Use self-hypnosis to prepare for your Jab. How to treat irrational fear of needles with hypnotherapy

Clinical hypnotherapy may be a safe and effective treatment for fear of needles in light of the recently announced mandatory vaccination campaign. Elena Volodchenko is a clinical hypnotherapist practicing in Fremantle, Western Australia and specializing in the rapid cure of phobia and anxiety disorders including trypanophobia (irrational, extreme fear or aversion to blood or needles) and offers her commentary on the news.

Fear of needles affects up to 25% of the population, according to research. Although this could be considered irrational, it is however very real for the person who is afraid and may prohibit them from getting the vaccine or, if vaccinated, will likely cause extreme overwhelming, anxiety, panic attacks. . or fainting.

However, it can be treated with clinical hypnosis in a simple multi-session approach (described in the points below).

Elena Volodchenko, a clinical hypno-psychotherapist in her hypnosis clinic Trance Works Perth, has successfully treated people with phobias even before Covid.

“People who are afraid tend to overreact on all levels – they catastrophize, they feel strong emotions and they have physical reactions like increased heart rate, sweating, shortness of breath,” says Elena. “If there is no history of trauma, it is the catastrophic thoughts, coupled with hypervigilance that will induce the bodily sensations. It’s sort of a vicious cycle because a person in panic will have impaired cognitive abilities, and when triggered, they will react with their whole body. The person can be totally calm and rational and the next minute they pass out at the sight of the needle ”.

“If you’ve ever been on an airplane sitting next to a passenger who’s afraid to fly, you know how real the fear is – they literally turn white, they shake, they even stop breathing for a while. fear of needles is similar and very real.

Ms. Volodchenko reports: “I see people who are so phobic that they can’t even think of needles without crying or seeing the needles mentioned on TV. And it’s gratifying for me to see that they change in a few sessions and are able to act on their important decisions.

According to Elena Volodchenko, “Hypnosis is a natural phenomenon that produces a calm state of consciousness and a narrowed focus of attention which, in clinical hypnotherapy, is used to facilitate the desired change. When using hypnosis, one person (the client) is guided by another (the hypnotherapist) to respond to suggestions for changes in subjective experience, alterations in perception, sensation, emotion, thought or behavior. People can also learn self-hypnosis, which involves administering hypnotic procedures on their own.

During a hypnotherapy session, a range of quick interventions are used, including:

• respiratory relaxation and anchor relaxation response for use later in life
• metaphorical language, narration
• guided viewing
• nervous system regulation, heart rate consistency
• emotional desensitization
• temporal therapy (working on the past and future to resolve trauma and anticipatory anxiety)
• enhanced cognitive behavioral therapy (understanding specific thought patterns that lead to unwanted behavior and restructuring thoughts and meanings).

“The person in a trance is able to produce a positive result and repeat in their imagination to achieve that result (which means they see and feel calm about the whole process of getting the needle).”

As Elena confirms in her practice, “The beauty of our emotional mind is that it doesn’t know the difference between a fantasy and reality. What you imagine becomes your reality. Imagining your success in the event of a sting, so that the brain registers it as if it were happening in reality, is much more useful than extended negative anticipation.

“During the session we provide a safe and supportive environment to face and overcome your fear, develop new copying strategies and rehearse your actions, just like an actor or athlete does before a performance”.

“Hypnosis is safe, effective and can be a game changer for people who are afraid of their next jab.”

Elena Volodchenko is an Accredited Clinical Hypnotherapist who accepts bookings in November and December 2021 and currently offers free discovery sessions through her website www.hypnosis-perth.com.au for all new clients who are considering hypnotherapy to treat their fear of needles.

Elena Volodchenko is a clinical hypnotherapist in Perth trained in evidence-based integrative cognitive behavioral therapy (enhanced CBT), an approach that combines the benefits of the cognitive behavioral therapy model with trance (hypnosis) to engage the subconscious in problems solving. She is also a master practitioner in neuro-linguistic programming (NLP) and chronology therapist.

Elena is a fully accredited clinical hypno-psychotherapist, a registered clinical member with the Australian Association of Hypnotherapists, a health care provider number available to offer discounts at participating health funds and depending on the level of coverage of the customer.

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