Anxiety Clinic Dublin

Category: worry

  • Do you fear heights or flying or both?

    View from an airplane window

    I am sometimes asked if a fear of heights (acrophobia) and a fear of flying (aviophobia or aerophobia) are connected as I have came across many people happy to get on an aeroplane to cross an ocean yet can’t climb a ladder to clean a window and vice versa.

    Like most phobias the psychological and physical responses are the same such as:

    • increased heart rate, sweating, dizziness, and panic attacks.

    • negative thinking patterns and previous experiences, can influence both fears.

    However the triggers are different :

    • Acrophobia: This fear is triggered by situations where an individual is at a high elevation and can see the drop, such as being on a tall building, a ladder, or a cliff. The fear is often related to the potential for falling(basiphobia)

    • Aviophobia: This fear is specifically related to the act of flying in an airplane. It can be triggered by various aspects of flying, such as takeoff, turbulence, or the confined space of an aircraft, and may include fears of crashing or lack of control.

    Yet there are overlaps and differences:

    • People with acrophobia may also experience fear when flying because airplanes are high above the ground. The thought of being high up can trigger anxiety even if the context is different.

    • However, not all people with acrophobia have a fear of flying. Some might feel safe within the enclosed environment of an airplane, where they do not perceive the height in the same way as being on an open structure.

    • Conversely, some people with a fear of flying do not have a fear of heights. Their fear may be more related to the specifics of being in an aircraft, such as claustrophobia, turbulence, or the inability to escape the situation easily.

    Thus , while there is a potential connection between a fear of heights and a fear of flying, they are distinct phobias with different triggers and may or may not co-occur in the same individual. Yet other phobias such as basiphobia and claustrophobia may be more connected and play a part in the fear triggers and responses.

    Hypnotherapy is a powerful proven therapeutic method for dealing with the emotional responses to these fears and phobias and can easily be applied to anyone who wants to get on with their lives. Perhaps visiting people in far away places or getting on the rollercoaster rides with the kids.

    You see you don’t have to succumb to your fears and phobias and miss out on the pleasures in life.

    There is always a choice, a choice to live your life on your terms and seize the opportunities that fear can rob you from.

    David McAllister

    anxietyclinic@dublin.com

    ++353(0)858435939

  • Feeding anxiety through repetition

    Cannot sleep

    Picture the scene, your in bed, anxiously just lying there,the seconds on the clock becoming minutes which soon become hours. No sleep just thoughts bouncing around your head. This is so common when we are anxious.Worry, stress, rerun conversations going round and round and feeling totally bushwhacked when it’s time to get up.

    We never seem to be able to relax, always walking zombie like through life always making mistakes and that no matter how hard we try we always seem to be in trouble or doing things wrong.

    Despite our best of intentions of trying to keep helping other people, or to make a positive difference, it all seems to keep going wrong.

    Sometimes when we are anxious, we end up trying too hard, or not seeing the problems in what we’re doing, because we’re rushing around not able to focus on what we are doing we end up making a mess of things.

    I can think of so many people who just couldn’t stop and kept making things worse even though they had the best of intentions.

    When the anxiety systems of the brain are active, we’ll often get that knot in the stomach, or a tight chest, and those physical feelings make everything feel urgent and really strong. We act instinctively trying to do the right thing but time after time it seems like we just keep getting it wrong.

    The more you try the worse it seems to get , your anxiety feeding self doubts and feelings of failure. You beat yourself up over the smallest things , you feel alone as if it’s only you going through this constant cycle of anxious failure.

    It doesn’t all have to be like this. Little changes can make a big difference. Cutting stress with simple activities like mindfulness, exercise, focused breathing etc can all dial down the strength of that worry reaction.

    However, if there’s been a lifelong tendency of anxiety or to always be worrying, or having constant mental reruns , then there’s probably a lot of opportunity to make life better by dealing with those issues. That’s what has completely turned the lives around for many people I have seen.

    My honest advice is be true to yourself and make a list of what and how often you are worrying or stressing and see how big an issue it is in life. You can choose to ignore it but if that’s what you have been doing up until now ask yourself how that’s been working out for you.

    There are a lot of proven ways to reduce anxiety, worry, fears and phobias – I use a variety of strategies tailored to personal needs.

    Recognizing that there’s room for improvement in life is very often the first step that takes us to doing what we need to do to make our life better in the future.

    You have lost enough sleep to anxiety now is the time to get the help you need.

    David McAllister Contact

    • Is the Sun setting in on summer ?

      Setting sun bowing figure

      I like September.

      On an island with the Atlantic to the West and the Irish Sea to the east September brings in many changes. Not only the weather as who can tell the variables of such a potent force? But more than this for us as people. Our lives change back to the normal, back to the routine- school, work, commuting, and so on.

      Another year has passed, some people have gone, some have arrived , that unstoppable circle of life that the seasons only provide a marker to what time it is. The Sun’s casting shadow getting longer, if indeed you’re lucky enough to see it (remember it always shines above the clouds) as we tread further into our daily life.

