Letting go of Fear of Fear Hypnosis | Award Winning Anxiety Hypnotherapy Brisbane | Clive Westwood
Letting go of Fear of Fear Hypnosis | Award Winning Anxiety Hypnotherapy Brisbane | Clive Westwood
Hypnosis for Fear of Fear, Anticipatory Anxiety, Panic About Panic and Emotional Freedom
Sometimes the thing you fear most is not the situation.
It is the fear itself.
You may think:
“What if I get scared?”
“What if I panic?”
“What if I can’t calm down?”
“What if the fear takes over?”
And now fear is no longer only a response.
It has become something you are constantly trying to prevent.
This Letting go of Fear of Fear Hypnosis with Clive Westwood is designed as complementary support for people who have become frightened of the experience of fear itself.
[EMBED LETTING GO OF FEAR OF FEAR HYPNOSIS VIDEO HERE]
The goal is not to make you incapable of fear.
Fear has a normal protective purpose.
The aim is to help reduce the secondary fear that says:
“I must never feel afraid.”
Because when fear itself becomes the enemy, life can become organised around avoiding a feeling.
What Is Fear of Fear?
Fear of fear means becoming anxious about the possibility of feeling afraid.
You may fear:
anxiety
panic
physical sensations
losing control
embarrassment
feeling trapped
not being able to escape
not being able to calm down
fear returning
fear becoming worse
The anticipation can become almost as uncomfortable as the experience itself.
The Fear-of-Fear Cycle
The cycle may become:
Situation → thought about fear → body monitoring → fear appears → fear of the fear → stronger anxiety → escape or reassurance → temporary relief
Then your mind learns:
“That fear was dangerous.”
Next time, you become frightened even earlier.
Fear Can Become a Trigger for More Fear
You notice:
Your heart.
Your stomach.
Your breathing.
Or simply a thought.
Then:
“Oh no. I’m getting anxious.”
Now the fear of becoming anxious increases the anxiety.
This is how one emotional reaction can become two.
The First Fear and the Second Fear
The first fear may be:
“I feel nervous.”
The second fear is:
“I cannot handle feeling nervous.”
The second layer can create far more suffering than the original emotion.
Stop Being Afraid of Being Afraid
You do not need to enjoy fear.
You do not need to invite it.
You do not need to pretend it feels good.
The shift may simply be:
“I can experience fear without treating the feeling itself as an emergency.”
Fear of Fear After a Panic Attack
A panic attack can leave a strong memory.
Afterwards, you may begin thinking:
“I never want to feel that again.”
That makes sense.
But then every small sensation becomes something to watch.
Every unfamiliar situation becomes something to predict.
You may begin living in fear of the next wave of fear.
Fear of Panic
The thought becomes:
“What if panic starts?”
Then you monitor yourself for signs.
The more you monitor, the more likely you are to notice normal fluctuations in:
Heart rate.
Breathing.
Temperature.
Balance.
Digestion.
Then:
“There it is.”
Fear of Anxiety Returning
You finally feel good.
Then your mind asks:
“How long will this last?”
Instead of enjoying calm, you begin waiting for its disappearance.
Fear of Fear at Night
You lie down.
Then think:
“What if anxiety starts when I try to sleep?”
Now you are not simply going to bed.
You are testing whether your nervous system will behave.
Fear of Waking Up Afraid
You wake and immediately check:
“How do I feel?”
If there is even a small sensation of tension:
“Here we go again.”
The day begins with fear of fear.
Fear of Fear Before Leaving Home
You may feel reasonably comfortable at home.
Then it is time to go out.
You think:
“What if I feel anxious while I’m out?”
Now the anticipation becomes the trigger.
Fear of Fear in Public
You may think:
“What if people see me become anxious?”
Then you fear:
Fear itself.
And judgement about fear.
Fear of Fear While Driving
You may worry:
“What if I suddenly panic while driving?”
The fear may become linked with:
motorways
traffic
bridges
tunnels
unfamiliar roads
long journeys
Never listen to hypnosis while driving.
Fear of Fear While Flying
You may not only fear flying.
You may fear:
“What if I panic and can’t get off?”
The inability to immediately escape becomes part of the fear.
Fear of Fear in Shopping Centres
You may think:
“What if I become anxious far from the exit?”
Then you start:
Tracking exits.
Planning escape.
Walking quickly.
Avoiding queues.
The shopping centre becomes associated with the fear of having fear.
Fear of Fear at Work
You may worry:
“What if I panic in the meeting?”
“What if my mind goes blank?”
“What if I suddenly need to leave?”
The actual meeting may be manageable.
The anticipated fear becomes the problem.
