Hypnotherapy cured my fear of bonfire night

REBECCA TORRES was terrified of even lighting candles until hypnotherapy cured her phobia.

Fireworks previously would have terrified Rebecca
SETTLING in for a cosy night at home, Rebecca Torres strikes a match and lights a scented candle. It is a simple, everyday act, but one that would have been inconceivable for her to manage until last year.

Rebecca’s pyrophobia – fear of fire – was so extreme that even seeing a lit match would make her break out in a cold sweat.

But since having hypnotherapy, she has overcome her terror and is even looking forward to her first fireworks party for more than 20 years.

Rebecca, 28, first developed her fear when she was five years old. The mental health worker said: “When I was very young, I used to watch the fireworks from my bedroom window.

“Then one year, my parents took me and my younger brother, Simon, to a nearby village for a bonfire party. I remember feeling so excited when I saw the huge fire in the middle of the village green. I was totally mesmerised by the bright, colourful flames.”

What started as a magical evening turned sour when hot ash landed on Rebecca’s skirt and set it on fire.

“It all happened so fast,” she said. “One minute I was happily watching the fire, the next people were tugging and pulling at my clothes, trying to put the flames out.

“I think what affected me most was the way my parents reacted. My mother screamed hysterically and my father looked absolutely shocked.”

From that moment, Rebecca developed a morbid fear of fire.

“Whenever I was near any kind of fire or flame, even a match being lit, my heart would start racing, I would sweat profusely and start panicking. My instant reaction was to try to get away as far as possible.”

Over the years, Rebecca has even cancelled trips and evenings out as a result of her fears. When she was on holiday in Thailand three years
ago with her boyfriend Joe, 30, an electrical engineer who is now her husband, she avoided beach bars and restaurants with fires lit on the beach.

“I was on the idyllic island of Koh Samui but in the evenings I was too scared to sit on the beach. The idea of being near fire totally freaked me out.”

She was also petrified of fireworks and missed out on bonfire nights, firework displays and most Hogmanay celebrations.

Rebecca said: “I couldn’t even bear to sit near an open fire in someone’s house or the pub. This used to make social events tricky, especially in the winter months.” She also had a bad experience one year when she and Joe were on holiday in Valencia, Spain.

“Our holiday coincided with Las Fallas – a huge festival of fireworks and fire. I ended up spending most of the time in the hotel room. It ruined the holiday. I’m lucky Joe has been so understanding.”

From seeing a child psychologist when she was younger to talking to doctors and having counselling, there’s not much Rebecca hasn’t tried to overcome her phobia – but nothing helped. But the turning point came two years ago when Rebecca decided to try hypnotherapy.

“A friend suggested I give it a go,” she said. Rebecca then made an appointment with a therapist.

“I was extremely sceptical to begin with. I thought hypnotherapy was just some kind of placebo.

“But my first session was nothing like I expected. I was worried about being put into some kind of trance and being made to dance like a chicken or something, like you sometimes see on TV shows.

“This wasn’t like that at all. Instead, the therapist taught me progressive muscle relaxation, where you focus on relaxing different body parts, to help me get into a relaxed state.

“It works by reprogramming your subconscious, so that you no longer feel anxious in certain situations – in my case when I saw fire.”

Much to her amazement, Rebecca saw results after just one session.

She said: “My husband couldn’t believe it. Three days after first seeing my therapist, we were in a bar. There was a lit candle but I didn’t flinch.

“At first I couldn’t understand why Joe was giving me such funny looks. Then I realised – the candle flame didn’t bother me.

“Before, even the glimpse of a lit candle would have made me come out in a clammy sweat. But now I didn’t feel any of these reactions. Instead, I felt strangely calm. The hypnotherapy was working.”

Rebecca had 10 sessions in all. The initial hour-and-a-half consultation was £45. After that, each one-hour session was £30. The costs for hypnotherapy vary depending on where you live.

“Each time, I imagined seeing a bigger flame until it really just didn’t bother me any more,” said Rebecca, from Brighton.

“Now I can’t believe I’m no longer phobic about fire. It’s also made me realise how much I was missing out on life before, when I think of all the places and situations I would avoid.

“I just can’t wait to celebrate Bonfire Night properly this year. For once, I won’t be running away.”