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How to get rid of obsessive thoughts and fears. How to get rid of a phobia. Obsessive fears

Fear is the feeling that every person has. Fears are different: for children, for their health, fear of heights, confined spaces, fear of spiders and so on.

If you are afraid, it means that you can avoid unpleasant sensations. Reasonable fears warn against unnecessary actions and deeds.

But what to do when fear has completely filled your existence? You are afraid , . And these thoughts become obsessive and fill your entire consciousness and existence. That is, they turn into phobias. How to get rid of this fear? About this - in the material.

You will find auto-training to increase self-esteem in ours.

Where do fears and phobias come from?

Fears psychologists divide into two main groups:

  • rational;
  • irrational.

The first are in every person and are transmitted at the gene level... They help a person avoid danger, save the life of himself or his loved ones. For example, you will not hang from the balcony railing on the 7th floor.

What for? After all, it is life-threatening - you can break loose and crash. The same rational fears will not force you to approach something dangerous: a poisonous snake, a predator, an angry dog. Therefore, such fears fulfill their functions:

  • protection;
  • getting rid of troubles;
  • direct to the right actions and deeds.

But the second group - irrational fears- make a person afraid of something that actually does not exist. These are far-fetched fears. How do they appear?

When a person does not solve some internal problem, postpones it for later, he is afraid of something in reality. But if he does not work on himself, then this fear is deformed and passes into the subconscious, causing irrational fear.

For example, a young man was always afraid of people, society, had complexes and could not find a common language with his peers. But constantly inwardly postponed this worrying fear: "Then I'll think about what to do with it."

Real fear eventually faded into the subconscious. And an irrational fear appeared - the fear of heights. Now this young man is afraid even to stand on a chair.

It - contrived fear, which, as a result of the deformation of his fear - the fear of people and not being at his best in communicating with them - turned into such a contrived fear - the fear of heights.

What is the danger of living in fear and how to overcome this feeling? Learn from the video:

Types of phobias

Long-term, unfounded fear in psychology it is called a phobia.

This fear leads to long-term anxiety, to the expectation of the worst.

The person's personality begins to deform. Fear follows him everywhere.

You should not delay with such a state., since further pathological changes in consciousness follow, which can lead to mental illness. All phobias of a person can be divided into main classes:

  • aichmophobia - fear of sharp objects;
  • - water;
  • social phobia - society;
  • - heights;
  • - an animal;
  • - confined space;
  • ethnophobia - of a particular race, and so on.

Can you fight on your own?

Man is a rational being. He can analyze his states and emotions. Therefore, he can cope with his fears and phobias on his own.

The main thing in order to conquer fear and anxiety:

  1. Human desire.
  2. Ability to analyze.
  3. Ability to draw correct conclusions.
  4. Work on yourself.

If you feel like you can't do it alone, consult a psychologist, which will offer you several methods of getting rid of fears and phobias.

If you feel strong in yourself. Then start on your own to get rid of unnecessary fears and worries that prevent you from living.

For this:

  1. Tell yourself honestly what scares you.
  2. Learn to relax as much as possible during the rush of fear.
  3. While relaxing, try to understand - is everything really so scary and unpredictable.
  4. Try to relax as much as possible and breathe correctly.

The hardest part in getting rid of phobias on your own is to be able to relax. To do this, you will be helped by:

  • music;
  • soothing sounds;
  • even calm breathing;
  • comfortable position for yourself;
  • the ability to present oneself at this moment in the most favorable environment for oneself.

Not everyone is able to relax and gradually minimize fear. Therefore, a psychologist in this situation is your best assistant.

With the correct conduct of such sessions fear will decrease, and literally in a month you will not feel any attacks of fear.

How is fear or anxiety manifested, how does it affect a person and how to get rid of it? Psychologist's comment:

What methods does the treatment include?

How can you cure or suppress fear? With a professional approach to treating experiences a number of modern techniques are used- starting from hypnosis and ending with medication.

But if you turned to a specialist on time, and medications are not shown to you, then the specialist can apply other methods of treating fears:

  1. Desensitization is a kind of working through situations that cause fear.
  2. Exposure is a meeting with fear eye to eye.
  3. Humor is the ability to laugh at your fears and at yourself.
  4. Progressive muscle relaxation.
  5. Included simulation is the replay of a situation that triggers fear.

Therapy using virtual reality- the transfer of fear to the game with fictional or fabulous characters that do not exist in nature.

Also, the doctor may offer to state everything on paper, draw diagrams of different situations and ways out of them. Then you will visually see that there are actually many outputs - choose any.

May be offered logic-enabled technique when all fears are shown schematically, a diagram of options for overcoming them will be proposed.

Logically reasoning, the patient will eventually come to the conclusion that fears are only in his head, they are nowhere else. They are far-fetched and far from reality.

Basic principles in overcoming

I’m afraid of everything: how can we fight it?

Depending on the reasons for the appearance of fears, and, as a rule, all fears from childhood, it is necessary to identify the main method of working with this fear.

But for any reason and any technique, there are certain principles for overcoming fear:

  1. Move away from negative thoughts.
  2. Think more about the positive.
  3. Start dreaming about something.
  4. Set a goal for yourself.
  5. Catch yourself on negative thoughts, stop and translate them into a positive way (For example, I cannot go with a friend now, but I will definitely do it after class).
  6. Take bad news as a change for the better.
  7. Give in to even negative events with the thought “it means, it is necessary for some reason”.
  8. Know how to laugh at yourself - it's funny, so it's not scary.
  9. Do not stop there, move on.

How to remove anxiety and fear from the subconscious at home? Hypnosis session:

Unfortunately, our telecommunications are full of horror films, including films, games, such as zombies, street posters, pictures on the net, and so on.

We can see something scary and forget for a while about it.

But then terrible pictures appear in my head, and fear appears. The first thing to do is turn on the logic. Sit down, calm down and ask yourself 3 questions:

  1. Why am I thinking about this now?
  2. What prompted me to these thoughts?
  3. What was the root cause of this thinking?

