| Pediophobia is the clinical name for fear of dolls, | | | | At some time in the person's past, they have been |
| dummies, mannequins or children | | | | surprised or shocked while in the presence of |
| While it is certainly not the most common phobia that | | | | mannequins, dolls or children, or have had a frightening |
| we treat here in our hypnotherapy clinics in the UK, it is | | | | experience which the younger self interpreted as being |
| something that we do see several times a year. Many | | | | dangerous. (In some cases, this may even have been |
| clients have been relieved to learn that not only is | | | | in a dream, nightmare or movie.) |
| there a name for this disorder, but that it most certainly | | | | This traumatic experience caused the pediophobic |
| can be successfully and quite easily treated. | | | | person to become afraid and anxious and they have |
| The real number of people suffering from this | | | | linked this fear with mannequins, dolls or children in a |
| particular anxiety disorder is actually unknown because | | | | manner similar to a 'conditioned response'. Often this |
| most have no name for it and so imagine that they | | | | event has been forgotten by the conscious mind, but it |
| are the only ones with this fear. Few people would | | | | is still being held onto by the subconscious which is |
| really feel fully at ease visiting a doctor and saying: | | | | attempting to prevent the person from putting |
| 'Well, Doctor, the truth is that I'm afraid of dolls...' | | | | themselves into danger again by creating fear as a |
| This, of course, not only serves to further alienate the | | | | means of protection. |
| person experiencing the phobia, but it also prevents | | | | But there is a way out. |
| them from getting the help that they need and that is | | | | Unfortunately, many therapists attempt to remove this |
| available. Left untreated, pediophobia can affect and | | | | phobia by simply working on the symptoms - the fear |
| impact on a person's life in quite major and devastating | | | | itself. This, however, can all too often prove only a |
| ways. | | | | temporary fix, even complicating matters. |
| Sometimes, this fear can assume such overwhelming | | | | A phobia has an origin, and carries with it much |
| proportions that it seriously interferes with the | | | | unprocessed subconscious emotion. By simply |
| individual's ability to function in a normal way. An | | | | removing the symptom that is fear, the individual open |
| individual afraid of manneqins, for example, can very | | | | to the unprocessed emotion surfacing in some other |
| easily find a way to avoid those shops selling clothing. | | | | way. |
| Or the person fearful of children or dolls may find | | | | In a process akin to displacement, the anxious |
| themselves refusing to visit family and friends who | | | | emotions can later manifest themselves in all sorts of |
| simply do not understand the reasons for their | | | | different unpleasant ways that are ostensibly |
| behavior. | | | | unconnected with the original phobia. This is called |
| The symptoms of pediophobia are, generally speaking, | | | | 'symptom substitution'. |
| similar to those found in other phobic conditions. | | | | In order for pediophobia to be fully and completely |
| In the presence of children, mannequins or dolls, the | | | | treated and healed, it is essential that the powerful |
| phobic individual usually finds their heart pounding and | | | | subconscious emotion linked to the phobia also be |
| their breathing becoming labored and shallow, and this | | | | correctly processed and comprehensively treated, |
| is so often accompanied by feelings of nausea and a | | | | together with the anxiety and fear itself. |
| dry, parched feeling in the mouth. Some people may | | | | In the hands of an experienced, fully qualified |
| find difficulty in thinking or speaking properly, and the | | | | transformational hypnotherapist, the person can be |
| anxiety can swiftly snowball into a full blown panic | | | | safely taken back to the initial sensitizing experience |
| attack, with all of its fearful feelings. | | | | itself (and to key reinforcing experiences, too) and |
| All too often the individual experiencing this phobia is all | | | | there the damage can be undone. The 'script' or |
| too keenly aware that it is irrational, but he or she feels | | | | 'program' can be 're-written'. |
| powerless to do anything about it. Will power and | | | | Once the subconscious has accepted the truth - that |
| attempts to 'grin and bear it' do precious little to lessen | | | | mannequins, dolls or children do not in reality pose a |
| its frightening grip. | | | | threat or a danger -- then the person is released from |
| This is simply because fear, in common with all feelings, | | | | the grips of this pernicious and restrictive phobia. |
| is being manufactured in the subconscious, and so it is | | | | If you or someone you care about suffer from the |
| to the subconscious that we must look in order to find | | | | inhibiting phobia that is pediophobia, fear of mannequins, |
| an effective soloution. | | | | fear of dolls or fear of children, do not despair, help is |
| But what causes a person to develop such a fear or | | | | available. |
| phobia? | | | | With correctly applied, modern transformational |
| Almost always it is because of some unpleasant | | | | hypnotherapy techniques, you really can regain control |
| experience that the individual has passed through | | | | and end pediophobia for good. |
| when younger, often in childhood. | | | | You'll be glad you did! |