Hypnosis

When you hear the word hypnosis, you may picture the mysterious hypnotist figure popularized in movies, comic books and television. This ominous, goateed man waves a pocket watch back and forth, guiding his subject into a semi-sleep, zombie-like state. Once hypnotized, the subject is compelled to obey, no matter how strange or immoral the request. Stage performance would have you barking like a dog and a snap of a finger.

This popular representation bears little resemblance to actual hypnotism, of course. In fact, modern understanding of hypnosis contradicts this conception on several key points. Subjects in a hypnotic trance are not slaves to their “masters” — they have absolute FREE WILL. And you are not really in a semi-sleep state — you’re actually hyper-attentive. .

What is Hypnosis?

Being hypnotized means to simply be in a trance-like, very relaxed state. All hypnosis is self-hypnosis and you don’t even need a hypnotherapist to become hypnotized. Have you ever lost yourself in a really good book or movie? Ever daydream? If so, you have already experienced the state of hypnosis. But a hypnotherapist, however, can effectively help you take on physical and mental health challenges in a more directed way.

Hypnosis: Alternative medicine

While hypnosis has been around forever, it has recently become more and more mainstream as people have been reaching for alternative ways to rid themselves of pain, addictions and stress. According to the Mayo Clinic, hypnotherapy may be used to change negative behaviors, such as smoking, bed-wetting and overeating. It can also be used to reduce or eliminate fears, stress and anxiety.

Hypnosis creates a new inner belief

The theory behind hypnosis, is that hypnosis can gently release blocks and fears from the subconscious levels of our mind, and create a new inner belief that will set the wheels in motion to make changes in the way you think, feel and behave.

What happens during hypnosis?

During an initial consultation, the hynotherapist will ask you questions about the issue you are seeking to resolve. You set the goals your want to achieve i.e. stop smoking, manage your weight, eat healthy, forgive someone, perform better in job, become less angry or more romantic.

Typically, you will be asked to either lay down or sit down in a comfortable chair. The therapist will gently guide you to a state of relaxation. Some people will feel very at peace, others may feel light while others may say they don’t feel anything at all. Regardless, the goal is to get as relaxed and calm as possible.

The therapist will then begin to make new suggestions to you while you are in this state. For example, if you are seeking to kick the nicotine habit, the therapist may say “If you are asked to a cigarette, you will say “I’m a non-smoker” or ” You are going for a walk when you feel the need to smoke. You are no longer craving nicotine.”

The basic premise is to place these new, powerful thoughts in your subconscious mind so you will be able to believe them and change your reality. After the session is completed, the therapist will “wake” you up and you should feel alert and refreshed.

Every one can benefit from hypnosis

Some people believe they cannot be hypnotized. Anyone can be hypnotized, if they want to. Every human experience self-hypnotized on a daily basis at some level. If you have ever daydreamt, then you have hypnotized yourself.Though you may not seek the guidance of a hypnotist, you do have the ability to bring yourself into a trance-like relaxed state, which can help you relieve the grind of daily stress.

If you have particularly pressing health issues, talk to a naturopath or another alternative medicine professional to see if hypnosis is right for your situation; they can direct you to a qualified hypnotherapist. Hypnosis, whether it be self-induced or professionally guided, can be a beneficial addition to your overall healthcare.

Pros of Hypnosis

Hypnosis offers the potential to help treat your medical conditions without the need for invasive therapies or additional medications. Hypnosis a safe treatment option, with minimal side effects.

While it may not work for everyone, hypnosis is what’s known as a complementary therapy. A person can use hypnosis in addition to other treatments for depression to enhance an overall sense of well-being, lift mood, and boost feelings of hopefulness. Hypnotherapists use it to treat a number of conditions, including:

anxiety,
chronic pain
concentration problems
irritable bowel syndrome
smoking control
teeth grinding
addictions to shopping, sugar, gambling, sex, nail biting, etc
forgiving and opening self up to love
self confidence
reduce fear to public speaking

A person with depression experiences a wide variety of emotions. Hypnosis can help a person learn to reduce and/or better control feelings of anxiety, stress, and sadness. Hypnosis can also be used to treat negative behaviors that could be worsening a person’s depression. These behaviors may include smoking and poor eating and sleeping habits.

Cons of Hypnosis – What the experts say

Hypnosis is relatively safe. Some other potential side effects are headache or feeling light headed. However, these usually fade shortly after the hypnosis session.

People considering hypnotherapy should first consult their doctor or psychiatrist. People suffering from delusions, hallucinations, or other psychotic symptoms might not be the best candidates for hypnotherapy.

