Understanding the avoidance cycle and how you can move towards the life you want.
Avoiding something that scares you can bring an immediate sense of relief.
Perhaps you put off a phone call, cancel a social event, avoid driving somewhere unfamiliar or turn down an invitation because the thought of going feels overwhelming.
In that moment, you feel better. The anxiety eases, and you can relax a little.
But your brain learns from experience. When you avoid something that makes you anxious, you don’t get the opportunity to discover that you might be able to manage it. Over time, the situation can continue to feel threatening, and avoiding it can become an increasingly familiar response.
Anxiety can centre on something specific, such as a fear or phobia, or it can be more general, leaving you worrying about everyday situations and what might happen.
Gradually, your world can become smaller. You might avoid places you used to enjoy, put off travelling because of a fear of flying, steer clear of motorways, or find yourself saying no to plans with friends. Perhaps you don’t book the trip to the place you’ve always wanted to visit, or miss out on concerts, meals out and special days with your children because anxiety gets in the way.
You might feel frustrated when anxiety stops you doing things you’d like to do, or find it difficult when you miss out on experiences with the people you love. You may wish you could say yes more often or simply enjoy things without worrying so much. You might even feel guilty when anxiety prevents you from doing things with the people who matter to you. These feelings can add to the anxiety, making the cycle harder to break.
But things can change.
Solution-Focused Hypnotherapy focuses on how you’d like things to be, alongside helping you understand what’s happening with anxiety, rather than spending lots of time exploring the problem or the past. It helps you look towards the future you want and identify small, manageable steps that can move you in that direction.
What would life look like if anxiety had less influence over what you do? What would you be doing more of? What would you be enjoying? What might be different about your day-to-day life?
By focusing on these possibilities and taking small, achievable steps, you can begin to build confidence and change how you respond to situations that currently feel difficult.
Imagine feeling more confident, saying yes to things you’d previously have avoided, enjoying time with the people you love and doing more of the things that matter to you.
It’s a beautiful world. There’s so much you can still enjoy.