Hypnotherapy for tinnitus – how can it help?

Someone with tinnitus will experience noises in one or both of their ears. These noises can be ringing, whistling, buzzing or even humming. For some, the sound is ongoing and persistent, for others it comes and goes.

There are many reasons why someone may develop tinnitus, including damage to the inner ear and general hearing loss. If you think you have tinnitus, going to your doctor is your first port of call. They will be able to diagnose you, check for medical causes and offer advice/treatment options.

Treatments offered will generally be geared toward helping you cope with the symptoms. The nature of tinnitus can make it difficult to live with, especially if the noise is continuous. You may find it causes you a great deal of stress and even anxiety. Stress itself can’t cause tinnitus, but it can make symptoms worse and harder to cope with.

Therapies such as cognitive behavioural therapy, sound therapy and tinnitus retraining therapy may be recommended to help you cope with these symptoms. Another treatment that people are turning to for support is hypnotherapy.

The aim of hypnotherapy for tinnitus is to help you change your response to tinnitus, so your stress and anxiety response isn’t triggered. Putting you into a state of deep relaxation, your hypnotherapist will be able to communicate with your subconscious to encourage a more positive response.

Alongside this, many people find hypnotherapy a helpful tool for reducing stress and anxiety in general which can help ease symptoms of tinnitus, making it that much easier to cope with. Helping to reduce any hypervigilance you may have developed surrounding your tinnitus too, hypnotherapy can essentially help you tune out the sound more easily.

Talking to other people who experience tinnitus can also be a big help. The British Tinnitus Association have a helpline you can call if you need support, call them on 0800 018 0527 any time between Monday – Friday, 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM if you need to talk.

If you want to try hypnotherapy, you can use our advanced search team to find a hypnotherapist in your area and book a consultation.

Hypnotherapy to overcome fear of rejection

Being rejected is something many of us fear. Whether it’s in a social context or at work, if this fear becomes too intense, it can hold us back. Maybe this fear stops you from going for that promotion at work, or perhaps it’s stopping you from putting yourself ‘out there’ romantically?

If this is something you can relate to, know that you are certainly not alone and there is support available. Hypnotherapy is often used for fears and phobias, but can it help with a fear of rejection?

We speak to Will Aylward who tells us his experience of hypnotherapy for fear of rejection and how it’s inspired him to train to become a hypnotherapist.

When did you start to realise you had a fear of rejection?

I first realised I had a fear of rejection when I started my business four years ago. There were certain activities and actions I was willing to take, in my comfort zone, and others that seemed too scary – for example, writing a book.

What gave you the idea to try hypnotherapy?

I had previous success using hypnotherapy to manage anxiety and this gave me the idea to try it for fear of rejection. What initially interested me was learning how many celebrities, athletes and other people at the top of their game were using hypnosis to help them.

Did hypnotherapy work for you?

Hypnotherapy has certainly worked for me. I genuinely feel more in control, calmer and confident since discovering hypnosis. For me, it’s safe, powerful and relaxing.

Why did you decide to train to become a hypnotherapist?

I’ve decided to train as a hypnotherapist as I believe in its power for helping people. I work as a coach currently so I’m excited to have hypnosis as another powerful tool in my toolbox to facilitate positive change in my clients.

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Wondering whether or not your fear of rejection could be helped with hypnotherapy? We ask hypnotherapist Caroline Evans to explain further.

How do you start noticing the fear of rejection?

Fear of rejection is a symptom that derives from anxiety. When a person’s anxiety rises, some of the symptoms could be increased heart rate, hot or cold flushing, stomach churning or panic attacks – classic symptoms of our flight or fight response. The anxiety is caused by our own negative thoughts, maybe a lack of confidence in certain areas of our life or low self-esteem. This can cause us to avoid situations altogether as we negatively forecast the outcome before the event has taken place.

How can hypnotherapy help with fear of rejection?

The fear of rejection is a thought or template that sits in our primitive, emotional, subconscious mind. The subconscious mind holds our emotions, memories and inappropriate behaviour patterns.

The fear might block your natural and infinite strengths and resources and make you hesitant to take action, preventing you from reaching your goals.

