Has anyone done hypnotherapy/hypnosis to help with phobias/anxiety? What else can I do besides...

[la mamita]

I have a severe phobia that I've dealt with since I was a child, which has also caused panic attacks and generalized anxiety and agoraphobia. I've done worse than I am right now, but I've done a lot better too. I'm so tired of feeling paralyzed and destroyed by this fear and the idea of dealing with this for years and years to come in my life seems overwhelming right now.

I've taken anti-anxiety medicine, I've done cognitive-behavioral therapy, I've done talk therapy...I'm looking for other options because none of these have gotten me to the point I'd like to be at, mental health wise.

Has anyone done hypnotherapy/hypnosis to help with phobias/anxiety? What are my other options?

[Oubliette8]

I've done hypnosis as part of my regular therapy. I have anxiety and a host of other issues, no phobias though. I've found it to be VERY helpful for anxiety. I'm sure the process would be different for each client, and mine might be unusual since there are other issues involved and therapy is ongoing. For a single phobia issue I would imagine it would be very different. My therapist has made me hypnosis tapes so I can practice at home- custom made to me, my issues etc. When I have trouble with anxiety, I listen to them until I calm down. But it also helps prevent future anxiety. In the past we've worked on single items that were distressing me, and were able to decrease my anxiety/distress related to those fairly quickly by targeting it specifically with hypnosis.