Fear of Fear During Social Situations
You may think:
“What if I get nervous and people notice?”
Then you monitor:
Your voice.
Your face.
Your hands.
Your breathing.
Instead of connecting with the person in front of you, you are watching yourself.
Fear of Fear During Public Speaking
You may fear:
Shaking.
Blushing.
Going blank.
Feeling panic.
You begin treating nervousness as evidence of failure.
But nervousness does not automatically mean you cannot perform.
Fear of Fear During Exercise
Exercise can create sensations that resemble anxiety:
Faster heartbeat.
Heavier breathing.
Warmth.
Sweating.
If you fear those sensations, exercise itself can become threatening.
Appropriate medical assessment should come first where health concerns exist.
Fear of Fear and Health Anxiety
You notice a sensation.
Then think:
“What if I become terrified about this?”
Now the problem becomes:
The symptom.
The interpretation.
And the fear of your own reaction.
Fear of Fear and Overthinking
You try to mentally predict every possible trigger.
Your mind says:
“If I think through everything now, maybe I can prevent fear later.”
But the planning itself keeps fear mentally present.
Fear of Fear and Reassurance
You may repeatedly ask:
“Do you think I’ll be okay?”
“Do you think I’ll panic?”
“Will you stay with me?”
Reassurance brings temporary relief.
Then uncertainty returns.
Fear of Fear and Avoidance
You avoid:
Places.
People.
Travel.
Driving.
Flying.
Crowds.
Meetings.
Exercise.
Being alone.
Not always because the situation itself is dangerous.
Because you fear how you may feel in it.
The Relief Trap
You cancel.
Fear drops.
You think:
“Thank goodness.”
That relief can teach the brain:
“Avoidance saved me.”
The next time, avoiding becomes even more tempting.
Stop Waiting Until Fear Is Completely Gone
You may tell yourself:
“I’ll do it when I’m not scared.”
But confidence often develops by discovering:
“I can do this while feeling some fear.”
Courage Does Not Mean No Fear
Courage can mean:
Fear is present, and I still choose what matters.
You Do Not Have to Defeat Fear Before Living
Fear says:
“Wait until I disappear.”
Life says:
“You can move while I am still here.”
Stop Treating Fear Like an Emergency
Fear may feel urgent.
That does not automatically mean urgent action is required.
You may practise:
“I notice fear.”
Then pause.
Then choose.
Fear Is a Feeling, Not a Command
Fear can say:
“Leave.”
You may still stay where it is safe and appropriate.
Fear can say:
“Avoid.”
You may still make a considered choice.
Fear can say:
“Something terrible is coming.”
A prediction is not the future.
Stop Fighting the Feeling
You may instinctively think:
“Get rid of this.”
Then tense.
Push.
Monitor.
Check.
The struggle can become another source of fear.
A different response may be:
“I can allow this feeling to change without forcing it.”
You Do Not Have to Like Fear to Allow It
Acceptance does not mean:
“I want this.”
It can mean:
“This is what I feel right now, and I do not need to create another fight around it.”
What Happens When You Stop Asking “When Will This Go?”
You stop measuring every second.
You stop checking.
You stop making the feeling the most important thing in the room.
Attention begins returning to life.
Fear Can Rise and Fall
Emotion is not static.
Fear can:
Increase.
Peak.
Reduce.
Change.
Shift.
You do not have to treat the first sign of fear as the beginning of something endless.
Stop Predicting the Future From the Present Feeling
You feel scared now.
Then think:
“I’m going to feel like this all day.”
Or:
“This means tomorrow will be bad.”
A current feeling does not automatically predict the next hour.
Stop Turning Fear Into Identity
There is a difference between:
“I am afraid.”
and:
“I am a fearful person.”
One is an experience.
The other becomes a story about who you are.
Fear Is Something You Experience
Not everything you experience needs to become who you are.
Stop Measuring Yourself Against Fear
You may ask:
“Was I anxious today?”
Then decide whether the day was good or bad based entirely on that answer.
Perhaps a better question is:
“Did I live according to what mattered today?”
You Can Have a Good Day With Some Anxiety in It
Fear does not have to erase:
Laughter.
Connection.
Achievement.
Exercise.
Work.
Rest.
A meal.
A conversation.
One emotion does not have to own the whole day.
Fear Does Not Need Your Full Attention
You can notice it in the background while bringing attention to:
The person in front of you.
Your surroundings.
The task.
Your breathing without controlling it.
The next useful action.
Stop Looking Inside for Fear
Sometimes you repeatedly ask:
“Is it still there?”
And every check brings attention back to it.
You can practise allowing the nervous system to settle without supervising it.