Hypnotherapy uses trance or deep relaxation to relax the body and mind. While relaxed the subconscious is open to positive suggestions which can develop fresh neural pathways.

The process calms down the nervous system and helps you to integrate the positive suggestions into your life. To change the ‘bad habits’, we’re engaging both parts of our mind.

Solution-focused hypnotherapy uses positive psychotherapy on the conscious mind to reset your goals and clinical hypnosis to access the subconscious mind when in trance. This allows both minds to work together in unison for the same successful result.

Do you have any advice or tips for those that might be struggling with fear of rejection?

For those who suffer from a fear of rejection, it’s important to understand that the feeling of anxiety associated with it may be born from low confidence levels or limiting belief in ourselves.

Tips to help in the situation would be:

• Taking time to slow down and relax which restores your capacity for objectivity. Either using deep breathing techniques, meditation or yoga or just a walk in the park.
• Relaxation slows down the heart rate, reduces blood pressure and slows down breathing.
• Relaxation allows the amygdala – which operates our flight or fight response – to come off high alert and rest.
• Seek help, maybe from a hypnotherapist who can help you to slow down and relax. This encourages you to be more aware of your thoughts and feelings, instead of being overwhelmed, so you can better manage them. Once we learn to relax and drop our limiting beliefs, we can then move into an area of possibilities and realise that we are all capable of remarkable things.

Overcoming a balloon phobia with hypnotherapy

I grew up with an acute phobia of balloons, fireworks, motorbikes etc. loud noises in general that I felt my ears couldn’t cope with. Whilst most faded, the phobia of balloons has become more intense as I have grown up. The unpredictability, the smell, the delicateness; all things I actively loathed about balloons could bring on a panic attack, even someone mentioning the word could make me very uncomfortable.

At 27, my phobia is often laughed at, scoffed at and dismissed as silly, so it was time to try a new tactic with different support. Christmas in particular is a time where I am very aware of my phobia, so I decided to visit my hypnotherapist Ruth.

“The first step with all clients is trying to thoroughly understand their struggles. A positive therapeutic relationship is one of the keys to successful results and is something I quietly work hard to achieve. In this instant, the foundations were already in place. Often people are ashamed and embarrassed about having a phobia. Some go to extreme lengths, avoiding and manipulating situations to ‘manage’ their phobia. When a client comes to me asking for help, it is the first big step in a journey to an easier, more comfortable life.” Ruth Hazeldine, Dip.Hyp, HDP, MNCH

What’s the difference between phobia and fear?

A phobia is often described as an irrational, learned fear that stems beyond being afraid of something. The heightened sense of anxiety can often physically paralyse its victim and no amount of rationalisation can quell the intense feelings of anxiety, fear and often anger. For example, I am slightly scared of spiders but I am able to remove them from my house with relative ease. With my phobia of balloons, the feelings would be so strong that I physically could not enter the room.

What the phobia represents

Symbolism can be key in addressing phobias. It can be that you simply don’t like something that can evolve into a phobia, or there can be a trigger. Identifying my trigger was useful in looking for a ‘why’ in a seemingly irrational situation. In my former self, a balloon bursting was unpredictable and dangerous. If it was too close to my head, my ears would burst and the material would sting my face. It was about protection.

When my mother was pregnant with me, she lived next to a volatile neighbour who used starting pistols and fireworks in his garden on regular occasions. As surmised by my doctor, this could well have been the trigger of my phobia, I was a child picking up on my mother’s stress. Even in the womb, I recognised these noises as a signal of danger or stress. This meant that I grew up feeling the need to protect myself from balloons and their unpredictability.

Once I had identified my trigger and unpacked this with Ruth, we looked at my goal situation. She said, “I help clients to describe their goals. That might sound simple, but many people struggle to see their life without the phobia. They find it hard to verbalise being comfortable in a situation they have learned to fear.”  

My goal was to coexist with a balloon without noticing it. But actually, Ruth helped me realise my goal was to enjoy a balloon.

How can hypnotherapy help a phobia?

