can handle it. To do this, you need to be the master of your life.
Most fears come from childhood. But, firstly, a child and an adult perceive the same things in different ways. Secondly, often fear or disagreements with a particular person are projected onto an object. For example, you have problems in your relationship with your parents, but you are afraid of the dark (you were once locked in a closet). Then there is only one solution - to let go or discuss grievances.
Have you noticed that fears are always directed to the future (even if they are based on the experience of the past), and fears develop through imagination? So why not redirect your forces, for example, to creativity? Learn to switch attention. Understand that working through future events that most likely will not happen, you spend real physical, intellectual and psychological strength. Don't you feel sorry for this?
Fear of the unknown is the most unjustified. You do not yet know the object (phenomenon) itself, so how do you know that you need to be afraid of it? Try it. Haven't been on a plane? Try it. And then decide whether you will be afraid or not.

I want to make a reservation that you can not rush into the pool with your head and neglect your safety. That is, living a full life without fear does not mean going snowboarding, getting hurt and remaining disabled. Living without fear means making decisions yourself and being responsible for them, understanding all the risks and possible consequences.

The body is able to heal itself. Your task is to bring him out of a state of eternal tension. And that's what relaxation is for. We are talking about conscious relaxation of the body, replacing negative emotions with positive ones. But once again I remind you that you need to get rid of only unhealthy fear.

Plan of Healing

To overcome fear, you need to consistently solve a number of problems.

Change faith in the bad (this is fear) to faith in the good. There is a recipe for everyone here: someone turns to nature, someone to spirits, God, their own old pleasant memories.
Next, find support in someone and give it yourself.
Learn to listen to your body and trust your intuition.
Find the root cause of false fear.
Make up your recipe for courage. These are detailed aspirations (desires) and ways to achieve them. It is important to describe not only what needs to be done, but also what you can do.
Refocus attention from the result to the process.

You can read about each of these points and how to do them in L. Rankin's book Healing from Fear. The paper gives practical recommendations on meditation, the search for inner strength, the development of courage. For each element (beliefs, courage, search for causes, etc.), a whole list of techniques with a description is presented. The author presented so many techniques in one edition that I think you will definitely find something for yourself there.

From fear to freedom

If you are still reading this article, then you are probably trapped in your own fears and are looking for a way to freedom. Right? Well, he is. Includes 5 items:

Exit from the unconscious. It takes more energy to avoid the risk than the risk itself. A person is driven by the thought “better reliability than regrets.” In order to step over this stage, ask yourself the question: is your comfort zone really the same for you? Imagine who you could be if it wasn't for your fears.
Getting out of your perceived comfort zone. At this stage, a person is driven by the belief that uncertainty is the only constant and clear in his life. That is, a person understands that he infringes on himself, but remains in the old place. At this stage, it is important to stimulate yourself with praise. You are a brave person and will be able to get out of your zone.
At the third stage, a person is not afraid of uncertainty, but does not look for it either. Doubt more, be curious.
The search for the uncertain, the unknown, the new. Learn to see possibilities.
Acceptance of uncertainty as such (in the concept of the world). Realize that anything can happen, but any event has a meaning.

The fifth stage is the final one. This is the very freedom without fears that you need to enjoy. However, this is the most unstable stage. Your freedom must be constantly reinforced and maintained by practice. Otherwise it is easy to lose it.

Emergency help

If fear caught you by surprise, then you can quickly find inner strength by switching attention. As you become aware of your fear, direct your attention to your most intense passion, desire. Focus on it. Want it so much that there is no room for fear. Even if the objects of passion and fear are from different "worlds". Convince yourself that you will quickly deal with what scares you, and then do what you want.
The second way to quickly overcome fear is to imagine what it deprives you of. Usually people evaluate only one side: what fear saves them from. Imagine how much fear stifles your potential, your individuality, originality.
Practice self-indulgence. Repeat daily in front of a mirror, “I am the master of my life. Everything that happens (both good and bad) depends on me. There is no place for fear, as well as meaning in it.
If the fear is clearly defined, then thoroughly study all its aspects. Look him in the face. Find the positives.
The most non-standard and categorical method of struggle is concern about the consequences of anxiety. This is a dubious way, but it exists. Imagine how the situation will worsen from your experiences (after reading this article, you know what your body experiences during a period of fear). Oddly enough, from the realization of "playing against yourself" you will calm down. But I must say right away that the method is not suitable for everyone. You can go into even more self-torture. Be careful!

