8 Benefits of Hypnotherapy

When you hear the word, hypnosis, what comes to mind? Do you picture a swami swinging a pendulum in front of your face saying that you're getting sleepy? Hypnosis has always been portrayed as a source of entertainment, however, in a clinical sense, hypnotherapy is used to treat a variety of conditions. But before you consider hypnotherapy, you need to understand how it works and what it can and cannot do.

What is Hypnotherapy?

Hypnosis, also called trance work, is a variety of techniques that allow both practitioners and patients to use the mind-body connection to heal a multitude of aliments. In essence, being in a trance is being in an altered state of consciousness, which is marked by slow breathing and increased awareness. What distinguishes hypnotherapy from other forms of alternative treatment is that it involves a deliberate intention to enter this state of consciousness. The main goal is to create a feeling of serenity, which in turn, can foster healing.

Individuals typically benefit the most when it’s performed by a licensed practitioner, however, they can eventually become comfortable and master the techniques themselves. Hypnosis allows us to focus on what is causing the problem, physical or emotional. In turn, teaches us self-discipline and better coping techniques. Hypnosis therapy, specifically Quantum healing therapy, takes you back into your past lives where you can then address the issues that you're experiencing.

Read on to learn the eight amazing benefits of hypnotherapy.

Kick Bad Habits

Breaking the habit is never easy. Even with all of the treatments currently available, stopping smoking is tough. However, many people are finally able to break the habit with hypnosis. Through one-on-one sessions, a hypnotherapist can customize sessions that match your lifestyle. For hypnotherapy to work, you need to truly want to break the nicotine habit. The process is relatively straightforward. Your hypnotherapist helps you find an action that effectively replaces the action of smoking. Then, with guidance, you’re lead subconsciously into training your mind to associate the act of smoking with unpleasant feelings and sensations.

Lose Weight

Losing weight is an uphill battle for many people. It takes willpower and dedication. While some people reach their goal, it's almost impossible for others. Hypnotherapy helps people change their behavior and attitude towards eating, making it easier to stay on track and not reach for seconds. The best hypnotherapists teach their clients how to imagine their trigger foods floating away on white clouds, out of reach and out of mind.

Treat IBS

Irritable bowel syndrome, or IBS, affects millions of people each year. To their dismay, physicians usually cannot find a cause nor solution. Through progressive relaxation techniques, you learn how to envision soothing imagery, which reduces the most common IBS symptoms diarrhea, constipation and bloating. In addition, IBS can cause secondary symptoms like fatigue, nausea and even urinary issues. Hypnosis has been proven to alleviate these symptoms as well.

Improve Sleep

Hypnotherapy may also help sleeping difficulties. Through trained relaxation techniques, people suffering from insomnia and frequent waking often experience improved sleep hygiene. If you have a habit of sleepwalking, hypnosis can also teach you to wake up prior to stepping foot on the floor. Finally, even if you just want to sleep a little better, hypnotherapy can help with that as well. Learning self-hypnosis strategies can increase the length of time you spend sleeping and the time you spend in a restorative deep sleep.

Reduce Stress

Hypnotherapy can also be used for stress management. First, it helps put you into a very deep relaxed state, which fights tension. Then, when you’re in a focused state, suggestions are made for your subconscious to accept. Learning how to channel your subconscious and reduce stress levels can improve your overall health, if not save your life. Stress is proven to cause a host of chronic medical conditions, including weight gain, hypertension, and cardiovascular disease.

Reduce Chronic Pain Symptoms

Chronic pain comes in many forms. Some people suffer from migraines and others suffer from painful joint and muscle conditions like arthritis or fibromyalgia. Hypnosis again teaches you how to cope with your pain and eventually gain control over it. Hypnotherapy may also help people who suffer from chronic low back pain, Lyme disease or painful menstrual cramps.

Treat Anxiety and Depression

Relaxation strategies, including hypnosis, can help reduce symptoms of anxiety. Hypnotherapy seems to be more effective in individuals whose anxiety stems from a chronic medical condition as opposed to a generalized anxiety disorder. Hypnotherapy may help to alleviate phobias. Phobias are classified as an overwhelming fear of something that is a reality, does not pose a real threat. In some people, hypnosis can also treat depressive symptoms. Those suffering from debilitating depression do warrant psychological intervention. But people who suffer from the blues and milder forms of depression may see an improvement. The goal is to retrain your mind to think differently.

It’s important to note the chronic depression, along with other more severe mental illnesses, can affect someone’s physical health as well. Being depressed is far more than feeling down in the dumps. Depression affects the chemicals in your brain and cause feelings of worthlessness, hopelessness and sometimes, suicidal ideation. Please note, hypnotherapy should be used as a complementary form of treatment, not the only type of treatment someone suffering from mental illness relies on.

Reduce Hot Flashes

Even though we may joke about it, going through menopause is not a laughing matter. From mood swings to unbearable hot flashes, women do suffer tremendously. While hormone replacement therapy can effectively treat hot flashes, some women can't tolerate treatment and its ill-effects. In addition, some women prefer to avoid synthetic agents and prefer alternative treatment modalities. Hypnotherapy teaches women to effectively manage hot flashes, which in turn, can reduce both frequency and intensity.

As with meditation, successful hypnosis requires practice. You need to learn how to focus on yourself while shutting out external stimuli. For many people, specifically ones with physical limitations, hypnosis may be the preferred choice of treatment. There are few, if any, side effects to hypnotherapy that would make unsafe to try. With practice and training, just about everyone can use hypnotherapy with some degree of success. The key is having an open mind as well as learning how to open your mind.