By answering these questions, you will realize that, for example, a recently watched horror movie has been reformatted into horrible pictures and fear.

Make the right conclusion - give up what excites your mind and makes it paint unpleasant, terrifying pictures.

From self-hypnosis

Speaking about the psychosomatic nature of the disease, doctors mean the psychological and mental state of a person, which provoked the disease. Doctors believe that all diseases come from the state of the nervous system. That's why the main conditions for good health and the absence of fears:

  • calmness;
  • equilibrium;
  • the ability to relieve stress by exercise;
  • active lifestyle;
  • proper nutrition.

Get rid of self-hypnosis, including fears, possibly in different ways:

  1. Think more about the positive.
  2. Get to the bottom of the fear and put the root cause on the sheet. Then get rid of this cause by working on yourself with the help of specialists or on your own.
  3. Keep yourself busy with new interesting things.
  4. Read more positive literature, watch good films.
  5. Treat difficulties as necessary experiences in your life.

In other words, run away from negativity, look for positivity even in not very nice things, set yourself up in a positive way, organize your thinking so that you always have a good mood.

From anxiety and internal tension

Anxiety in a person can occur periodically when a stressful situation arises, then if anxiety is your constant companion, then psychologists talk about the so-called anxious personality, who is already worried and without reason - out of habit.

Internal tension arises, which may be accompanied by sweating, a flare-up, painful symptoms. We must prevent such a state... For this:


There are a lot of ways to get away from negativity. Don't let fear take over in your head... Overcome yourself, work on yourself, every small victory will help drive away all negative thoughts and make room for:

  • dreams;
  • joy;
  • love.

How to love yourself and increase your self-esteem? for women on our website.

Exercises

What to do to overcome feelings of anxiety? Exercises to relieve anxiety in adults:


Love yourself, because you are alone at home, so unique, individual, unusual, talented.

Don't be afraid to be who you are. Naturalness has always attracted people and pushed aside fears, doubts, anxiety.

How to overcome fear and anxiety within yourself? The exercise:

People have a variety of anxieties and fears. The reasons are most often individual and, as a rule, these fears tend to pass over time, or change. But there are times when anxiety turns into panic and the usual human feeling of fear is transformed into a phobia. In this article, we will look at what phobias are and how to deal with them.

Phobia (phobia) is a stable, irrational fear of any situation, object or creature.

Typically, a phobia is accompanied by certain symptoms. They can meet together or separately.

  • The person is cold, but at the same time he is thrown into sweat, defined as "cold sweat";
  • Difficulty breathing
  • The body becomes "disobedient", legs and arms tremble;
  • A person is immersed in a sense of the unreality of what is happening, it is difficult for him to navigate in space;
  • Heartbeat increases, blood pressure rises or falls;
  • There is panic, a desire to flee, to get out of an alarming situation.

If you diagnose yourself with some of these symptoms for a long time, when faced with a certain situation, object or creature, as well as regularly think about how to deal with fears - most likely you have a phobia.

Any phobia is a disease that requires treatment.

But before moving on to the question of how to get rid of phobias on your own, you need to disassemble the main reasons for their occurrence.

Causes

According to statistics, pathological fear occurs due to two most common reasons:

  1. Stressful or traumatic situation. This reason is the most common, although people do not always remember what exactly happened, as a result of which a constant fear appeared. However, an associative array associated with a past situation can cause fear. For example, the fear of driving is based on a previous accident, and the fear of choking is based on food getting stuck, causing anxiety. People with advanced imaginations may develop a phobia after a terrible incident with friends, or simply by seeing something frightening on TV.
  2. Hereditary factor. Many fears, for example, fear of heights, snakes, spiders, etc. are based on the instinct of self-preservation and are inherent in all of humanity. However, in people with a weak nervous system or a hereditary predisposition, the instinct for self-preservation can transform into obsessive fear.

Understanding and establishing the true causes of fears is already half the battle on the way to answering the question of how to cope with phobias.

How to cure

Experts say that there are different methods of treating phobias, which differ in the type of impact on a person. Treat ingrained fears in the following ways:

  1. Hypnotherapy. Treatment of any phobias and fears has become possible on an unconscious level since the second half of the 20th century thanks to the discovery of the method of hypnotherapy. The essence of the method lies in the doctor's instilling in our subconscious mind a positive perception of our fears. The method is very complex and has many nuances, since its success exclusively depends on the professionalism of the hypnotherapist. However, hypnosis treatment of phobias is not the rarest way to deal with fears.
  2. Treatment of phobias in a medicinal way. It is used in cases where other methods are not effective, and the patient is in a constant state of depression, panic and anxiety. Medication for fear can only be prescribed by the attending physician.... To achieve the best effect, drugs from the benzodiazepine group are used. They can help to overcome phobias in a short time, however, they can have an addictive side effect. Therefore, the intake of these drugs is strictly regulated in dosage and timing of administration. The mechanism of action of benzodiazepines is to inhibit the process of nervous excitement. Another group of drugs is more common in the treatment of fears and phobias - these are antidepressants. They begin their effect on the patient's body only after 5-10 days of admission, they can provoke side effects in the form of constipation, dry mouth, tremors in the limbs. However, this drug has the significant advantage that it is not addictive. The mechanism of action of antidepressants in the treatment of phobias is to block the breakdown of those substances in the body that are responsible for a positive outlook on the world and a good mood: serotonin and dopamine.

Remember that any medicine can only be taken as prescribed by a doctor and only in recommended doses! Any inaccurate intake of medications can negatively affect the patient's health, and in extreme cases cost life!

