When you think of hypnosis, what do you think of? For a lot of people, the first image that comes to mind is a magician who hypnotizes a person to cluck like a chicken every time someone says the word "water." Really, though, hypnosis is a valuable and proven therapeutic tool.
Hypnosis, or hypnotherapy, is used to help patients deal with stress and anxiety. It has also been used to help manage physical pain as well as a variety of symptoms, side effects, and illnesses. For example, a woman going through menopause might get hypnotherapy to help her deal with her hot flashes. Another person might use it to help alleviate panic attacks.
Hypnosis works through the process of a therapist using guided meditation or visualization (that "focus on the watch and my voice" thing you see so often in movies) to achieve a conscious but trance-like state. The patient is open to suggestion but not really sleeping.
According to How Stuff Works, it's sort of like when you go to a movie -- you're still aware of the world around you, but you're focused on the scenes playing out on the screen.
There are lots of obvious benefits of hypnosis. We've talked about a few of them already. There are also, however, some unexpected benefits that have come from hypnosis.
1. Overcoming Addiction
Thousands of people have used hypnotherapy to help them quit smoking and to help curb the cravings that induce other addictive behaviors like gambling, drugs, drinking, unhealthy eating habits, etc.
2. Restoring Sleep Patterns
Even if the sessions are to help manage a different problem, with repeated hypnotherapy, the patient learns how to self-soothe come bedtime and how to almost hypnotize themselves (for lack of a better term) into falling asleep.
3. Reduction on Medication Dependency
People who have undergone hypnosis to help them with anxiety and stress have reported that, over time, they were able to wean themselves off of anti-depressants and other anti-anxiety meds.
NOTE: Always work with a trained psychiatrist and medical professional if this is one of your goals. Do not simply stop taking your meds!
4. MRIs
People who go in for MRIs regularly often develop claustrophobia, which makes it difficult for them to continue with their medical treatments and tests. Hypnosis has been used to reduce those anxious feelings, and as a result, the medical testing and treatment of these patients becomes more effective.
5. Enjoying Foods
We all have foods that we just don't like or that affect our bodies in negative ways (lactose intolerance, deep-seated hatred for Brussels sprouts, etc.). With hypnosis, you can reopen your mind to enjoying the foods you've convinced yourself you hated (or that you're convinced hate you).
6. Increased Stamina
A lot of people go in to hypnotherapy because they need help losing weight. They go in looking for help with curbing cravings and accepting healthy portion sizes for meals and come out not just with a better outlook on food but an increased stamina for exercise.
7. Romance
A lot of people have found that after going through hypnotherapy (regardless of the intent of that hypnotherapy), they had an increase in self-esteem and self-confidence. That esteem and confidence attracted more people to them and helped them improve their romantic lives.
NOTE: You can also use hypnotherapy to help you find the strength to get out of or deal with the aftermath of a bad relationship.
8. Reduced Itching
An itch is, most of the time, little more than a tic or a habit. A lot of the time you spend scratching isn't because something has bitten you or that your skin has actually come into contact with an irritant. It's because your hands are too still and your body gets nervous and gives itself something to do. Hypnotherapy helps calm that stress.
9. Going to the Dentist
It's true: Some dentists use hypnosis to help patients feel more comfortable and relaxed in the chair and during treatments. This helps the treatments go more smoothly and can even lead to better oral health habits for the patient.
There are lots of resources out there for people who are interested in hypnosis. Don't forget, though, that while the books and tapes can be helpful, for real hypnosis and hypnotherapy, it is best to work with an accredited professional.
Erin Steiner is a writer and vlogger from Portland, Oregon, who has written about health, how to remove information that's personal from public portals, pop culture, and small business topics all over the web. She is considering using hypnosis to help her learn to like cheese.
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Did you know that most hypnosis happens *without* the watch? |
Hypnosis, or hypnotherapy, is used to help patients deal with stress and anxiety. It has also been used to help manage physical pain as well as a variety of symptoms, side effects, and illnesses. For example, a woman going through menopause might get hypnotherapy to help her deal with her hot flashes. Another person might use it to help alleviate panic attacks.
