It's normal for all people to experience some fears, but having a phobia is a more serious matter. A phobia is an extreme fear that is seemingly beyond one's control. Phobias are categorized as a kind of anxiety disorder, and often trigger nervousness and anxiety attacks in an individual. When a person has a serious phobia, they become so determined to get away from their fear that it affects their daily activities and their ability to live life.

Among the most common phobias are claustrophobia, a fear of enclosed spaces, acrophobia, the fear of heights, and arachnophobia, the fear of spiders. The number one most common phobia is arachnophobia. Although many people are afraid of spiders, those with arachnophobia possess an unusual amount of fear. Even a photo or drawing of an arachnid can make some people uneasy. Some people have anxiety attacks or panic at the sight of an arachnid. They might do anything in order to avoid a spider; for instance, people with serious arachnophobia might try to jump out of a moving car if they see a spider next to them.

Sufferers often feel ashamed of their unrestrained responses. Other people and even the sufferers themselves might see their behavior as irrational. Their fear of spiders and their reaction to arachnids may cause other problems as well. Arachnophobia and other phobias often lead to a condition called agoraphobia.

Agoraphobia develops when an individual fears being in any potentially stressful setting or situation. For a person with arachnophobia, this can mean avoiding any area a spider might be living, new places, and even avoiding leaving the house or going outside altogether. This can seriously disturb a person's regular. A person may fear having anxiety attacks or humiliating him or herself by losing control. People often find themselves in a constant state of anxiety over their fears.

People with phobias may struggle to control their fears. The truth is the root of the phobia exists at the unconscious level of the mind; so conscious willpower or effort does not work to control a fear. A phobia is most effectively dealt with at the unconscious level, which is why Ericksonian hypnotherapy and Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP) techniques are the most effective phobia treatments.

There are multiple different programs available for curing phobias. Most utilize older hypnotic techniques that rely on the use of post-hypnotic suggestions with highly exact wording to work against phobias. In this day and age, post-hypnotic suggestions often don't work because our generation has a tendency to question everything. And since today's generation tends to do the exact opposite of what they are told, they resist post-hypnotic suggestions and experience a polar response.

Ericksonian hypnotherapy is different from traditional hypnosis because it uses indirect suggestions that are embedded in conversation. This makes them difficult for the conscious mind to pick out, so they are more likely to make it through to the unconscious mind and be adopted.

The procedure typically starts by using hypnotherapy to make you feel completely calm and relaxed. Then, instead of simply "telling" your unconscious mind what to do, Ericksonian techniques use metaphors and stories to lead your mind into a phobia-free line of thought.

NLP techniques work by honing in on the specific thought process that generates an irrational phobia and using it to eliminate the fear. Because of this, NLP will work on all phobias.

People respond much better to the combination of NLP and Ericksonian techniques than to conventional hypnosis because instead of hearing direct orders, the unconscious mind is convinced to follow a different, more logical thought process. These hypnotherapy programs are quite effective for people who are analytical, critical thinkers and people who are independent thinkers.

You don't need a unique hypnosis program for each different phobia. A single program that includes several sessions containing the ideal combination of Ericksonian hypnotherapy and NLP techniques can treat any phobia. Additionally, a well designed program will work for anyone. The combination of different techniques in several different sessions guarantees success for each and every individual who uses them. By completing each step of the process, people often amaze themselves at how easily they beat their phobias.

Ericksonian hypnotherapy and NLP focus on changing irrational behaviors and fears into calm, collected responses. For many people struggling with crippling fears such as a phobia, this is a life-changing therapy. Hypnosis is a powerful tool for beating fears and anxieties to live a fuller, happier life.

Author's Bio: 

Alan B. Densky, CH has pioneered many hypnotic methods for treating irrational fears. His website offers a thorough hypnotherapy article library dedicated to every aspect of NLP and hypnosis. Visit for Free self help videos , downloads, and newsletters.