A little strange this, but perhaps somebody can help.

A friend of mine (lets call her Christina) who lives in Sheffield (Hillsborough) has an irrational fear of Aliens abducting her. This is so serious that she will not brush her teeth at night with her back to the bathroom door. She has visions of tall and small ones and thinks of them several times a day especially the grey one with the big eyes.

This fear seems to stem from watching X files as a child, however she is now a 20 yr old woman who runs her own business.

Although sounding funny, this fear does cause her concern. Can anyone help with a solution as she is considering going to a hypnotist... Is this a good idea and if so who????

Sounds a little scary but it would be great to be abducted by aliens because at least then you would know they exist...

GIve hypnotherapy a go.

I'm not an expert, but....

I'd suggest she sees a counsellor / pyschotherapist first.

It might be that her fear of alien abduction is part of some free floating anxiety which may attach itself to some other issue if she undergoes hypnosis.

It might be that a hypnotherapist - and there is a difference between a hypnotist and a hypnotherapist - might want to take a wider view of things. After all, hypnosis usually effects a therapeutic benefit when there's something definite for it to go at - stopping smoking, being more ocnfident, etc.

If she does decide to see a hypnotherapist, make sure that the person is acredited with a suitable professional organisation - but I really would suggest seeing a therapist first.

Hope this helps,

Joe

Originally posted by firsteuro
A little strange this, but perhaps somebody can help.

A friend of mine (lets call her Christina) who lives in Sheffield (Hillsborough) has an irrational fear of Aliens abducting her. This is so serious that she will not brush her teeth at night with her back to the bathroom door. She has visions of tall and small ones and thinks of them several times a day especially the grey one with the big eyes.

This fear seems to stem from watching X files as a child, however she is now a 20 yr old woman who runs her own business.

Although sounding funny, this fear does cause her concern. Can anyone help with a solution as she is considering going to a hypnotist... Is this a good idea and if so who????
Have you tried telling her to grow up? It's the cheaper way:thumbsup:

By all means try a hypnotherapist if she is comfortable with the idea.

However, with phobias (irrational fears) ,behavioural therapies have a higher success rate.

As for a recommendation I suggest she talks to her GP about it and get a referal.

Nomme

Originally posted by miniminch
Have you tried telling her to grow up? It's the cheaper way:thumbsup:

Have you tried telling someone who is afraid of spiders not to be so silly?

Did it work?

Thought not.

Irrational fears are just that - irrational.
Telling someone to 'grow up' is neither useful or funny in this context. It's on a par with telling someone with depression to 'pull themselves together'.

I'm not having a go, as I guess you were trying to lighten the mood of the thread, but merely pointing out that what might seem a light hearted topic to some is deadly serious to others.

Nomme

I thought it was funny Mini! :P

Originally posted by firsteuro
A little strange this, but perhaps somebody can help.

A friend of mine (lets call her Christina) who lives in Sheffield (Hillsborough) has an irrational fear of Aliens abducting her. This is so serious that she will not brush her teeth at night with her back to the bathroom door. She has visions of tall and small ones and thinks of them several times a day especially the grey one with the big eyes.

This fear seems to stem from watching X files as a child, however she is now a 20 yr old woman who runs her own business.

Although sounding funny, this fear does cause her concern. Can anyone help with a solution as she is considering going to a hypnotist... Is this a good idea and if so who????

Maybe if she brushed her teeth in the kitchen facing the door she might feel less fear.

Facing one's fear is the only way to deal with this kind of thing.
As a good friend you are in a position to organise an abduction. This could have one of two results: The experience will either help her to overcome her irrational fear or be so bad that the fear will become perfectly rational.
I’d love to be able to help but, sadly, my alien friends have taken a sabbatical. There may be others wafting about somewhere. This forum, however, is a not good place to find wafting aliens, the internet is far too basic for those sorts. They’re a bit snooty like that don't you know.