Before you attempt hypnosis, you will talk to the therapist first. Be open and honest with them. It may be possible that hypnosis is not an effective treatment method. The therapy requires a person to focus and enter a trance state of hypnosis. For some people, this is very difficult.

Hypnosis appears to work best when used with other forms of treatment. It may help reduce a patient’s resistance to other more traditional treatments.

It’s important to remember that depression, along with severe and chronic mental illnesses such as bipolar disorder and schizophrenia, also affect a person’s physical health. Depression is more than just feeling sad or having negative thoughts. It’s a condition where the chemicals in your brain are imbalanced. Hypnosis is a complementary therapy, and it shouldn’t be the only therapy a person uses to enhance their mental health.

Anyone considering hypnosis and under a trained mental health professional, discuss it first.

RECOVERY TO DEBILITATING ADDICTIONS:

Reiki should not be considered a “cure” for alcoholism or addiction, nor replace traditional treatment, but it can assist with recovery and make it immensely more tolerable. In the same way that Reiki is used as a complementary treatment for disease, such as cancer, heart, respiratory and other disorders, it is a welcome addition to regular treatment and provides vital support to recovery efforts.

Alcoholism and addiction, whether to chemicals, food, nicotine, sex or people sets in motion a continual daily assault on the individual that is physical, mental and spiritual. Chemical dependency of any kind places a great deal of stress on body, emotion and spirit. Sufferers rarely eat or sleep well and are often too busy trying to “keep it together” to bother making even minimal efforts toward health and wellness. Maintaining a normal lifestyle in today’s busy fast paced stressful world, managing a home, a job, kids, coming out the COVID pandemic, and struggling economy is stressful enough for all of us.

Substance abuse or addiction multiplies the stress of day to day living many times over. Addicts have spent years, some decades damaging their physical and emotional selves. Coupled with the shame and embarrassment that accompanies addiction and the result is out of control emotional pain, serious depression, and devastating loss of self esteem.

Physical: Withdrawal symptoms can be unsettling or downright uncomfortable. Headaches, insomnia, muscle aches and pain, tremors, nausea, general anxiety and depression – all of these can be managed and reduced with the use of the gentle, noninvasive healing of Reiki.

Mental: Addiction is a downward spiral. Over time, those suffering with addiction will have convinced themselves that they are mentally weak, have no will power and are somehow inferior to other “normal” people. Negative self talk is a daily habit and toxic dialog will often run constantly in the mind. “You are such a loser, what is wrong with you? You can’t even manage to get through one day without….” Negative thoughts “play” continually like a bad soundtrack and hinder the recovery progress. It is vital to replace this with a constructive healthy alternative. Positive Reiki energy provides a very real sense of moving forward and taking important steps to recovery. With practice, negative self talk can be immediately caught and replaced with pure healing energy.

Spiritual: Addiction of any kind isolates and takes sufferers to a very dark, lonely place. Getting clean and sober is like coming back to the light. Finding new interests like Reiki or learning about crystals sparks our creative side and opens us up to experiences we never knew existed. Reiki will help release negative emotions, encourage self forgiveness and allow positive energy to flow and light to come in. Connecting to universal energy brings comfort and serves as a reminder that you are not alone.

A healing session or a self healing attunement of Reiki; can be especially helpful as it allows the recipient to practice self healing on a daily basis. The importance of this cannot be emphasized enough. Self healing will assist with treating the symptoms at the root cause. Poverty, abandonment, PTSD, mental/physical abuse, molestation or rape. These are some issues that caused the initially. It is fear, anxiety, hopelessness that drive an individual to pick up a substance to ease discomfort.

Well meaning physicians prescribe medication to treat the symptoms such as sleeplessness or anxiety and further compound the problem.Finding an alternate method to self medicating is essential. Use the power of Reiki energy and clear blocked energy that has occurred in the body over time along with the emotional healing Reiki offers, can be a powerful ally in releasing past trauma and healing the dis-ease that accompanies it.

Using crystals in combination with Reiki can enhance healing sessions. A stone (Amethyst) carried in a pocket, worn as bracelet or necklace, can be very comforting during stressful moments. Also crystals like citrine, carnelian and garnet are calming and support addiction. Black tourmaline is grounding and protects against negative energy. There are myriad of crystals to choose from. Finding the ones that work best for you is fun and interesting.

Reiki healing can and will assist in your journey to restore health and balance. Above all, if you are recovering from an addiction remember that you are a child of the universe and that you have a right to be here. Forgive yourself and move forward is the true key to your success.

Category: Hypnosis