Carcinophobia, the fear of cancer, is among the most widespread phobias, and it's not hard to see why. No one wishes to suffer from cancer or see someone they love suffering from the disease. Although we all want to avoid getting sick, people with carcinophobia have an extremely high amount of fear that frequently takes over their lives. Overcoming the fear of cancer used to take months or even years, but with better understanding of the phobia and treatment techniques, this is no longer the case. Proven hypnosis therapy techniques can help people reclaim their health and well-being.

It isn't difficult to see what can lead to a fear of cancer. This fear is linked to a fear of death, illness, and loss of control. Many people feel upset by a family member's struggle with the disease. Those who have lost a friend to cancer, or are at risk of developing cancer, live in fear of the day when they are diagnosed with cancer.

The uncontrollable anxiety created by carcinophobia can lead people to make extreme life decisions. Many people frequently visit hospitals to make sure they are not sick, while others avoid doctor visits altogether, in fear of being diagnosed with an illness. People with the phobia will become worried if they have the tiniest signs of illness, such as a migraine, and worry that it's a sign of cancer. They may go to great lengths to avoid getting ill.

Those suffering from a fear of cancer often feel like they have much to be afraid of. Carcinophobia a chronic feeling that can affect both genders. A person might think, "Who will provide for the family if I die?" or dwell on other critical issues. The phobia can be unbearably sad for sufferers and their loved ones.

Some people can "control" their fears by simply avoiding the object of their fear. Arachnophobia sufferers can often cope by keeping clear of spiders, and people with claustrophobia are careful to avoid tight, enclosed areas such as elevators. Carcinophobia, however, is a different story. Carcinophobia is primarily triggered by a person's deepest thoughts and anxieties. It can be devastating for someone to suffer from a fear they just cannot escape. This keeps most people with carcinophobia in a constant state of worry.

Many phobia treatments are in existence today. Frequently used ones include counseling and anti-anxiety medication. Talk therapy can produce good results, but it often takes a long time, up to several months for some patients. Prescription medication works to reduce a person's nervousness, but it neglects to fix the root causes of a deep-rooted fear. Hypnosis is another choice that delivers lasting results in less time than other forms of treatment. It is now a leading choice because it's an effective, safe, and non-invasive type of treatment.

Hypnotherapy combines anxiety-relief practices with fear treatment to quickly eliminate a phobia. A good program will start with relaxation therapy to help alleviate the emotional stress caused by fear. When a person feels relaxed and stress-free, hypnotherapy and Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP) techniques work to direct the unconscious mind into following a phobia-free thought process.

Conventional hypnosis utilizes direct, post-hypnotic commands to eliminate a fear. It can be highly helpful when a person is open to it. Unfortunately, these conventional techniques are often ineffective because many people are inclined to question direct suggestions and reject direct commands.

A severe phobia such as the fear of cancer requires a more sophisticated type of treatment such as Ericksonian hypnotherapy. This type of hypnosis works well for those who tend to be independent thinkers, and who are suffering from chronic anxiety and fear. It utilizes indirect suggestions in metaphors, conversations, and stories to help them overcome their phobias.

NLP technology does not depend on suggestion at all, so it can work for anybody. In simple terms, NLP provides tools to train the unconscious mind to use the same thought patterns that are causing a symptom or fear, to extinguish it.

Because both hypnosis and NLP work at the unconscious level of the mind, clients describe feeling more empowered and comfortable through these forms of therapy.

With Conventional Hypnotherapy, programs generally need to be specific to each phobia. One advantage of a well designed Ericksonian hypnotherapy and NLP program is that both are designed to be used on any phobia, or even several phobias. This is an ideal asset to some cancer phobia sufferers who also have other anxiety disorders, such as general germophobia or hypochondria.

Carcinophobia is a serious condition, but one that can be cured by well designed hypnotherapy techniques. NLP techniques have become a popular fear remedy because of their ability to address the root of all phobias along with the symptoms. Sophisticated Ericksonian hypnosis therapy and NLP techniques can help even the most severe phobia patients overcome their phobias once and for all.

Author's Bio: 

Alan B. Densky, CH is a certified hypnotherapist and NLP Practitioner in practice since 1978. You can find him at his social phobia treatment website where he offers treatment phobia CDs. Visit his hypnosis article index, or download a free MP3.