If you’ve only seen hypnosis in stage shows, comedy acts, and movies, you might not think it has much use beyond entertainment.
But the fact is that hypnosis is a real, scientifically-supported methodology that is effective in a wide variety of clinical settings.
What Is Hypnosis?
Stripping away all the myths and misconceptions about hypnosis. It can be understood as a combination of concentration and suggestion.
It’s about relaxing your body and mind into a focused state so that you can be more receptive and responsive to intentional shifts in thinking, feeling, and behaving.
It is like a form of meditation or guided relaxation, with an additional therapeutic element built-in.
In a clinical setting, hypnosis, or hypnotherapy, is usually conducted by a trained professional who will guide you through the process and help you achieve specific goals.
What Can Hypnosis Be Used For?
One of the most impressive uses of hypnosis is as a tool for pain management. With the many limitations and side effects of analgesic and pain-relief medications, hypnosis is emerging as an efficient and cost-effective addition to a healthy pain management plan.
Not only does it help pain patients achieve a more relaxing state of comfort, but it also can help them develop better coping strategies and a more positive outlook. Hypnotherapy for pain will often involve teaching the patient how to perform self-hypnosis so that they can access these benefits any time they need to.
Other applications for hypnosis include:
- Reducing stress, anxiety, and depression
- Enhancing other therapies
- Behavior and habit change
- Addiction recovery
- