How to use NLP to Cure Phobias and Fear of Flying

NLP is great at curing phobia, simply because phobias originate from your mind and NLP allows you to master your mind. In this easy guide to using NLP to cure phobia, we will use the common fear of flying or air travel as an example. The same NLP technique can be applied to almost any phobia.



The first thing we have to realise is that almost every phobia (other than the natural fear of things that are different, and sometimes heights) is a fear we have learned as a child. They are not automatic. For example, if the fear of flying was automatic, we would expect everyone to be afraid of flying. Makes sense?

So the first thing we have to do is isolate a lesson that would have taught us that flying is scary. It may be that we had a shaky plane landing when we were an infant, it may be that we've never even been on a plane but we saw a film that made us doubt the safety. Whatever it is, you need to form a short film in your mind of the scary lesson. Put yourself in the film.

Now, imagine a cinema. It can be one that you know quite well. Picture yourself sitting there.

Don't necessarily use the one I've put as an example. I've only put these pictures here to illustrate what I mean. Once you've got your cinema pictured, imagine your "scary short film" up on the screen. But don't push play yet! It's just the first frame, ready to go.

Take the film and see it on the screen. Picture it. But let's make it black and white.

And now make it blurry, so you can still see what's going on, but make less defined.

Let's make it smaller. You still will be able to see it, but it needs to be smaller, so it doesn't take up very much of the screen. Finally, the film itself will be silent, with some loud comedy music playing. Something like this. If you don't like it, any kind of cartoon music will do. Something funny and light-hearted.

Now imagine a time when you were super confident. Something you're really good at, such as doing something at work you know like the back of your hand, or laughing with a good friend. You must magnify this feeling of confidence and safety! Enhance it, turn up the volume of your confidence, let it shine out in a blinding beam of super-confidence and engulf everything around you. Now double that feeling! And double it again!

Watch the film play, and feel free to laugh! At the end of the film, go and congratulate your film-self on getting it done. See how everything is okay, and everything worked out fine! You're still alive, so there's clearly no point in being afraid any more! Well done. Shake your hand, pat yourself on the back and both of you can now laugh about the whole thing.

Now put the screen back to full size, full colour, and watch the film backwards, in super fast rewind motion. It should be all over and done in a few seconds. If you want, you can even watch the film through your own eyes (rather than from a cinema screen).

How do you feel about it now? Your phobia is alleviated a bit. Repeat these steps as necessary. Get yourself as relaxed as possible every time. The more bold and vivid you can make the experience, the better it will work.

This NLP technique for curing phobia will also work on some other emotional memories. Perhaps you are nervous while giving a speech? Or you don't like talking to certain people at work? Even going for a run outside can be turned from a daunting experience to something you're already great at. Give it a try!

NLP Techniques used:
	Anchoring	Swish	Framing