      Like I said at the beginning I like September as it provides us with an opportunity to reflect on the summer gone, even the year that has passed but more importantly take notice of what’s going on now. A moment to plan for the winter ahead on how we are going to protect ourselves, physically from the elements and mentally from the stresses and anxieties of daily life.

      So as the sun sets on summer what are you going to do to protect yourself perhaps some of these tips will help:

      • Keep connecting with your family and friends
      • Get active, move more
      • Make time for yourself doing something that you want to do
      • Smile and be grateful for what and who you are
      • Take two minutes to be mindful (I can send you on my two minute sessions for you to try)

      Whatever it is you choose remember the sun is going to set anyway, your not alone, the seasons will come and go , we all go through it, but we can go through it together.

      For further information feel free to Contact me.

    • 6 Tips for sitting exams

      twitter.com/darainem/status/1529910559394648070

    • Feeling anxious about life going ‘back to normal’? 5 Top tips for managing the transition

      With the easing of restrictions and suggestions that we are closing in on the final chapters of the pandemic, there are numerous reasons to feel optimistic that we may soon return to a ‘normal life ’.

      Just imagine no face masks, no Covid tests and no more social distancing, sounds good , right?

      Taking off a Face mask

      However it’s understandable to feel nervous and anxious about this new transitional stage and the changes associated with it. Trust me you are not alone if you feel this way.

      Our minds and bodies have been on “Red Alert” for a long time now about protecting our health and any sudden changes to our behaviour may cause fear and confusion and an increased risk of social anxiety.

      We may feel that we are under scrutiny and overthink our interactions with others around us leading to even more anxious feelings.

      Here are my 5 top tips for coping with the easing of restrictions:

      1.Drop feeling guilty

      It’s okay to feel anxious and by acknowledging and accepting this it will free up your feelings instead of bottling them up. Changes are going to happen and you don’t have to be ecstatic about it. Chat to friends and colleagues you may be surprised to find you are not alone feeling the way you do.

      2. Pace yourself

      It’s going to be strange for all of us for a while as we meditate our way from where we were to where we are going. Others might be happy to jump right back into work, pubs and clubs whereas others might not be too keen.

      What is important is that you increase exposure at your own pace and find what is comfortable for you, such as , continuing to wear a mask for a while. Furthermore be honest and open about how you feel in a non judgmental way. It’s not about being right or wrong, it’s just the way you feel.

      3.Dealing with peer pressure

      It can be difficult to hold your position when others around you are doing something different and you are getting pressurised into conforming. However a good way to deal with this is to explain how you feel and that you appreciate the way they feel and all you are asking for is reciprocation. Just be like one of the dragons on “Dragons Den”, when they don’t like the deal on offer they say, “I’m Out”.

      4.Be present focused

      Our bodies are always present however our minds can be in the past, present or future.

      Using mindfulness techniques such as, 54321, can really focus our minds on the here and now. This can be easier said than done so practice is key , the more you practice being present the easier it will become.

      54321 mindfulness

      5. Recognise your achievements

      The last two years have brought on many changes, requiring adaptive behaviour at every turn. Just take time out to reflect on how you have managed this by being flexible in your work, family and social life. Nothing worthwhile is easy and by recognising you have come this far, all you need to do is trust yourself to keep going and be open about getting professional help to see you through to the finish line.

      David McAllister

      Anxiety and Phobia Management Specialist

      anxietyclinicdublin.com

      anxietyclinic@dublin.com

      0858435939

    • How to stay optimistic as the pandemic grinds ever onwards

      ‘Perspective thinking’, getting outdoors and having things to look forward to can all help
      — Read on www.irishtimes.com/news/health/how-to-stay-optimistic-as-the-pandemic-grinds-ever-onwards-1.4763902

    • Anxiety and Covid-19. It might surprise you.

      Some alarming statistics where nearly 20% linked to anxiety based disorders.

      Get this quote from the paper :

      Anxiety and fear-related disorders were a prevalent condition in our sample; they were also the second highest risk factor for death among the underlying conditions considered in our study.

      Click to access 21_0123.pdf

      Of course it doesn’t have to be like this. We as individuals, groups even societies can do something about this.

      However we need to be honest with ourselves and take the intelligent first step towards action and seek out the help needed.

      I’m sure you will agree it is in all our best interests to do so. Agreed?

      anxietyclinicdublin.com

    • So what would you do?

      Dog in water sink swim float

      A little gift from a former client which was very nice of them. It came with a little note stating that I had helped her stay afloat.

      I think it’s not always clear cut on how we need to approach problems and indeed solutions as there may be a third way which is available if only we take the time to appreciate it.

      She didn’t want to give up by sinking nor swim away but just staying afloat was enough to keep her head in the right place.

      The note concluded with , “It’s been a pleasure”. My sentiments exactly.

      So what would you do?

    • The futile pursuit that is worry

      Why worry