Childhood fears

Despite the individual nature of fears (although, as we remember, they are not as subjective as anxiety), they are based on the actual need of age. Therefore, we can generally classify fears by age:

Up to six months - fear of sharp and loud sounds and movements, loss of support.
From six months to a year - fear of dressing up, changing habitual, strangers, heights.
From a year to two - fear of doctors, injuries, separation from parents.
From two to three years - fear of the dark, parental rejection, animals, loneliness, nightmares.
From three to seven years - fear of insects, water, heights, fairy-tale characters, misfortunes, disasters, fires, schools.
School period - fear of harsh sounds, death, physical violence, loss of loved ones. Along with this, social fears arise that persist in the future (fear of being late, not coping with the task, getting punished). If you do not work out these fears, then there will be a fear of not living up to expectations, of looking stupid; relationship problems.

Age fears are normative if the child does not drop out of life (sociable, open). They will pass on their own. But if the child avoids communication, is constantly scared and worried, then professional correction is needed.

Children's fears can be imitative or personal. In the first case - copying someone's behavior, in the second - their emotions under the influence of difficult situations.

In addition, fears can be short-term (up to 20 minutes), quickly passing (leave after a conversation), protracted (up to 2 months, even with corrective work).

Children's fears: what to do?

You can fight children's fears with the help of fairy tale therapy. As part of this, I recommend that you familiarize yourself with the book by R. M. Tkach “Fairytale Therapy of Children's Problems”. In the work one can find not only a description of the method, but also the material (plots) of the fairy tales themselves.

Do not shame the child for fears, but ask about them. For example, what he saw, and how it looked, what it came for.
Accept the child's fear and tell a real or fictional story of personal fear and overcoming it.
Do not close the child in a dark room for the sake of punishment, do not scare the child with Baba Yaga or the "evil uncle" who will take him away. This is a direct path to neuroses and fears.
Ask what the child is watching or reading. Discuss it together.
To overcome specific fears, use fairy tale therapy or ridicule of fears.

Ridicule involves the visualization of fear (on a piece of paper) with the subsequent addition of funny (for a child) elements to it.

I also recommend the book by S. V. Bedredinova and A. I. Tashcheva “Prevention and correction of fears: a textbook”. It presents many practical options for therapy with children to overcome fears. Listing methods here, I think, does not make sense. The manual describes both puppet therapy, and art therapy, and a correction program, and much more (with indications and contraindications for each method, features of the implementation). The phenomenon of children's fears themselves is also described.

Results and literature on the topic

Fear is the echo of the animal in man, the primitive. Previously, this emotion was justified even when it was constant. But in the modern world, this prevents a person from living. The situation is even more aggravated if fear is intertwined with anxiety, shame, guilt and other emotions.

The danger of fear is not contrived. It not only creates psychological discomfort, but also destroys the body on a physical level. In part, the phrase “Whoever is afraid of something will happen to him” is true. And this is not about the supreme forces, the attraction of misfortunes and ailments. The point is that, experiencing fear, our body radically changes its work: an excess of hormones arises (with prolonged excessive influence, they provoke imbalance and intoxication, destruction of organs), the digestive and reproductive systems fade into the background, the activity of the cardiovascular system is gaining momentum . A person can actually get sick.

It is necessary to get rid of fear (I remind you, false fear). But only children's fears can go away on their own. Adults will have to consciously break themselves, rebuild their belief systems, challenge themselves constantly, make a plan of action.

I recommend reading another book: D. T. Mangan "The Secret of an Easy Life: How to Live Without Problems." The author reveals his own concept, according to which we are a complex mechanism that requires flogs to enable or disable systems. The book is a practical guide to restructuring your thinking, including getting rid of fears. For each problem, Mangan suggests using a unique password. These are the words to be used in difficult situations. And from them, supposedly, the situation will turn in your favor. I myself have not tried this approach, so I can’t say anything good or bad. But in my opinion, the very idea of the concept is interesting.

In the fight against fears, as in any business, the main thing is the beginning! You yourself will not notice how the fight will become easier. Gradually it will no longer be a struggle. Well, the result in the form of complete mental freedom is the highest reward. I wish you success in the fight against inner demons!

Everyone is equal before fear

There are two types of fears: natural and phobias. The first type, under certain circumstances, is inherent in all normal people, the second is a pathology that is a disease and requires special treatment. If you do not promptly ask yourself how to get rid of fears-phobias, then this will cause a person to be inadequate and will restrain him in certain decisions and actions.

Mechanism of fear

Fear is a certain mechanism for controlling a person, capable of making puppets out of people. If a natural fear, which is caused by some real threat, makes a person analyze the circumstances, become more alert, thereby protecting himself from potential danger, then in the case of phobias, everything happens the other way around! Pathological fear begins to fetter our consciousness, depriving us of the ability to rationally reason and analyze the situation - we turn into a puppet, a phobia begins to control us. Over time, this condition begins to arise systematically, and then constantly ... People have to look for ways to get rid of fears. Otherwise, a person first becomes depressive (a passive form of phobia), and then mentally unhealthy, and this is the right way to the “yellow house”.