A gentle but effective approach to treating phobias, hypnosis encourages you to transcend into a deep state of relaxation whilst experiencing feelings of comfort, happiness and safety. Once in this state, you are more susceptible to suggestion and change, so your therapist may take you through a triggering situation. Anxiety and relaxation can’t exist in the body at the same time and the aim is to experience these triggering situations with feelings of joy and safety, effectively unlearning the anxiety associations.

I practised bringing relaxation to my body in everyday life with self-hypnosis techniques and building up positive, fun experiences with balloons. Over the course of my hypnotherapy, Ruth worked with me to build up a ‘mental toolkit’ to have at my disposal when a phobia attack should arise.

The benefit of having a safe place I could conjure at my fingertips and the feelings associated with this space, ensures that if I keep practising, I will be able to enjoy the presence of a balloon and the joy it brings others.

“Hypnosis helps people face their fears while feeling totally relaxed, mentally rehearse situations whilst experiencing comfort and allow them to visualise the future they want,” Ruth explains.

In my first session, I noticed how pretty the balloon looked floating in the imagined wind. In my third session I mentioned that a balloon is similar to a bubble, they float and they burst beautifully. And after my fifth session, I bought a pack of balloons to play with.

What I managed was to step away from the learned anxiety that had built up over time and perceive a balloon how my niece saw it; as a toy or decoration. A previously completely alien concept.

Perhaps I will always notice a balloon, but I certainly won’t be crossing the road to avoid it or finding myself angry at the injustice of a child torturing me by playing with a balloon near me.

Hypnotherapy and Dementia

Written by Tania Taylor Dementia is rapidly becoming the biggest killer in the world, with one person diagnosed worldwide every 3 seconds, and more than 1 in 3 people over the age of 80 will die with dementia. In the UK, there are currently 850,000 people living with dementia, and this figure is set to ... Read moreHypnotherapy and Dementia

Agoraphobia at Christmas: how to manage the holidays with an anxiety disorder

What is agoraphobia?

Agoraphobia (ag-uh-ruh-FOE-be-uh) is a debilitating and life challenging condition, an anxiety and panic disorder leaving sufferers avoiding certain social situations for fear of panic, embarrassment or lack of escape. Often thought of as a fear of leaving the house, or a fear of open spaces, an individual suffering with this condition may actually struggle with much more complex situations including:

• visiting a shopping centre
• travelling on public transport
• a fear of small spaces (lifts)
• being surrounded by lots of people or crowds
• being too far away from home

Learn about hypnotherapy and anxiety.

Many of these symptoms can be heightened at Christmas, with the festive period involving social gatherings, work parties, busy shopping centres and leaving the house to do the festive family duties. The panic element of agoraphobia can leave an individual with often terrifying symptoms they’re unable to control and left untreated may lead to further mental health issues.

Common symptoms include:

• feeling sick
• feeling overcome with heat
• starting to sweat
• rapid heartbeat
• uncontrollable crying
• the urge to run
• shaking
• dizziness

Hypnotherapy for agoraphobia

In the UK around two in 100 people struggle with a panic disorder, but around a third of these people eventually overcome these symptoms and remain symptom-free for life. With many techniques to overcome agoraphobia, including CBT and medication, hypnotherapy is an effective technique in helping individuals struggling with agoraphobia. Hypnotherapy can unlock a practised state of calm in the mind or ‘relaxation technique’ in times of distress.

Find a hypnotherapist using our search tool and overcome your anxiety.

Your hypnotherapist will work with you on your ‘goal scenario’ (what you want the outcome to be from hypnotherapy treatment for your agoraphobia) using relaxation techniques to access your unconscious. Using the power of suggestion, they’ll work with you to create a sense of calm that can be accessed mindfully when your anxiety triggers. You’ll learn new reactions to certain situations that often trigger your anxiety and ‘unlearn’ reactions that have been holding you back.

National mental health charity Mind share eight tips for help with relaxation.

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Self-care tips over the Christmas period

• Share with a family member

Share you thoughts and worries with a trusted member of your family, someone you feel comfortable with. If an event gets too much, you’ll have someone to support you, spot the signs of your heightened anxiety or what is going to trigger it and comfort you if needed. In sharing your worries, you can also manage your family’s expectations of you over the Christmas period.

