Believe it or not, the question of hypnosis rarely leaves anyone indifferent. Although expert opinions are not unanimous, in order to see more clearly, here are 12 areas where the therapeutic effect of the altered state of consciousness can be seen in people who are sensitive to it.
1. Application in the treatment of chronic pain
In the case of chronic pain, painkillers are mainly given, but after a certain time it can be perceived that the drugs are less and less effective, but the side effects become stronger. Which leaves room for the possibility of using hypnosis.
Hypnosis is a non-invasive (e.g. penetrating the body through the skin) technique, without the risk of getting used to it and without side effects. One important area where it has proven its effectiveness is the treatment of chronic pain.
The physiological cause of pain is known: Neurons send impulses to the brain via the spinal cord. Only in the brain do we become aware of pain, and pain has an emotional dimension that is different from other emotions. Hypnosis affects consciousness and the emotional component of pain, not the pain itself. It modifies sensations: it reduces (or eliminates) unpleasant sensations and enhances pleasant sensations.
2. Effective in promoting smoking cessation
According to some surveys, almost 80% of people who quit smoking last one year after quitting smoking with hypnotherapy. This is a much better rate than any other method of quitting smoking. But be careful: in order for the method to work, you need an experienced specialist and a comprehensive therapy. A serious treatment helps the patient prepare to give up smoking, which is not easy because it is an addiction, and cigarettes often become a very good “friend” in the eyes of the smoker.
People who want to quit are often taught the technique of self-hypnosis to better deal with difficulties, e.g. in the event of a conflict, which he sometimes defused by lighting a cigarette. Does the method of hypnosis work for everyone? No, but every smoker can make an experiment. Most people are afraid to stop smoking because they think they will suffer from the lack of cigarettes and will make up for it by eating or drinking alcohol. – experts experience, but hypnotherapists can help.
3. It can replace anesthesia
Hypnosis can partially or completely replace general anesthesia for some operations. Such e.g. in the case of colonoscopy or thyroid surgery in combination with local anesthesia. This has many advantages: the intervention is more comfortable (less anxiety, no injections, etc.), reducing or avoiding the side effects of general anesthesia (e.g. nausea, vomiting after surgery); shorter hospital stay etc. In addition, hypnosis itself can reduce the level of pain felt by the patient by 50%.
4. Promotes good sleep
Without putting the patient in a state of consciousness close to sleep – on the contrary, during hypnosis the brain is in an alert state – hypnosis can be a useful tool in promoting good sleep. For example, for nervous people who cannot fall asleep or suffer from insomnia, self-hypnosis creates a safe environment that is conducive to falling asleep and often to pleasant dreams.
5. Self-hypnosis against everyday problems
Self-hypnosis or hypnosis can also be a cure for problems that regularly disrupt everyday life. Such can be e.g. minor pains, nervousness/anxiety, worry/restlessness, sleep disorders, stress, eating disorders, burnout, depression, relationship problems… It can therefore be used to alleviate both mental and physical problems.
6. Everyone has a certain sensitivity to hypnosis
Even if some people get blocked, especially during the first hypnosis session. Of course, this does not mean that hypnosis has “magical powers” and works for everyone. We are receptive depending on our motivations: e.g. life-threatening patients receiving palliative care are exceptionally admitted, because they strongly want relief from their pain. However, e.g. those who go to hypnosis at the urging of a third person may not be receptive enough, i.e. they really want to get rid of some of their addictions (cigarettes, alcohol, etc.).
7. Self-hypnosis is good for your mood
To the extent that hypnosis relaxes us, the beneficial effects after hypnosis have also been proven. Besides thanks to self-hypnosis, we can quickly control our mood swings, we can improve our bad mood. The pleasant moments experienced during hypnosis have a beneficial effect on our well-being in the long term,
8. Children are natural receivers
For children, hypnosis is a fairly natural state, so they are very receptive. Common, everyday problems can be solved through hypnosis, e.g. urge to urinate, abdominal pain, asthma, etc.) in just three or four sessions.
Children can easily understand self-hypnosis exercises because they are more easily in touch with the world of imagination than adults. Unlike older people, their eyes often remain open during hypnosis, they can draw or play with their stuffed animals. Sessions are shorter for children.
9. Hypnosis has its place in consultation with a doctor
Whatever the reason for the consultation, the doctor can use hypnosis to calm the patient and prepare him for the treatment. Patients who, before surgery, e.g. they visit the anesthetist, they are often worried about their future. In such cases, hypnosis uses a number of communication tools, which make it possible to create a “calm bubble” during the consultation. Hypnosis is used informally in such situations, which facilitates the flow of information. Thus, conversational hypnosis has its place in consultations, as it directs the patient’s attention to something favorable and soothing. The doctor tries, through various techniques, to keep the patient in this positive world of imagination.
10. Can be a complementary therapy
Hypnosis can often be such a therapy when administered by a health professional. In such cases, the doctor/hypnotherapist uses hypnosis as an additional therapeutic tool, which can be used to combine or replace traditional treatment. Hypnosis can also modify a specific therapeutic approach.
11. Immediate analgesic effect
In case of acute pain (e.g. after an injury or accident), hypnosis can have an immediate pain-relieving effect, but of course this depends on the therapist’s skill and the patient’s. Some people are less receptive, block or have little faith in hypnosis (not necessarily consciously). However, it is rare that there is no benefit from hypnosis, even if it is just relaxation that can help relieve pain.
12. The patient as an active participant
In the case of chronic pain, hypnotic techniques can limit or prevent the appearance of a crisis. In all therapeutic cases, the peculiarity of hypnosis is that the patient is an active participant in the treatment, which is not a typical part of conventional methods. The therapist must accept that he is not the only active participant, director, and trust the patient.
Source: Galen
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Source: www.patikamagazin.hu