  1. Phytotherapy. The so-called "home" method of treatment. Any herbal medicine primarily has a sedative effect, which is so necessary for a person in the treatment of phobias and fears. Essential oils based on mint are used in the treatment; alcoholic tinctures of valerian, hawthorn, peony; teas brewed from oregano, lemon balm, dill. On the basis of medicinal herbs, quite effective drugs have also been developed that do not cure, but help to relax and reduce the level of anxiety. These include: Afobazol, Novopassit, Persen, Tenoten. The main condition for the effectiveness of this type of treatment is the weak severity of the disease.

  1. Self-medication. As statistics show, it is possible to get rid of a phobia on your own. There are recommended psychologist's advice, following which the dream of getting rid of fears can become a reality.
  • Face your fears, face them. In practice, this often means stopping the use of drugs, especially prophylactic ones.

However, remember that self-denial of medication is not permissible - you must notify your doctor about this!

  • Strive to meet your fears more often. Often, the effect of "reaction burnout" helps to cure a phobia, the essence of which is an increase in the number of experienced situations in which a person experiences panic, until the moment of gaining experience, characterized by protective reactions of the body and psyche. The subconscious mind remembers that he managed to overcome his fear.
  • Make a list of what your fear consists of. For example, if you are afraid to fly, describe what exactly causes anxiety. It can be landing or takeoff, confined space or turbulence, etc. In order for the fight against fear to be effective, it is important to pay attention to the smallest details of the disease.
  • Learn to relieve stress... Fear is always accompanied by bodily manifestations: it can be sweat, fever, tremors, palpitations, headache, etc. In most cases, relaxation techniques are the answer to the question of how to overcome this state of the body. This can be meditation, muscle relaxation, deep breathing technique. Yoga helps to overcome obsessive compulsions.
  • Learn to manage negative thoughts... Controlling your own thought process helps to keep yourself in control and cope with the phobia. Negative thoughts become a habit throughout the illness, and sometimes it can be difficult to distinguish and replace them. Therefore, take the time, analyze the most common negative thoughts, outline them, think about how to get rid of them and keep them under control. The most common examples of such thoughts are: “this plane (elevator, bridge, etc.) will fall”, “I cannot handle it,” etc.

The best way to combat phobias and negative thoughts is with logic.

Explain to yourself why a scary incident is unlikely, and seek more information about your fear.

Here are some of the most common, but not all, ways to deal with phobias. The method of treatment is prescribed by the doctor, depending on the degree of development of the phobia, its effect on the patient.

Phobia is not a sentence!

In most cases, fears and phobias have their roots in childhood, it is easiest to get rid of fears and phobias by analyzing the past.

Therefore, parents need to be very attentive to the experiences and fears of their children, monitor their reactions to non-standard situations, show respect for their feelings and prevent their own panic states in the presence of children.

If a child sees confirmation of his fears in significant adults, it will be extremely difficult for him to defeat the phobia.

It is also extremely important to learn to keep track of your fears and experiences, to be able to convey them to those around you. You need to eat right, regularly arrange for yourself a rest. Try to protect yourself from negative experiences, communicate less with those who bring negativity into your life.

At the current moment in time, phobias and methods of their treatment are sufficiently researched and do not cause many problems to the attending physicians. However, any phobia starts in our head, which means that there may be unaccounted for nuances. Psychotherapy continues to work on expanding the answers to the question of how to treat phobias, and perhaps new methods will become faster and more effective.

Often, false fears and experiences take over the general emotional background of a person. Obsessive thoughts create fear, which is difficult to deal with in the future. Every day, a person is faced with a similar condition, as a result of which obsessive disorder develops. A mental disorder significantly complicates life, but there are ways that you can get rid of obsessive thoughts and fears. First you need to understand what this syndrome is and what are the reasons for its occurrence.

What is obsessive syndrome

Obsession is the manifestation of obsessive thoughts and fears, as well as the actions that follow them. This personality disorder is considered to be the most complex of all the diseases present. Moreover, it is difficult in terms of treatment and diagnosis. Due to an illness, a person ceases to enjoy life, sees every day in gray tones, experiences difficulties in interpersonal communication, work, study, arrangement of life with a soul mate. Instead of focusing on the main thing, the patient is completely immersed in his fears and unwinds the already existing obsessive thoughts.

Every person has obsessive thoughts that, in principle, can be controlled. If you are going to an important event or preparing for an exam, you are probably scrolling the future day in your head. Some people worry about whether the iron has been turned off, constantly re-checking what has already been done. Such phenomena are not uncommon, they serve to reduce the level of anxiety and relieve nervous tension. Moreover, more than 45% of the population feel some discomfort if they begin to behave differently (without obsessive actions).

Obsession is called obsessive-compulsive disorder, or mental disorder, in which conditions of varying degrees of complexity periodically appear. These aspects entail thoughts, ideas and actions that form a particular ritual.

The syndrome causes a person to experience nervous tension and severe stress. Constant fixation on the lack of confidence in the actions carried out contributes to focusing on the bad. Negative ideas stuck in your head develop into obsessive thoughts. Such a state is often transformed into a neurotic disorder, but the patient does not suffer from violations of logic.

Obsession is more than just compulsive behavior - repeating the same actions over and over again. It is also not only focusing on obsessive bad thoughts and fears. The syndrome conceals the awareness of such an obsession in a person. The individual perceives the obsession as a foreign creature, unusual for his own "I". However, it is impossible to deal with compulsions, because there is no idea for what reasons they have arisen.

Depending on the nature of the manifestation, obsession is:

  • emotional (manifests itself in the form of phobias);
  • motor (compulsive);
  • intellectual (consists in obsessive thoughts).

In some cases, obsession manifests itself in the form of collecting things that are a pity to part with, presenting and forming images, obsessions, doubts and desires.

Generally speaking, obsessive-compulsive syndrome has the property of repetition on certain topics. The most common are considered order, infection, observance of symmetry, sexual behavior, violence, dirt.

Particularly noteworthy is the obsession in which a person wants to do everything perfectly. If the situation is not going according to plan, there is a feeling of incompleteness. To fix the problem, you need to repeat the same action multiple times. For example, opening and closing the refrigerator.