Signs of fears

An attack of fear can be similar to a disease. For example, frightened, a person begins to feel dizzy, and his breathing becomes difficult, the heartbeat noticeably quickens, trembling begins throughout the body. In addition, the frightened person may sweat profusely, experience an attack of nausea and discomfort in the stomach. In this state, a person is unable to understand how to get rid of fear and anxiety, most likely, he will lose his sense of reality, thinking that all this horror is happening to someone else, but not to him! The worst thing that such a person can have is a phobia that inspires him with an overwhelming fear of death. This can drive him crazy, thereby provoking him to commit any actions that are dangerous both for himself and for those around him.

All this is fantasy...

Remember, any phobia is a figment of your imagination, its game! There are no mermaids in the river who can grab your leg and drag you into the water; the walls of your apartment are not going to close and crush you at all, and in the bedroom under the bed there are no evil and furry creatures constantly watching you ... In general, do not pull the cat by the tail, but consult a doctor who will explain to you how to get rid of fears created by your wild imagination. We will only give a few tips for solving this problem.

We fight phobias!

So, here are some tips on how to get rid of the fears caused by our imagination:

never think about your phobia, switch to other thoughts, preferably of a political nature;
imagine how some of your idol would behave in this situation (for example, Jensen Ackles, or, at worst, Dmitry Nagiev), then imagine yourself as him, feeling your success and confidence to the fullest;
draw your phobia on a piece of paper, depicting it not as terrible, but as humorous;
push away your far-fetched fear by thinking of it as something useless and unnecessary.

If you still do not find a solution to the problem of "how to lose fear" - contact a psychotherapist. The doctor will do everything possible to return you to society, restoring harmony in life.

Man is an undeniably rational being, clearly aware of his own actions, but certain reactions of his body cannot be controlled, or it takes considerable effort to do so. In particular, in moments of panic, when by the will of circumstances a person finds himself in a frighteningly difficult situation, his actions are often devoid of logic - harmless things become a source of negative emotions, the body trembles and weakens, control over thought processes is lost, as well as over any emotions. .

As a result, one has to think about how to cope with a phobia, to pacify an uncontrollable fear. Some fears are harmless, others can turn into an unbearable burden, as they become an obstacle to social life, communication, work, and do not allow you to enjoy pleasant little things. The fight against phobias in a neglected form is quite complicated, but quite real - clinics and psychological centers are being created for this purpose.

Phobias cannot be triggered, but must be properly treated

Before thinking about how to get rid of a phobia, you need to be sure of its presence - first you need to distinguish such phenomena from the fear of certain events and things inherent in any person. There are four factors that make it possible to recognize an uncontrollable fear:

Significant intensity, tied to certain objects, thoughts or circumstances.
Stability, since the nature of the phenomenon under consideration is permanent, it does not go away on its own.
Unreasonableness, when uncontrollable fear arises unreasonably as a result of certain expectations.
Life restrictions - the usual fear can be overcome, however, an uncontrolled reaction forces a person to avoid participating in certain events and situations with all his might.

The fact that treatment of fears, phobias is required is signaled by a number of signs:

Hypertrophied fear, panic at the sight of a certain object or in the event of a special situation.
There is uncontrollable trembling, palpitations, sweating increases, the oral cavity dries up, a feeling of nausea and dizziness is possible.
Mental retardation and the impossibility of building a logically verified plan of action are noted.
There is an uncontrollable desire to run away as far as possible, to hide safely.
After what is seen or experienced, weakness is felt, nightmares appear and paranoia appears.

Despite the fact that psychiatrists talk about the impossibility of a complete logical explanation of fear, this statement can be disputed, since there are many methods to get rid of a phobia, which requires understanding the root cause of its occurrence. There are many varieties of fears - a person can be afraid of spiders, sharp objects, water, open spaces and other things. However, there are also the most common causes of uncontrollable fear, they include:

Fear of closed spaces claustrophobia. Accompanying the phenomenon may be a strong frequent heartbeat, pain in the chest and dizziness.
When you are afraid of heights, talk about acrophobia, in this state, a person experiences a real panic attack and is unable to think normally.
At social phobia a person experiences panic when it is necessary to perform public actions. In general, about 13% of the inhabitants of the planet suffer from this type of pathology.
At zoophobia a person is afraid of certain animals, while the phenomenon may be the result of a negative experience of communication or transmitted from other people.