Hypnosis works through the process of a therapist using guided meditation or visualization (that "focus on the watch and my voice" thing you see so often in movies) to achieve a conscious but trance-like state. The patient is open to suggestion but not really sleeping.
According to How Stuff Works, it's sort of like when you go to a movie -- you're still aware of the world around you, but you're focused on the scenes playing out on the screen.
There are lots of obvious benefits of hypnosis. We've talked about a few of them already. There are also, however, some unexpected benefits that have come from hypnosis.
1. Overcoming Addiction
Thousands of people have used hypnotherapy to help them quit smoking and to help curb the cravings that induce other addictive behaviors like gambling, drugs, drinking, unhealthy eating habits, etc.
2. Restoring Sleep Patterns
Even if the sessions are to help manage a different problem, with repeated hypnotherapy, the patient learns how to self-soothe come bedtime and how to almost hypnotize themselves (for lack of a better term) into falling asleep.
3. Reduction on Medication Dependency
People who have undergone hypnosis to help them with anxiety and stress have reported that, over time, they were able to wean themselves off of anti-depressants and other anti-anxiety meds.
NOTE: Always work with a trained psychiatrist and medical professional if this is one of your goals. Do not simply stop taking your meds!
4. MRIs
People who go in for MRIs regularly often develop claustrophobia, which makes it difficult for them to continue with their medical treatments and tests. Hypnosis has been used to reduce those anxious feelings, and as a result, the medical testing and treatment of these patients becomes more effective.
5. Enjoying Foods
We all have foods that we just don't like or that affect our bodies in negative ways (lactose intolerance, deep-seated hatred for Brussels sprouts, etc.). With hypnosis, you can reopen your mind to enjoying the foods you've convinced yourself you hated (or that you're convinced hate you).
6. Increased Stamina
A lot of people go in to hypnotherapy because they need help losing weight. They go in looking for help with curbing cravings and accepting healthy portion sizes for meals and come out not just with a better outlook on food but an increased stamina for exercise.
7. Romance
A lot of people have found that after going through hypnotherapy (regardless of the intent of that hypnotherapy), they had an increase in self-esteem and self-confidence. That esteem and confidence attracted more people to them and helped them improve their romantic lives.
NOTE: You can also use hypnotherapy to help you find the strength to get out of or deal with the aftermath of a bad relationship.
8. Reduced Itching
An itch is, most of the time, little more than a tic or a habit. A lot of the time you spend scratching isn't because something has bitten you or that your skin has actually come into contact with an irritant. It's because your hands are too still and your body gets nervous and gives itself something to do. Hypnotherapy helps calm that stress.
9. Going to the Dentist
It's true: Some dentists use hypnosis to help patients feel more comfortable and relaxed in the chair and during treatments. This helps the treatments go more smoothly and can even lead to better oral health habits for the patient.
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| This is a much prettier place to be than a dentist's chair! |
There are lots of resources out there for people who are interested in hypnosis. Don't forget, though, that while the books and tapes can be helpful, for real hypnosis and hypnotherapy, it is best to work with an accredited professional.
Erin Steiner is a writer and vlogger from Portland, Oregon, who has written about health, how to remove information that's personal from public portals, pop culture, and small business topics all over the web. She is considering using hypnosis to help her learn to like cheese.
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Hypnosis is extremely helpful in kicking bad habits like smoking, gambling, etc and building good ones like confidence and calmness.
ReplyDeleteIn short - healing the aspects of your self that you wish to be more productive & positive.
ReplyDeleteTherapeutically the benefits of Hypnosis are tremendous.
I used hypnosis a couple of years ago to great effect in reducing my IBS. I had tried all kinds of things but was told that by relaxing properly and reducing stress levels then this could reduce my IBS
ReplyDeleteSelf hypnosis helps you in relaxation and it decreases the psycho somatic effects of anxiety and stress. It is supposed to calm you down , make you less angry and increase you immunity power. After you reach a state of hypnosis , your EEG ( Brain waves ) pattern changes and also Bio - Feedback mechanism slows down.
ReplyDelete