To relieve nervous tension, the individual is forced to create certain rituals that will relieve anxiety. More often this manifests itself in rechecking of already performed actions, washing, counting and other actions. The patient realizes that he is performing a bunch of meaningless manipulations, but they temporarily help to cope with obsessive thoughts and fear.

Obsessive Syndrome Symptoms

Obsession manifests itself in two aspects - physical and psychological.

Physical symptoms:

  • shortness of breath even after a short walk;
  • dizziness;
  • tachycardia, bradycardia;
  • a sharp inflow or outflow of blood in the skin of the face;
  • increased motility of the intestinal tract.

Psychological symptoms:

  1. Creation of intrusive images, their scrolling in the head over and over again.
  2. Phobias of the obsessive type, for example, fear of being bitten by insects, fear of infection.
  3. The protective function of the personality, manifested in the performance of certain rituals (turning on / off the light, etc.).
  4. Painful memories that often recur in the head and make a person blush and feel ashamed.
  5. Hallucinations (in rare cases).
  6. Doubts of the obsessive type regarding the performed action (everything should be done well).
  7. The desire to harm people or material objects, which will never be embodied in reality due to the fear of being punished.
  8. Useless contemplation of actions that are not cognitive.
  9. Scrolling through dialogues in your head, talking to yourself, coming up with fantasies that lead to a deterioration in mood.
  10. Sharp, unsupported, apathy towards close people (relatives, colleagues, colleagues).

Reasons for the appearance of obsessive thoughts and fears

  • creating concepts and false beliefs in your own head;
  • misconceptions about how the world works;
  • belief that fear cannot be eradicated (constant feeding);
  • unwinding obsessive thoughts to unprecedented heights;
  • inability to control your thoughts and emotions;
  • lack of a person to whom you can talk;
  • doubt before an upcoming event that occurs for the first time;
  • the instinct of self-preservation;
  • unwillingness to be realized as a person (to build a career, family, etc.).

  1. Breathe. If you are faced with a sudden surging fear, follow the advice of psychologists. They recommend literally breathing out fear. Take a deep, even breath, then release the air just as slowly. Repeat the steps until you calm down completely. Try to focus on your breathing, distance yourself from everything that happens. Thus, you will stabilize the psycho-emotional background and will be able to make decisions. Constant practice will eradicate sudden attacks of fear.
  2. Think positively. Every person at least once in his life has come across a situation where only one thought about an upcoming event is terrifying. Most likely, you think that nothing will work out, the event will fail. Learn to think positively, believe in your own strength. Look fear in the eye and understand what exactly is bothering you. Then analyze the situation. It is important to come to the conclusion that there are no insurmountable obstacles. When you are confident in yourself, the fear will disappear.
  3. Knock out the wedge with the wedge. Experienced psychologists around the world argue that you can overcome fear by responding to anxiety. If you are afraid to swim, you should jump from the pier and swim to the shore. Those who fear public speaking are encouraged to spend more time as a public speaker. Due to the adrenaline received, you will knock out a wedge with a wedge.
  4. Become a confident person. For some patients, specialists can help cope with sudden onset of anxiety through role play. To do this, you need to put on a confident person and perform all those tasks inherent in a businessman or orator. At a certain moment, a personality change occurs, fear recedes and returns extremely rarely. Theatrical performances are carried out until a new image takes root in the brain.
  5. Relax physically. Along with the above psychological techniques, it is necessary to put in order the physical condition. It is known that fear appears for various reasons, including fatigue. Aromatherapy, taking a bath, high-quality massage, reading your favorite book will help restore the psycho-emotional background and relieve stress. It is important to completely eliminate obsessive fear and think only about the good.
  6. Chat with people. People who constantly withdraw into themselves and find it difficult to make contact are less confident than those who are among people. Moreover, it does not matter at all whether they are familiar people or not. The main thing is social communication, without it nowhere. Uncertainty breeds fear that is difficult to explain. To eradicate the problem, try to spend more time in public places. Accept invitations from friends to go to the movies or take a walk.
  7. Live in the present. Most often, any fears appear due to the comparison of one's own “I” in the past and present. If a person has previously failed in public speaking or love relationships, he pulls this insecurity into the present life. The result is a constant comparison, fear does not allow you to focus on the present day. Focusing on what you have now can help release these kinds of emotions. Do not judge yourself harshly, do not be afraid to make mistakes, live for your pleasure.
  8. Get a pet. Animals are wonderful companions that are able to bring a person out of even the most prolonged depression. If you often experience sudden attacks of fear, just switch to your four-legged friend. Go jogging to the nearest park and meet other dog breeders. Give your pet all your love, you will stop feeling fear and loneliness.

Obsessive thoughts and fears have their own reasons. If you eradicate them, the further problem will be much easier to solve. Consider ways to help you manage your obsessive disorder on your own. If the disorder has developed into a neurosis, you should consult a psychologist for help.

Video: how to defeat obsessive thoughts

Fear is a negative emotion that is common to all people. Fear is a defense mechanism that is designed to protect a person from possible dangers. For example, the fear of snakes tells you not to approach dangerous reptiles, and the fear of heights helps you not to fall down.

Feeling fear is as natural as feeling happy or sad. However, it's all about the power of emotion. Fear, in situations that are dangerous to physical or social well-being, is normal. It helps to find the strength to solve the problem, to become more circumspect and careful. Another thing is when a person experiences intense fear for no reason or suffers from negative obsessive thoughts. Fear interferes with normal social life and has a number of other negative consequences:

· A person is in constant stress, which depletes his mental strength and reduces resistance to disease;
· There is a tendency to develop mental illness - neurosis, psychosis, personality disorders;
· Relationships with significant people are broken, families are destroyed;
· The normal way of life is disrupted - because of fear, a person may stop leaving the house.

