The fast phobia cure is the name given to a technique originally developed by the psychotherapist Milton Erikson and later developed by Richard Bandler and John Grindler. The technique was first described in the book “Frogs into Princes”.

The technique involves desensitising memories of when the phobic
stimulas has been distressing.

This technique has also been called the Rewind technique and the VK technique (where V stands for Visual and K stands for Kinesthetic)

The advantages of using the fast phobia cure are:

• Performed correctly this is a relatively comfortable way of removing a phobia.
• As the name suggests it can remove a phobia very quickly.
• It is non-voyeuristic. This means that the person performing the fast phobia cure does not have to know any details about the memories that are holding the phobia in place.

The fight or flight response is the name given to the way the body responds to help the individual (or animal) cope with a short term emergency. The fight or flight response has evolved to keep us alive!

The following changes in our body occur rapidly when we get stressed:

• Extra oxygen is taken in.
• Blood pressure and breathing increase, leading to heart pounding.
• Palms and feet get sweaty to give better grip with weapons once the sweat has dried.
• Blood is directed to limbs to give strength. This often causes the limbs to shake.
• Non essential bodily functions are shut down so that the extra
  energy can be directed at the threat. For instance the production of saliva is slowed down (which results in a dry mouth) and digestion is stopped.
• Pupils dilate to let in more information.
• Our thinking brain is shut down making it much more difficult
  rationalise our thoughts.
• If the anxiety becomes too extreme we may develop the urge to deficate or vomit – this would make us more less tasty as prey to wild animals.

These response would, of course, be great in the right situation, such as when confronted by a wild tiger. However, some people find that they are constantly being triggered in situations like job interviews or giving speeches. If this response is constantly activated in inappropriate situations, like a faulty car alarm, a person can become ill.

A flashback is recurrence of a memory or perceptual experience, which can be involantary but always intrusive, from the past which results in a high degree of emotional stress.