• Learn to say ‘no’

Knowing your boundaries is particularly important at Christmas as increased social interaction and ‘forced cheer’ can increase the pressure you put on yourself to portray the perfect Christmas attitude. But if a certain social event is bothering you, or there are simply too many events going on, politely decline the event you don’t wish to attend.

It’s perfectly acceptable not to attend an event, but be mindful that you don’t fall into a vicious circle of not attending anything, feeling guilty or embarrassed for missing out and as such remaining at home for another event. Take small steps to push your boundaries but be aware of the triggers.

• Don’t compare yourself to others

A lot easier said than done, Christmas can be a particularly difficult time if you struggle with comparing yourself to to others. Christmas party dresses, Christmas presents, social gatherings etc. can add to a catalyst of low-self confidence and lack of self-esteem. Be gentle with yourself. If you’re in the presence of other people, you have already taken a big step forward in your recovery and that is worth celebrating.

• Make sure there is ‘you time’

As with any part of life, ‘you time’ is particularly important to rebalance yourself, de-stress and spend some time doing the things you enjoy as just you, as opposed to ‘we’. As the everyday routine of life is often disrupted at Christmas, ensure you have some uninterrupted time and a space where you can retreat to to ensure you reconnect with yourself, your needs and relax in a comfortable space.

Have You Got The Right Mindset?

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How to quit smoking when surrounded by smokers

As one in five adults in the UK is a regular smoker, it’s likely that if you’re trying to quit smoking, encountering smokers regularly will certainly test your will-power.

Social smoking and drinking go hand in hand in the UK pub culture, and regular cigarette breaks with colleagues have become the norm in the office workplace. But with the startling statistic that nearly 50% of all smokers die prematurely due to smoking-related diseases, there isn’t a better time to extinguish for good, than right now.

Beating an addiction will be difficult, frustrating and require lots of determination. But, with the right support, you can get there. When it feels like the rest of the world is lighting up, read our top tips for achieving your quitting goals.

Set expectations.

Whether that’s with friends, family, colleagues or a partner, make sure you communicate your quitting plans and what you hope to expect from those around you. If your partner smokes, make plans to ensure they smoke outside, cigarettes are kept out of sight and they don’t give you a cigarette (even if you ask for one), etc. Ensure your surround yourself with a supportive network who know you are serious and dedicated to the cause, and can help you along your journey.

Detox your social media.

Unfortunately, in our society, we can’t escape digital adverts that follow us around the web. But you can actively unfollow any accounts or websites on your social channels that have you reaching for the packet of cigarettes. In this case, out of sight out of mind will help combat your internal habit reminder that it’s time for a cigarette.

Plan for nights out.

It’s very common that a night out on the town will ensure slip-ups, so plan ahead. If you know you can’t resist a quick smoke with your beer, take something with you to occupy your mind. It sounds silly, but download a game on your phone so when your friends pop out for a cigarette, lose yourself for five minutes in the game. You’ll quickly realise that distraction is a powerful tool.

Join a group.

Surround yourself with a positive group who are on the same journey as you. They can offer you support and understanding that your friends may not truly be able to give. A quit smoking group is dedicated to one collective goal and will be readily available with tips and tricks to combat your cravings, social pressures and quitting difficulties.

A simple google search for your local hospital and its smoke-free services is the best way to reach fellow quitters and support groups.

Get active.

Ex-smokers have often said that they miss having something to hold or fiddle with. It might be worth investing in a small stress ball or any small toy that you can hold or squeeze when a craving is particularly apparent.

Reassess why you smoke.

If smoking is a treat for you, consider what other treats you allow yourself and what they give you. A stressful day could be eased with a quiet bath or a glass of your favourite wine – which could be savoured rather than hampered with the taste of nicotine.

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Our final note is to get all the help you can! Quitting smoking is life-changing and, at any age, you can do it. Seeking professional help in the form of a hypnotherapist can be an effective treatment for smoking. By breaking negative thought patterns and behaviours associated with smoking, you can see the cigarette in its true form, rather than what it symbolises to you.