According to statistics, phobias and obsessive thoughts are among the most common disorders. About 20% of the population suffers from them. Moreover, women are more inclined to develop obsessive fears.
The tendency to the appearance of phobias and obsessive thoughts develops in people of a special temperament. They are distinguished by anxiety, suspiciousness, impressionability, low self-esteem, a tendency to creative thinking. It is noted that increased anxiety, and with it the tendency to the emergence of fears, is inherited.

The tendency to develop fear provokes a number of changes in the body:

· Violation of the metabolism of gamma-aminobutyric acid;
· Increased activity of the hypothalamus-pituitary gland;
· Disturbances in the work of neurotransmitter systems (noradrenergic and serotonergic), which are responsible for the transmission of impulses between nerve cells.

From the point of view of neuroscientists, fear is a neurochemical process. Arousal occurs in the brain, which triggers the release of norepinephrine and adrenaline. They have a stimulating effect on the nervous system and alter the exchange of neurotransmitters (dopamine and serotonin). The mood falls, anxiety and fear arise.

At the same time, a person experiences an unpleasant oppressive feeling in the chest, heart rate increases, skeletal muscles tense. Spasm of peripheral blood vessels causes cold hands and feet.
Do not ignore the presence of fears and phobias, as they tend to turn into mental disorders. You can deal with fears on your own, or contact a psychologist or a psychotherapist.

Medical treatment of fears and phobias it is used in the event that social therapy (self-help) and psychotherapy did not bring results, as well as in the development of depression. For the treatment of fears and phobias are used:
· selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors: paroxetine, citalopram, escitalopram, venlafaxine;
· antidepressants: clomipramine, imipramine;
· benzodiazepines: alprazolam, diazepam, lorazepam. They are used in a short course in combination with antidepressants.
· beta blockers: propranolol. applies immediately before a situation that causes fear (flying on an airplane, speaking in front of an audience).

Only a doctor can choose the right drug and its dosage. Self-administration of drugs can cause drug dependence and worsen mental health.

Each psychological school has developed its own approach to dealing with fears. All of them are quite effective. Therefore, when you come to a psychologist with the question: "how to get rid of fears?", You will receive qualified help. Depending on the technique, the process will take from several weeks to several months. However, according to the German medical community the most effective is behavioral therapy and exposure... At the same time, the person is helped to gradually get used to the fear. In each session, the person is in a frightening situation longer and longer and performs more difficult tasks.

In the same way, you can get rid of fear yourself. In this article, we will take a closer look at self-help methods for various types of fears and phobias.

How to deal with obsessive thoughts?

Obsessive thoughts or obsessions- these are unwanted involuntary thoughts, images or intentions that arise from time to time and cause negative emotions. Perceiving obsessive thoughts as your own is a sign of mental health. It is very important that a person understands that these are his thoughts, and not “voices” or pictures imposed by someone from outside. Otherwise, psychosis or schizophrenia may be suspected.
Obsessive thoughts arise against the will of a person and cause him severe stress. It can be:

• frightening memories;
• images of diseases, thoughts about infection with dangerous microbes;
· Pictures of accidents that happen to loved ones;
· Obsessive fears of harming other people (accidentally or intentionally);
· Obsessive reflections, when a person is forced to conduct dialogues with himself.

Obsessive thoughts are often accompanied by obsessive actions - compulsions. These are a kind of rituals that are designed to protect a person from negative consequences and get rid of obsessive thoughts. The most common compulsive actions are washing hands, checking the state of electrical appliances, turning off the gas stove. If a person has both obsessive thoughts and obsessive actions, then there is reason to assume the presence of obsessive-compulsive disorder.

The reasons for the appearance of obsessive thoughts

1. Overwork- prolonged unbearable mental and physical stress, lack of rest.
2. Experienced stress(dog attack, dismissal from work), which temporarily disrupted the flow of processes in the central nervous system.
3. Loss of meaning in life, aimless existence, low self-esteem are accompanied by negative emotions and a tendency to fruitless reasoning.
4. Features of the brain. Mostly they are manifested by a violation of the exchange of neurotransmitters - serotonin, dopamine, norepinephrine.
5. Hereditary factors- the tendency to obsessive thoughts can be inherited.
6. Character accentuation... People with a sensitive, pedantic, astheno-neurotic personality type are prone to the appearance of obsessive thoughts.
7. Features of education- too strict, religious education. In this case, obsessive thoughts and intentions may arise, which fundamentally contradict education. According to one version, they are a subconscious protest of the personality, and according to the other, the result of excessive inhibition in the corresponding parts of the brain.
Obsessive thoughts intensify after a serious illness, endocrine diseases, during periods of hormonal changes (pregnancy, breastfeeding, menopause), during periods of family problems.

Ways to deal with obsessive thoughts

· Eliminate traumatic situations... It is necessary to give rest to the nervous system, if possible, eliminate all irritating factors and avoid stress. The best solution is to take a vacation.
· Stop fighting obsessive thoughts... Accept the fact that they sometimes come to mind. The more you try to fight obsessive thoughts, the more often they appear and the more stress they cause. Mentally tell yourself, "I forgive myself for these thoughts."
· Treat obsessive thoughts calmly.... Remember that most people experience this condition from time to time. Do not take a thought as a warning or a sign from above. It is just the result of the appearance of arousal in a separate part of the brain. Research has shown that obsessive thoughts have nothing to do with intuition. Nothing bad happened to people who saw frightening pictures of coming misfortunes. And those who feared their intentions to harm others never followed through.
· Replace obsessive thoughts with rational ones. Rate how unlikely your fears will come true. Make a plan of actions that you will follow if the trouble does happen. In this case, you will feel that you are ready for an unpleasant situation, which will reduce your fear.
· Speak, write, share obsessive thoughts... Until the thought is put into words, it seems very convincing and intimidating. When you voice it or write it down, you will realize how unconvincing and absurd it is. Share obsessive thoughts with loved ones, write them in a diary.
· Face your fear. Train yourself to do what causes fear. If you have obsessive thoughts of infection, gradually train yourself to be in public places. If you tend to analyze your statements and beat yourself up for them, talk to people more.
· Learn relaxation techniques... Yoga, autogenic training, meditation, muscle relaxation help balance the processes of inhibition and excitation in the brain. This reduces the risk of the appearance of foci of neurochemical activity that cause obsession.