Due to acrophobia, a person behaves inappropriately, being on top

The danger of the condition and the possibilities of modern therapy

Now let's talk about whether treatment of phobias is required, how much professional intervention is necessary, and how to get rid of phobias and fears on your own.
Considering that panic states, even if they do not occur too often, negatively affect the quality of life, it is necessary to ask how to cure a phobia, especially since today there are many methods to cope with this condition. The effectiveness of therapy is high both in the case of the intervention of professionals, and when carrying out self-treatment, subject to the basic rule - there must be a willingness to analyze the underlying factors that provoked the development of fear and a sincere desire to eliminate it from one's own life. Specialists, approaching the solution of the problem, use a certain scheme of how to get rid of phobia, fear and panic states:

First stage- a clear definition of the phenomenon that causes fear, worsens the physical condition.
Second phase- work with the very cause of fear, while professionals at this stage use the methods of hypnosis, psychotherapy. Conducting special sessions helps the patient to realize and accept his fears, allows not to lose constructive thinking in case of a critical situation.
Third stage how to treat phobias - the control of fears in practice and the ability to make the right decisions without the desire to escape from reality.

It should be noted that when deciding how to treat phobias in adults, a specialist can use pharmaceuticals that help relieve nervous tension and reduce the occurrence of panic attacks. However, such drugs are quite dangerous for health, their use is fraught with the risk of the formation of pharmacological dependence, so it is undesirable to get involved in them.

Solve the problem on your own

When considering how to deal with phobias and fears on your own, the most common opinion is that only a professional should deal with treatment. However, this approach is incorrect - in the case when the patient is determined to a successful outcome and believes in himself, it is possible not only to reduce the manifestations of panic fears, but also to completely get rid of them.

Phobias need to be treated by a psychotherapist

In many ways, an independent approach to how to deal with fears and phobias resembles the approach of a professional psychotherapist, excluding the technique of hypnosis. The first thing to ask is what exactly is the source of the panic attack – not justified fear, but an uncontrollable feeling. After all, fear in the usual sense is a natural instinct for self-preservation, inherent in any living creature.

After determining the source of the problem, you should master the main method that will allow you to treat phobias and fears on your own. We are talking about desensitization, which is the ability to relax at the very moment when panic begins to manifest itself. Now about how to use it - first you need to fully relax and realize your fear by determining the answers to two important questions. How bad and scary is it in reality? Is it possible that the victim is exaggerating the danger?

When considering phobias and how to deal with them on your own, relaxation deserves special attention. The desired position is horizontal, after which the auto-training session begins. To achieve the desired effect, a voice recording can be used, included if necessary. Such sessions are required not only for panic attacks, but also in a calm state, when there is no source of fear, which in the future will allow you to more quickly reach the desired state.

A very important aspect is proper breathing, which helps to restore psychological balance, reduce heart rate and pulse. In the process of relaxation, it is recommended to listen to your own breathing, while completely surrendering to physical sensations, which will speed up the procedure and achieve a more complete effect.

Summing up the above, there are six stages of how to deal with phobias on your own:

analysis of the source of unreasonable fear;
awareness of fear and its acceptance;
a gradual decrease in the strength of the manifest fear;
the ability to relax in a critical situation;
restoration of breathing;
restoration of psychological balance through auto-training.

Effective techniques for dealing with pathology

There are special techniques that allow you to cope with a far-fetched pathological fear.

Breathing exercises help fight phobias

Consider the most effective ways to get rid of a phobia on your own using these techniques:

Turning off negative thinking, which allows you to cope with obsession with negative moments, suggests using the “electro-breaker” technique. Own fright is presented in the form of a relay that turns off with one jerk down - this process should be presented as vividly as possible in all details.
They get rid of fear with the help of breathing - inhalation supplies courage to the body, exhalation eliminates panic. In this case, after inhalation, a slight delay follows, while exhalation should be twice as long as inhalation.
It is necessary to do exactly what causes panic - in this case, a "drive" arises, a special energy that can help to realize oneself. If, for example, a person has social phobia and a fear of public speaking, they should be carried out at every opportunity.
The principle of "knocking out a wedge with a wedge" suggests using a technique based on the independent invocation of the physiological reactions corresponding to the phobia - rapid heartbeat and intermittent breathing. This approach destroys the integrity of the response to fear, resulting in the possibility of awareness and control of emotions.
The technique of "playing a theatrical role" allows you to overcome subconscious attitudes - it is necessary to portray a self-confident person, deliberately straightening his shoulders, assuming an imperial posture with his chin held high. A light smile is also needed - it is enough to linger in this state for just a few seconds so that the brain can respond to the reactions of the body and eliminate fear.

Consolidation of the received effect

In order for the panic state not to return, constant work on one's own personality and self-esteem will be required.

Focusing on the positive is the best prevention of phobias

For this, there is also a certain scheme of actions that should be followed in order to get the maximum positive effect:

all victories, even the most insignificant ones, must be recorded;
failures are carefully analyzed in order to be able to write another scenario that will be aimed at success;
it is necessary to create your own support with the construction of a support in the form of faith in science or in higher powers - the main goal is to gain confidence in a successful outcome when using your own capabilities to the maximum;
a person should be focused on the positive, you can rely on the love of loved ones, a benevolent attitude towards others and the perception of a reciprocal disposition.