It’s natural to have some fear of heights. Feeling a little jittery when you’re at a great height and you look down below is a perfectly normal and useful survival mechanism. However, for some people this circumstance can cause extreme panic and affect their quality of life. This was the case for Susan.
Susan sought help through hypnotherapy because she had a fear of falling when on staircases and escalators, a fear that was impacting on her enjoyment of life. Concert halls, sports stadiums and shopping precincts had all become a major challenge for Susan and the anxiety she experienced when confronted with a set of steps was resulting in full-blown panic attacks.
Whilst Susan’s reason for seeking help was specific (i.e. a fear of falling on staircases and escalators) she was also experiencing high levels of general anxiety and stress in her life, concerning work and relationship issues along with health and financial worries. Consequently, we worked on reducing this anxiety first before dealing with the fear of falling.
Susan had eight sessions of hypnotherapy in total. In her last session she told me all about her recent visit to London, how pleased she was to have remained calm on the escalators of the underground and how she now had a feeling of being in control when on a staircase. The sparkling moment for Susan was at one of London’s visitor attractions where she succeeded in going up a very long escalator and walking along glass bridges to a viewing gallery with floor to ceiling glass.
Below are some of the comments Susan made about her experience of hypnotherapy:
“I feel more in control of everything.”
“I have realised that I have it inside me to control stress, that I can control the way I feel.”
“I feel really positive going forward and much happier. Through hypnotherapy I have turned my life around.”
For reasons of confidentiality, the name of this client has been changed.
If you would like help with fear, anxiety or stress please call 07514 931 096 or email me using the contact form.