How to get rid of the fear of death?

Fear of death or thanatophobia Is one of the most common fears in the world. He is obsessive, so it is quite difficult for a person to control him. Fear of death can occur at any age and is not always associated with poor health. It is often experienced by adolescents and people 35-50 years old. Moreover, in most cases they have no reason to fear for their existence.

The peculiarity of thanatophobia is that a person does not have the opportunity to meet his fear face to face, to get used to it, as happens in cases of fear of spiders, closed spaces and other phobias. In addition, a person realizes that death is an inevitable outcome, which increases fear.

The causes of the fear of death

1. Death of a loved one one of the most common reasons. During this period, it is difficult for a person to deny the inevitability of death and this leads to the development of fear.
2. Poor health... A serious illness gives rise to a well-founded fear of death. In such a situation, it is especially important to restore the person's faith in their strength and recovery, therefore the help of a psychologist or psychotherapist is needed.
3. Significant successes, achievements, material well-being that a person is afraid to lose.
4. "Hypnotized" by death... A large amount of information about death in the media, films, computer games suggests that the death is something commonplace.
5. Philosophical tendency... When a person constantly asks himself the question: “What am I living for? What will happen after death? ”, Then thoughts about death begin to prevail in his mind.
6. Prolonged stay in a stressful environment, especially during periods considered to be crisis: a crisis of adolescence of 12-15 years, a crisis of the middle age of 35-50 years.
7. Pedantic character accentuation- people with this kind of personality are very disciplined, responsible and try to keep all aspects of life under control. But they understand that death is beyond their control. This gives them a pathological fear.
8. Fear of the unknown... All people tend to be afraid of the unknown and defying explanation, which is death. This is the reason for the development of the fear of death in intellectual and inquisitive people who are looking for a logical explanation for everything.
9. Mental disorders, accompanied by fear of death: obsessive-compulsive disorder, panic fear of the unknown.

How to get rid of the fear of death

Fear of death is easier to cure if you can identify its causes. Psychoanalysis can help with this. For example, if the fear of death of a loved one is a manifestation of excessive dependence on him, then the psychologist will help to become more independent. If fear is an excuse, unwillingness to do something, move to a new place, get a job, then psychocorrection will be aimed at increasing activity.
· Treat death philosophically... Epicurus said: "As long as we are, there is no death, when there is death, we are no longer there." No one will be able to avoid death, and no one knows why and when it will happen. It makes no sense to try to protect yourself: do not go out on the street, do not fly by air, because such a way of life will not save you from death. While a person is alive, he should concentrate on everyday problems, and not waste energy and time on fear.
· Believe in God. This gives hope for eternal life. Believers are less afraid of death. They try to lead a righteous life and believe that they will go to heaven, that their soul is immortal.
· Think perspective. Imagine what happens after what you are afraid of happens This technique works if the fear of death is associated with the fear of losing a loved one. Imagine the worst thing happened. For a period after the loss, negative emotions will be very strong. However, life will go on, although it will change. Over time, you will learn to live in a new way, you will experience joy. This is the nature of man - he cannot experience the same emotions for an infinitely long time.
· Live life to the fullest. The meaning of the fear of death is to remind a person that it is necessary to live life to the fullest and enjoy it. Focus on what's happening in the here and now. Try to improve your life, make your childhood dream come true (go abroad, find a high-paying job, jump with a parachute). Break the path to the goal into stages and implement them consistently. This approach will help you enjoy life. The more successes in life, the more a person is satisfied with life. These thoughts will supplant the fear of death.
· Stop being afraid of fear. Give yourself permission to experience it periodically. You have already experienced the fear of death and will be able to relive it. Thanks to this attitude, you will soon notice that the feeling of fear has become much less frequent.
With successful treatment, the fear of death is replaced by its denial. There is an inner confidence that a person will live forever. At the same time, a person recognizes the theoretical possibility of death, but it seems to be something distant.

How to get rid of panic fears?

Panic fears predominantly proceed in the form panic attacks (panic attacks)... They look like acute, sudden attacks of anxiety, which are accompanied by vegetative symptoms (palpitations, heaviness in the chest, feeling short of breath). Mostly a panic attack lasts 15-20 minutes, sometimes up to several hours.

In 5% of the population, panic attacks occur without a significant reason, 1-2 times a month. Sometimes such fear can be a reaction to a significant event (a threat to life, illness of a child, a ride in an elevator). Most often, panic attacks occur at night.

Panic fear is accompanied by symptoms that indicate the malfunctioning of the autonomic system:

· Rapid pulse;
• feeling of "lump in the throat";
Shortness of breath, rapid shallow breathing;
· dizziness ;
Light-headedness, feeling of heat in the body or chills;
· Inability to move;
Trembling hands;
Numbness or tingling of the skin;
Sweating;
· chest pain ;
· nausea ;
· Difficulty swallowing;
· abdominal pain ;
· Increased urination;
• fear of going crazy;
· Fear of dying.

In connection with such manifestations, attacks of panic fear are mistaken for symptoms of the disease, more often cardiological or neurological. On examination, these suspicions are not confirmed. In fact, all the excruciating symptoms of anxiety are associated with the release of adrenaline and overexcitation of the nervous system.
After experiencing a panic attack, a person begins to fear its recurrence. This forces him to avoid situations in which the panic attack first occurred. This behavior can significantly impair the quality of life, making it impossible to travel on public transport or go shopping.

