A phobia can be a source of terror, amusement, and embarrassment. Sometimes all three at once, even to the phobic themselves.

Phobias range from the ridiculous to the downright dangerous. At the lighter end of the scale, there is the fear of bananas. And we all know someone who travels ...A phobia can be a source of terror, amusement, and embarrassment. Sometimes all three at once, even to the phobic themselves.

Phobias range from the ridiculous to the downright dangerous. At the lighter end of the scale, there is the fear of bananas. And we all know someone who travels across land and sea for miles and kilometres rather than get on a short plane ride. However, it must be nerve-wracking to check inside your cornflake packet every morning just in case there is a spider inside. Or to be gripped with terror every time the cat brings a mouse in. For some, the cat itself is an object of terror. On the other end of the scale, we have the fear of swallowing, which naturally can have serious consequences.

Most phobics either find a way to cope or find treatment. Maybe you have been for phobia treatment with little or no headway. Or perhaps you or yours would like to be assured of a better result from the word go. With this in mind, here are the five commonly overlooked drivers of a phobia.

1.Questioning the ability of being free from this fear. This has more to do with the next three reasons than it has to do with capability.
2.Feeling that it is your role in life to carry some discomfort. For example, the unconscious mind may be thinking “this is the cross I have to bear in life” or “my mother always shouted at my sister and was good to me, so I have to carry some other pain”.
3.Feeling that it is unsafe to let go of this fear. The unconscious mind may be saying “if I let go of this fear, what will I have to face?” This is when the phobia is a symptom of something much deeper.
4.Feeling that one is not worthy of being free from this fear. The conscious mind may wish to be free from the fear. The unconscious mind may be saying things like “I wasn't worthy of my mother's love” or “my father abandoned us, so I wasn't worthy of him staying” or even “I was abused because I was bad.”
5.Strangely enough, for some, a phobia provides a stimulation and an interest. And so, some phobics are in a way addicted to the fear.

Whilst these are on the heavier side of healing stubborn phobias, they point the way to the solution. Once we know what the problem is, then we can start solving it. There are many treatments for phobia, with varying degrees of success. As a complementary therapist, I used to deal with phobia with hypnotherapy. Now this is OK for a small and simple phobia. And I respect your experience if you have found peace through hypnosis. However, it has been my experience that a more complex phobia needs an energy therapy element to help dislodge it. EFT is great at removing phobias. If you do not like EFT, then Reiki or an energy healing meditation can be a great help. And whatever path you take to freedom, I wish you healing and peace.

Author's Bio: 

© Suzanne Zacharia 2008. My name is Suzanne Zacharia and I am committed to spreading the word about health options. I believe that the more and better options one has, the more choice there is.

A virus caught along with 5 other students at university at the end of 1986, plus medical negligence, meant that I got smokers lung at a relatively young age. In desperation for help with my symptoms and quality of life, I turned to complementary therapy, and I have outlived one doctor's prognosis by over 12 years now.

I am now a complementary therapist, author and trainer specializing in "energy psychology". Want to use this article? You can, as long as you credit me with it and invite your readers to get my FREE book "7 Real Truths of Energy Psychology" at www.newagetherapies.com