Understanding fear, where it comes from, and how to finally move past it.
Phobias are far more common than most people realise. In fact, almost everyone has at least one fear that feels disproportionate, irrational, or completely out of their control. Some people avoid spiders. Some avoid flying. Some feel terrified of driving, crowded spaces, needles, dogs, dentists, vomiting, choking, public speaking — the list goes on.
if you have ever wondered how many there are, in fact there would appear to be around 500 named phobias, from Ablutophobia (Fear of washing) to Zoophobia (Fear of animals)..
There are so many because a phobia can form around almost anything.
The real question isn’t how many phobias exist… The real question is why they start? How does one get past them?
Why Do Phobias Start?
Phobias always begin in the subconscious mind and not in conscious thought. They usually form for one of three reasons, and are often a mixture of all three.
1. A bad experience (even a small one)
A moment that felt overwhelming, frightening, or shocking can “imprint” in the mind.
Sometimes it’s a major event, but very often it’s something tiny.
A dog jumped up at you once and scared you…
A lift got stuck for thirty seconds…
A teacher shouted…
Someone was sick nearby…
A spider ran across your hand…
It doesn’t matter how “small” it seems now. In that moment, your mind stored it as danger.
2. Learned fear
Children can also pick up fears from parents, siblings, or friends, someone trusted who is close to you, a protector… If they react dramatically to something, a child absorbs the message: “That’s dangerous.”
Fear can be taught without a single word.
3. Stress or overload
Phobias can appear during times of emotional strain. If your system is already overwhelmed, the mind may latch onto a specific thing as the “threat,” even if it’s not the real problem. Your subconscious simply does its best to protect you, even if the protection is unhelpful.
What Keeps a Phobia Going?
Once a phobia forms, it tends to reinforce itself through a very predictable cycle:
Fear → Avoidance → Relief → More Fear
You avoid the thing…
You feel safer…
Your brain goes, “Yes, good. Avoiding keeps us alive.”…
The fear grows!
This is the trap.
You see avoidance does tend to reinforce and make phobias stronger, even planning ahead (“What if…?”) feeds the fear.
This is why phobias feel stuck, you can’t think your way out of them, because they’re not based in logic to begin with.
How Do You Get Past a Phobia?
The key to overcoming a phobia is to work on the subconscious response, not the conscious one. You don’t need to “be brave.” You don’t need to “push through.” And you definitely don’t need to suffer through exposure therapy if you don’t want to. Instead, you need to update the unconscious belief that the thing is dangerous. This is exactly where hypnotherapy is at its strongest.
How Hypnotherapy Helps You Overcome Phobias
Hypnotherapy works by adjusting the emotional and neurological pattern that created the phobia in the first place. It helps your mind reinterpret the trigger safely and calmly without force or fear.
Here’s what we usually work on:
1. Rewriting the emotional imprint
If fear was learned in a moment, it can be unlearned in a moment too. Hypnotherapy helps release that initial “shock imprint” so the trigger loses its power.
2. Reducing the physical fear response
People often report that even thinking about their phobia sets off sweating, shaking, or panic. Hypnotherapy calms the nervous system so the body stops reacting.
3. Changing the subconscious belief
We help the mind learn that the trigger is safe not because you tell yourself logically, but because your subconscious finally believes it.
4. Building emotional resilience
When the fear response softens, confidence rises. People often say, “It doesn’t bother me anymore,” and they genuinely mean it.
5. Breaking the avoidance cycle
Avoidance is replaced with a feeling of calm, control, and neutrality. The process is gentle, effective, and often surprisingly fast.
Why People Delay Getting Help (Common Barriers)
People often wait far longer than they need to.
Here’s what I hear most:
- “What if the phobia gets worse?”
- “I don’t want to face the thing I’m scared of.”
- “It’s embarrassing.”
- “I’ve had it so long, can it even change?”
- “I’m not sure what hypnotherapy actually does.”
- “I feel silly having this fear.”
Here’s the reality:
A phobia is just a learned response. It is not your fault. It absolutely can change.
You don’t have to face the thing. You don’t have to push yourself. You don’t have to be embarrassed.
You just have to start the process of teaching your mind something new.
You Don’t Have to Live With a Phobia Forever
A phobia is not who you are it’s simply a pattern your mind learned at some point. Just as it was learned, it can be unlearned.
Whether it’s spiders, flying, sickness, lifts, driving, dogs, crowds, needles, or something lesser-known… I have helped so many people move past fears they once thought were permanent.
If you’re ready to feel free again, I’m here to help you do exactly that.