Causes of Panic Fears

1. Unpleasant situations - flying on an airplane, speaking in front of an audience;
2. Expectation of an unpleasant situation - a conversation with the boss, fear of a repetition of a panic attack;
3. Memories of the stress experienced;
4. Hormonal changes - adolescence, menopause, pregnancy;
5. Psychological conflict between desire and a sense of duty;
6. Difficult period of adaptation - moving, a new place of work.
Psychologists believe that a panic attack, despite the fact that it is very difficult for a person to endure, is a means of protecting the nervous system. A person who has experienced an attack of panic fear begins to be more attentive to his health, takes a vacation or sick leave, avoids stressful situations and overloads.

How to get rid of panic fear

Don't try to avoid panic attacks. Accept the fact that they may appear and be prepared for them. Realize that your sensations are the result of an excess of adrenaline. They can be extremely unpleasant, but not fatal. Moreover, the attack will not last long. From the moment you stop fearing a recurrence of panic fear, its attacks will occur less and less.

Respiratory gymnastics against panic fear
You can quickly relieve the condition during an attack with the help of breathing exercises.
1.slow breath - 4 seconds;
2. pause - 4 seconds;
3. Smooth exhalation - 4 seconds;
4. pause - 4 seconds.
Breathing exercises are repeated 15 times daily and during a panic attack. During gymnastics, you need to take a comfortable position and consciously relax all the muscles, especially the face and neck. Such gymnastics works in several directions at once:
· Increases the level of carbon dioxide in the blood, which "restarts" the respiratory center in the brain, slows down breathing and heartbeat;
· Promotes muscle relaxation;
· Switches the attention of a person, helps to focus on the present, and not on frightening images.

Persuasion and persuasion

Panic disorder is successfully treated with persuasion and persuasion. The best option would be to contact a psychotherapist, however, communication with a loved one on an exciting topic is also quite effective. It is required to convince a person that his condition during a panic is not dangerous and will pass in a few minutes. That the problems that worried him will eventually be resolved and everything will be fine.

The treatment of panic fears is carried out by psychotherapists or psychologists of various fields, practicing psychoanalysis, cognitive therapy, hypnotherapy.

How to get rid of the fear of the dark?

Fear of the dark or nyphobia the most common fear on the planet. It affects 10% of adults and over 80% of children. If you are afraid of the dark, it is not the lack of lighting that scares you, but the dangers that may lurk in the dark. This is due to the fact that the brain does not receive enough information about the environment to analyze. At the same time, the imagination is activated, which "draws" various dangers.
A person suffering from nymphobia may panic when the light is suddenly turned off. A fear of the dark can transform into a fear of the dark indoors or a fear of the dark outside. A person can rationalize their fears by finding various reasons and excuses.

Fear of the dark or fear of the night can be accompanied by the following symptoms:
· Accelerated heartbeat;
· Increased pressure;
Sweating;
Shivering in the body.
When fear turns into a mental disorder, the patient begins to clearly "see" invented images, and they pass into the category of hallucinations.

Causes of the fear of the dark

1. Genetic predisposition... For most people, the fear of the dark is inherited from their ancestors. According to statistics, if parents were afraid of the dark, then their children will also be susceptible to nytophobia.
2. Negative experience. An unpleasant event that a person suffered in the dark is fixed in the subconscious. For example, a child was locked in a dark room. Subsequently, the lack of lighting is associated with the experienced fright. Moreover, it often happens that the initial threat was invented and was the fruit of overdevelopment of the child's fantasy.
3. Disruption of neurochemical processes... Impaired metabolism of neurotransmitters (dopamine, serotonin) and adrenaline can provoke fears. What kind of fear a person develops depends on the individual characteristics of higher nervous activity.
4. Constant stress... Prolonged nervous tension (family conflicts, difficulties at work, session) disrupts the normal functioning of the nervous system. In this case, the fear of the dark can appear even in adults.
5. Fasting, strict diets... There is a version that the deficiency of certain chemical elements disrupts the brain, which can lead to unfounded fears.
6. Fear of death. This phobia is exacerbated during the night hours and provokes a fear of the dark.

How to get rid of the fear of the dark

· Find the cause of the fear. Try to remember the situation that caused the fear of the dark to appear. It is necessary to present it in detail, feel all the emotions, and then come up with a happy ending (I was locked in a dark room, but then my father came and took me in his arms). It is important to change your mindset to a positive one.
· Pleasant dreams. If the fear of the dark prevents you from falling asleep, then you need to relax, imagine yourself in a calm place, and conjure up other pleasant images.
· Behavioral therapy. The method of gradual addiction has been recognized as successful. Before turning on the light in a dark room, count to 10. Increase the time spent in the dark by 10-20 seconds daily.
Fears and phobias are treatable at any age. You can get rid of them yourself, or seek help from a specialist. Patience and self-improvement are guaranteed to bring positive results.

Being a social being, a person can still treat other people ambiguously. Fear of people - as a form of social fear - is increasingly common in society and has an impact on people's mental health.

The specificity of anthropophobia becomes clearer if we trace the behavior of a person with fear of people:

  • awkwardness(constraint) movements and behavioral reactions in public places ("in public") - anthropophobes always think that they will be ridiculed, that something is wrong with their clothes, appearance, actions;
  • excessive excitement during or before communication (even ordinary), avoidance of "meeting with gazes" - people with fear of others, when talking with someone, always experience discomfort (palms sweat, heart beats intensely, breathing becomes confused), try to end the interaction as soon as possible;
  • confusion of speech and manners of expressing judgments - such people confuse themselves, jump from thought to thought, drop something or bump into something, this makes them even more worried, stumbled and confused;
  • panic stupor may occur- a feeling of panic is experienced simply from the thought of a possible participation in a public event, about communicating with many people or about a future performance;
  • scripting, how to avoid even the very hint of a situation of interaction with others.

Fear of people differs from social anxiety in the following ways:

  • fear of all people without exception;
  • seclusion of a way of life, voluntary seclusion;
  • excessive control and sensitivity in violation of personal space.

With anthropophobia, another interesting detail of fear can arise - selective fear. It manifests itself in the fear of certain specific personalities: obese women, foreigners, noisy children, loud men, old women, gypsies, homeless people, and so on.