The Body Does Not Need Constant Monitoring
Your heart does not need to feel perfect.
Your breathing does not need to feel perfect.
Your stomach does not need to feel perfect.
Your body can change without every change becoming a threat.
New or medically concerning symptoms should still receive appropriate assessment.
Let Fear Be Smaller Than Your Life
Perhaps fear has become the organiser.
It chooses:
Where you go.
Who you see.
What you attempt.
How far you travel.
What you avoid.
The goal is not to eliminate normal fear.
It is to make fear one part of experience instead of the controller of experience.
From Fear Avoidance to Fear Tolerance
Instead of:
“How do I make sure I never feel afraid?”
You may begin asking:
“How do I become more confident in my ability to respond when fear appears?”
From Certainty to Trust
Fear often asks for certainty.
“Promise me I won’t panic.”
“Promise me nothing will happen.”
“Promise me I’ll feel calm.”
Confidence is different.
It says:
“I trust myself to respond to what actually happens.”
You Cannot Control Every Emotional Response
And you do not need to.
Control is not the only route to safety.
Flexibility matters too.
Fear Is Not Failure
You may have believed:
“If I feel afraid, the hypnosis didn’t work.”
That is an impossible standard.
Progress may mean:
Fear appears.
But you respond differently.
How Letting Go of Fear of Fear Hypnosis May Help
Hypnotherapy may support some people with:
fear of fear itself
anticipatory anxiety
panic about panic
fear of anxiety returning
avoidance
reassurance seeking
body monitoring
fear of losing control
fear of embarrassment
catastrophic thinking
present-moment focus
emotional acceptance
confidence around uncomfortable feelings
letting go of the demand for complete certainty
Individual responses vary and no specific outcome can be guaranteed.
Hypnosis for Fear of Fear
The focus may involve changing the automatic belief:
“Feeling fear is dangerous.”
towards:
“Fear can be uncomfortable without automatically controlling what I do.”
Hypnosis for Panic About Panic
You may practise separating:
A sensation.
From:
The story about what that sensation means.
Hypnosis for Anticipatory Fear
Instead of mentally rehearsing:
Panic.
Escape.
Embarrassment.
You may practise rehearsing:
Arriving.
Noticing.
Responding.
Continuing.
Hypnosis for Fear of Anxiety Returning
The aim may be to stop spending calm periods preparing for the next anxious period.
Hypnosis for Fear-Based Avoidance
Hypnotherapy may complement evidence-based psychological approaches for reducing avoidance where appropriate.
Any exposure should be safe, appropriate and never reckless.
Hypnosis for Fear of Losing Control
You may practise recognising that:
Feeling afraid does not automatically remove your ability to choose.
Hypnosis for Fear in Social Situations
The focus may shift from:
“How anxious am I?”
to:
“What is actually happening around me?”
Hypnosis for Fear While Driving or Flying
Hypnotherapy may support anticipatory fear away from the situation itself.
Never listen while driving or performing any activity requiring full concentration.
What Does Hypnosis Feel Like?
Experiences vary.
You may feel:
relaxed
focused
heavy
light
absorbed
calm
physically comfortable
less distracted
Or you may simply feel like you are listening carefully.
Will I Be Unconscious?
No.
You remain aware and responsive.
Will I Lose Control?
No.
You retain choice throughout hypnosis.
Will Hypnosis Remove Fear Completely?
No responsible practitioner should guarantee the permanent elimination of fear.
Fear is a normal human emotion.
The aim is to support a more proportionate and flexible response.
Is the Goal to Become Fearless?
No.
Being completely fearless would not necessarily be healthy or safe.
Appropriate fear can protect you from genuine danger.
The goal is to reduce unnecessary fear of the emotional experience itself.
Personalised Fear-of-Fear Hypnotherapy Brisbane
A general recording cannot know exactly what you fear about fear.
You may fear:
panic attacks
losing control
body sensations
embarrassment
driving
flying
crowds
being alone
being trapped
feeling unreal
fainting
nausea
anxiety returning
not being able to calm down
Personalised hypnotherapy can focus on the specific meaning your mind has attached to fear while complementing appropriate psychological or medical care where needed.
Why Choose Clive Westwood for Fear and Anxiety Hypnotherapy in Brisbane?
Helping Clients Since 2013
Clive Westwood has been helping clients through hypnotherapy since 2013, including people seeking support with anxiety, panic, overthinking, fears and confidence.
Personalised Sessions
The phrase fear of fear can mean something different for everyone.
One person fears:
Panic.
Another:
Fainting.
Another:
Embarrassment.
Another:
Losing control.
Another:
Feeling trapped.
