Stress and Anxiety

We live in a society where great demands and responsibilities are placed on us. About one in seven people are suffering from stress or anxiety at any one time in the UK. While some people manage, more and more people are showing signs of overwhelm, which leads to anxiety, stress, significantly harming the quality of life and wellbeing.

You may be one of those people but are now ready to explore ways of freeing yourself from anxiety to live a fulfilled and happy life, free to do things that bring you joy.

Anxiety and stress can manifest itself differently for everyone but common physical signs of anxiety or stress are:

  • Butterflies in stomach
  • Chest tightness
  • Dry mouth
  • Forgetfulness
  • Insomnia
  • Nausea
  • Panic attacks
  • Racing heartbeat
  • Shortness of breath
  • Sweating
  • Tremors
  • Urge to pass urine/empty bowels

Common psychological signs of stress and anxiety are:

  • Agitation
  • Catastrophising
  • Fear of losing control
  • Feelings of detachment
  • Inner tension
  • Irritability
  • Irrational dread
  • Phobias and fears
  • Ruminating thinking

It could be an event that is causing your anxiety, such as:

  • Exams
  • Flying
  • Interviews
  • Meeting new people
  • presentations for work
  • Speeches for occasions
  • Sports competitions
  • Travelling away from home

Anxiety can also manifest in other situations such as a fear of being around other people, anxiety in social situations, tension in relationships at home, school or work.

Anxiety is a fear or concern that is exaggerated out of proportion to the situation, although it won’t feel exaggerated to the person experiencing it. The symptoms of anxiety correlate with the stress response or ‘fight-or-flight’. This primal response protects the individual against threats in their environment, where danger triggers a rush of blood to the arms and legs so that the person can fight or run away. This adrenalin response causes the heart to beat faster, pumping oxygen around the body to those parts that are needed for protection. A person experiencing anxiety maybe hypervigilant, unable to calm down or focus. Anxiety may be rooted in a previous experience, relate to a specific activity or situation or be generalised in nature, where there is no apparent trigger or cause.

Prolonged exposure to cortisol and other stress-related hormones is undesirable and can cause:

  • Hormonal imbalances
  • Increased blood pressure
  • Memory problems
  • Poor concentration
  • Weakened immune system

How can hypnotherapy help?

A hypnotherapist will discuss with a client how they experience anxiety, including the cause or triggers. They will then ask how the person wishes to feel and what life will be like without it.  They will then work with the client to reduce the symptoms by using a range of different techniques. Every therapist may use a slightly different approach depending on their training or style of working but working. After sessions with a hypnotherapist they may feel more confident and relaxed in situations that had been challenging previously. Many people report that they feel calmer and have more clarity of thought after hypnotherapy and are therefore able to make decisions more easily. Those who have experienced manifestations of anxiety such as disturbed sleep often find that they sleep better after hypnosis sessions and as a result are able to work more effectively.

How many sessions will I need?

This will vary depending on the complexity of the problem, the client and the approach of the hypnotherapist, but it would be realistic to plan for a course of therapy.

Corporate stress reduction programmes

Stress is one of the major reasons people take time off work, so by investing in stress-reduction schemes companies can increase productivity, happiness and consequently loyalty in their employees. Many hypnotherapists offer businesses and organisations stress reduction schemes at work.

How do I find a hypnotherapist?

Type your postcode into our hypnotherapist finder to find a hypnotherapist near you.

Find a hypnotherapist

The National Council for Hypnotherapy is one of the largest not-for-profit professional associations in the UK and all our members have the option to join the Complementary and Natural Healthcare Council.