Anthropophobia reasons

The difficulty of uncontrollable fear of people is that it does not have clear reasons. Psychologists and specialists in the field of psychiatry have long concluded that anthropophobia is a companion of many mental disorders, diseases or disorders.

A kind of catalyst for her "presence" in a man or woman is compulsive behavior, expressed in the performance of obsessive movements, actions and deeds.

The purpose of such acts is the function of protection - from the phobia itself, from the states, emotions, feelings and experiences accompanying it:

  • So, a person can master incessant counting - being in a crowd, he begins to count the number of people he meets (without stopping, with unquenchable activity).
  • The feeling that you can contract some kind of disease from the people around you also indicates the presence of fear of people in the individual. Therefore, any communication is reduced to them "to naught", even with relatives, friends or simply close people.

Focusing on the causes of anthropophobia, it should be mentioned that it often manifests itself in adolescence, regardless of gender.

The reasons for this type of phobia can be described as follows:

  1. Children's fears, stress and psychological trauma... Faced with violence, aggression and other negativity, the child comes to the conclusion that the most comfortable thing for him is to be alone with himself. This pattern carries over into adulthood.
  2. Intense criticisms and rejection from people who are significant to a person. This hurts self-esteem, lowers self-esteem to the lowest levels and leads to a defensive reaction - avoidance of communication and interaction with people.
  3. Neurosis with incessant fear getting into a mess, embarrassing or embarrassing situation. The constant expectation of such circumstances leads to excessive suspicion and bias, forcing one to adhere to a strategy of isolation from society, social events and performances in front of a large number of people.
  4. Personality traits... Here, the determining factor of the fear of people is the psychology of the individual, his specific features that distort the perception of social reality: an introverted character, melancholic temperament, a tendency to reflection and self-examination, the peculiarities of the formation of a person as a person.
  5. Influence of stereotypes... Socially desirable qualities are instilled by parents, in childhood: for example, boys should be masculine and unsentimental, girls - feminine and docile. Inconsistency in the perception of their own characteristics and characteristics that are valued in society - if they do not coincide, leads to the emergence of a fear of social assessment and communication in general.

How to get rid of fear of people

Anthropophobia is not as harmless as it might seem with superficial perception. It affects not only mental functions, but also contributes, for example, to the occurrence of cardiovascular diseases (vegetative-vascular dystonia, etc.).

Treatment of fear of people becomes more complicated due to its specificity: the very first step - seeking help from a specialist in overcoming phobias - causes significant difficulties for an anthropophobe.

Lacking the proper communication and interaction skills, he becomes more and more convinced of the impossibility of everyday social actions, demonstrates asocial behavior, thereby exacerbating his anxiety and obsession.

The timely intervention of a professional psychotherapist (psychologist or psychiatrist) will help to overcome the fear of people, which will help to establish the correct diagnosis and the root causes of the emergence of fear, the selection of an adequate method of combating fear.

To overcome the fear of people around you, you need to take a number of steps:

  • First- awareness of the very fact of the existence of fear and its detrimental effect on the personality, recognition of the problem.
  • Second- establishing and concretizing the content of the problem (what exactly frightens the most - the people themselves and their large number, the fact of the need for communication, etc.).
  • Third- search for a way out of a terrible situation. For an anthropophobe, this is an expansion of one's own communication (development of a positive scenario for the circumstances of interaction with other people, conscious encouragement in expanding the circle of communication).
  • Fourth- consolidation of the achieved results. Communication skills are something that can and should be developed. First, through single actions and successes, gradually expanding their communication capabilities, seizing the potential for successful communication - a person can make fear of people recede.

These steps will face tremendous resistance - it is difficult to master in an instant what a person fears and avoids most.

Therefore, you need to train with a gradual increase in the load - from a few minutes and small moments, to more global actions in communicating with people and with significant time frames.

An approximate set of techniques and exercises for developing communication and interaction skills with people around:

1. You can start by gradually getting used to the interaction. This is where mediated communication comes in. For example, through the phone - it allows you to enter into communication anonymously, the reactions of a person with a phobia of people (redness, squeezing of improvised objects, abruptness of movements) on the other side of the line are invisible.

Antrpopfob can call the help desk and find out several numbers of some firms or consultants. Or ask about the work schedule of any services (utilities, household). You can also use the information stations of the stations, finding out the transport schedule. To simplify the task (in the initial stages), you can write down the questions on a piece of paper and just read them out.

2. To expand interaction with representatives of society, it is necessary to "go out to people": take a ride on the subway or other form of public transport. Better not during rush hour and not on too busy routes.

You can also observe people, become interested in them - mentally imagine how they "live and breathe." You just need to find a comfortable place - from a psychological point of view of a person with a phobia - (a secluded corner in a park or an uncrowded cafe, restaurant) and take a closer look at the people around, get used to them and become interested in their life.

3. The next step can be direct communication. For its implementation, either an acquaintance is selected with whom it is more or less comfortable to talk (someone from relatives), or someone from neighbors or employees. Long communication is not worth planning right away - just a couple of questions and an interested listening to answers.

4. It is important to find common topics for communication. Any hobby or topic in which the anthropophobe understands and is a specialist will help here. Being interested in the content of the conversation will distract from thoughts of anxiety and fear.

5. The next stage in the development of the skill to communicate and interact should be the stage of communication with strangers. You can introduce yourself and strike up an unobtrusive conversation with a person who, on the way from work or to work, with a neighbor in the area, discuss a play or a film after watching them together.

Anthropophobia can be called a disease of people in a big city (megalopolis), where there is a forced need for contact with many people:

  • as for work or personal matters;
  • and an elementary meeting with the "brothers" in public transport;
  • eating together in a restaurant or cafe, etc.

The success of the activity in realizing the desire to overcome the fear of people depends on how much a person can adjust himself to a comfortable feeling in such conditions.

Video: Social phobia