The more clearly the fear is understood, the more specific the session can be.
Non-Shaming Support
Fear does not mean weakness.
The focus is not:
“Why are you scared?”
It is:
“How can you respond differently to the fear?”
Face-to-Face Hypnotherapy Brisbane
Face-to-face appointments are available in Brisbane.
Online Hypnotherapy Australia-Wide
Online sessions are also available throughout Australia where appropriate.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Is Fear of Fear?
It is anxiety about experiencing fear, panic or anxiety itself.
The person may become frightened of the emotional or physical response rather than only the original situation.
Can Hypnosis Help Fear of Fear?
Hypnotherapy may help some people reduce secondary fear, catastrophic interpretation, anticipatory anxiety and avoidance.
Is Fear of Fear the Same as Panic Disorder?
Not necessarily.
Fear of panic can be part of panic disorder, but only a qualified health professional can diagnose a mental-health condition.
Can Fear of Fear Cause Panic?
Fear of becoming anxious can increase arousal and contribute to a panic cycle for some people.
Can Hypnosis Help Panic About Panic?
It may support a different response to the sensations and thoughts associated with panic.
Can Hypnosis Help Fear of Anxiety Returning?
It may support reduced monitoring and less future-focused worry.
Can Hypnosis Help Fear of Losing Control?
It may support reduced catastrophic thinking around the feeling of losing control.
Can Hypnosis Help Me Stop Avoiding Things?
It may complement evidence-based approaches aimed at reducing avoidance.
Significant avoidance should be assessed professionally where appropriate.
Should I Force Myself Into Frightening Situations?
No.
Do not use hypnosis as encouragement for unsafe, reckless or overwhelming exposure.
Where exposure is appropriate, it should be gradual, considered and safe.
Should I Ignore Physical Symptoms Because I Have Anxiety?
No.
New, severe, persistent, worsening or unexplained physical symptoms should be appropriately medically assessed.
Can Hypnosis Make Me Completely Fearless?
That is neither a realistic nor necessarily desirable goal.
Appropriate fear can protect you from genuine risks.
Does Feeling Fear Mean I Am Going Backwards?
Not necessarily.
Progress can involve changing your response to fear rather than never experiencing it again.
Can I Listen to This Hypnosis Every Day?
Some people choose to use relaxation or hypnosis recordings regularly.
Stop if the recording makes you significantly more distressed and seek appropriate professional support when needed.
How Many Hypnotherapy Sessions Will I Need?
Individual needs vary.
No exact number of sessions or particular outcome can responsibly be guaranteed.
Can I Listen While Driving?
No.
Never listen to hypnosis, sleep hypnosis or deep-relaxation recordings while driving, cycling, operating machinery or doing anything that requires full attention.
When Fear Becomes Severely Limiting
If fear, panic or anxiety is significantly restricting your ability to:
Leave home.
Work.
Drive.
Travel.
Sleep.
Care for yourself.
Maintain relationships.
Or function normally.
Appropriate psychological, psychiatric or medical assessment should be considered.
If you believe there is an immediate risk of harm to yourself or someone else, call Triple Zero (000) or attend an emergency department.
In Australia, crisis support is also available through Lifeline on 13 11 14 and Suicide Call Back Service on 1300 659 467.
Hypnosis is not a substitute for emergency or crisis care.
Let Go of the Fear of Feeling Fear
Perhaps fear has been controlling you because you have been trying so hard never to feel it.
Every sensation becomes a warning.
Every anxious thought becomes a threat.
Every future event becomes:
“What if I get scared?”
But perhaps freedom does not require the permanent disappearance of fear.
Perhaps it begins when fear stops deciding what you are allowed to do.
You can feel nervous.
And continue.
You can notice your heart.
And return your attention outward.
You can experience uncertainty.
And still make a decision.
You can feel fear.
Without immediately creating another fear about the fear.
You do not have to say:
“I must never be afraid.”
You can begin saying:
“If fear appears, I can respond.”
“I do not have to fight every feeling.”
“I do not have to obey every alarm.”
“I can allow fear to rise and fall.”
“I can let my life become larger than my fear.”
Listen to Letting go of Fear of Fear Hypnosis with Clive Westwood somewhere safe to relax as complementary support for anticipatory anxiety, panic about panic, fear of anxiety, avoidance and fear of losing control.
For persistent, severe or significantly impairing anxiety or panic symptoms, appropriate psychological, psychiatric or medical care should be considered.
For personalised support, Clive Westwood provides fear, panic and anxiety hypnotherapy in Brisbane, with online appointments also available throughout Australia.
The goal is not to become incapable of fear. It is to stop being frightened by the fact that fear can exist.
