How to Combat Phobias

  

 

How to Combat Phobias

A childhood  friend  and a close companion , with whom  I used to discuss several subjects , like sports ( cricket in special) , politics , religion , spirituality and  of course members of the opposite sex (this was done with great fervor ) suffers from morbid thought processes and irrational fears .

This friend was quite athletic and adept at   several indoor and outdoor sports. He played soccer, cricket, badminton ,  chess and table tennis effortlessly and in a facile manner.  For him Amitabh Bachchan was next to almighty.  While I was hooked to the acting skills of Naseeruddin Shah, my friend swore by Amitabh. We used to debate animatedly   the acting skills of both the actors.

Without a doubt , Amitabh Bachchan scored heavily in terms of popular appeal ,  but I always rated and  still rate Naseer a superior actor.

My friend was forced to pursue sciences by his father much to his disapprobation.  Unfortunately he lost his father to Alzheimer’s and mother later on died of  abdominal  cancer.

Since childhood, he used to read books written by Norman Vincent Peale , and  other books on  how to cultivate positive thinking . I used to wonder  why?  The friend was quite attached to his mother and subsequent to the tragedy, he started reading books written by Dr Brian L Weiss. And is now tormented and bedevilled by thoughts of life after death and wishes to write on this subject. He suffers from thanatophobia.

There is an individual  hailing from Cuddapah district of  Andhra Pradesh. He is leading   a retired life , but is troubled by  numerous negative thoughts . This gentleman is physically strong , goes about his chores with regularity. The retired professor is physically well endowed, takes morning and evening walks, but as night falls , he suffers from nyctophobia( darkness).

The retired professor mentioned, that his close friend always sports a dishevelled appearance! Why was my query? To which he replied that person suffered from spectrophobia( mirrors) . In their neighbourhood, resides   a lady whose only son committed suicide as he failed to qualify for the entrance examination. Since then the lady suffers from what is called pharmacophobia ( medicine).  No medicine can be administered to  her. A friend of that lady  is an extremely distressed personality whose daughter suffered  a miscarriage , Since then , she suffers from metrophobia( motherhood).

Recently a batch mate from Mumbai dropped in for dinner. It was under tremendous compulsion he consented for the official trip as he seldom travels ( he suffers from hodophobia- fear of travel). Apparently years back, he was traveling in a car with his family which met with a serious accident in which he lost his parents.

“ The only thing we have to fear is fear itself.” Writes Franklin D Roosevelt

The list is endless. People across the spectrum, different age groups, variety of professions, different sexes seem to be suffering from fears and phobias. Past impressions have played havoc on their minds and systems. Those events, the remembrance and replay of the events trigger irrational responses. The minds are enveloped with fear, they live closeted lives, and are impinged with negative thoughts. This particularly happens when their minds are not occupied and do not have anything constructive to execute.  They have not developed a space to declutter their minds and dump all the accumulated   mental garbage.

Unfortunately several of them  have  been administered sedatives and are compelled to take Prozac . This has ill  effects on the anatomy like loss of appetite , irritability among others.

“ Fear keeps us focussed on the past or worried about the future. If we can acknowledge our fear, we can realise that right now, we are okay. Right now, today, we are still alive, and our bodies are working marvellously. Our eyes can still see beautiful sky. Our ears can still hear the voice s of our loved ones.” Writes Thin Nhat Hanh

Our will power, motivation and resolve to break the boundaries are the only way to get out of this quagmire.  As Wayne Dyer says,” Go for it now the future is promised to none.”

 A person  has to prepare the  battle ground  to combat fear and phobias by being  thankful and grateful to  everything that universe has provided. And aunt of mine  unflinchingly  writes down only motivational quotations. The  mind listens to such positive vibrations  resulting in a   spiraling affect. The energy patterns that effect our wellbeing vibrates in the universe. The existence of vibration is indicative of the presence of subtle energy that makes it all vibrate. This is nothing but the core cosmic energy which  assists in embracing efficacious thoughts and in the power of healing. This energy should be embraced.

Further she is a voracious reader of all religious scriptures and motivational authors.  This further begets positivity in her mind.

My mother learnt Pranic Healing and Siddha Healing techniques, apart from undertaking the  Vipassana course and the Part 1 and Part 2 courses of the Art of Living. She does the Sadhana( practice ) without fail  daily. Such practices have increased her confidence levels and she is full of confidence. Both of them believe in Law of Attraction, Law of Gratefulness, Law of Abundance and Law of Thankfulness and feeling   blessed all the time.

Those who are suffering from fears   and phobias  should without fail do Yoga, Pranayama and undertake  the Happiness Programme of Art of Living . The unique breathing technique of Sudarshan Kriya as developed by His Holiness Sri Sri Ravi Shankar detoxifies our minds and purges it of negativity. Regular practice of Pranayama, Yoga, Sudarshan Kriya and Meditation calms the mind and brings it to the present moment.

Once you live in the present, fears dissolve   and the mind is empty . This one particularly learns in the Advanced Meditation Course and the Blessings Course of the Art of Living.

“ Life is 10% what happens to you and 90% how you react to it” writes Charles R Swindoll .