A spritely 73-year-old called after finding my ad posted at my neighborhood car wash.

When he was 40, something happened when he swam in deep water. He remains so terrified of the depths he cannot go into the water.

Traveling to Hawaii and the Galapagos Islands, he badly wanted to resolve the matter so he could scuba or snorkel.

He could not tell me how the trouble originated. When he was younger, his diet was poor and he drank a lot.

It became apparent, his fear, as is often the case, sugar-related. When he became frightened 33 years ago, his blood sugar levels were low. One becomes more open to primitive emotional reactions. The scary event etched itself in his subconscious.

When the brain does not get the sugar it needs, it begins to panic while scanning the body for the sugar it needs. Failing that, the brain will create a fear or a feeling of fear.

This creates a feeling that generates adrenaline that rapidly breaks down to sugar. The fear goes away for 20 to 30 minutes.

Unless you eat a good source of protein, you can expect another attack within a half hour.

My client had not given me much time to work with him prior to his departure to Hawaii. I gave him a diet that was rich in protein. I told him to eat small amounts of protein every 2 to 2½ hours to ensure good blood sugar levels that will not drop. This allowed him to function from his higher self, eliminating the fear to which he had become accustomed.

I hypnotized my client to return to the time his fear started. I wanted him to see himself not as he was but as he wants to be. This was the beginning of a desensitization process that has the client under hypnosis watching a movie of what had happened to him. He would  watch it from a distance, detached.

I helped him to see himself swimming and snorkeling in deep water, feeling calm and happy.

I gave the client a clear understanding of how important it was to eat protein regularly. It reminded me of a client who had been experiencing ongoing panic and anxiety. A drummer in a rock band, he was constantly touring here and abroad. The constant time changes and late nights took a toll.  But once he followed the protein rich diet and eating every 2 to 2½ hours his anxiety dissipated.

In both cases the men rid themselves of their fears and embraced their new diets with renewed energy and a healthier outlook.

Remember, Fear is an acronym meaning False Experience Appearing Real.

Do not hesitate to contact me by telephone, 310.204.3321, or by email at nickpollak@hypnotherapy4you.net. See my website at www.hypnotherapy4you.net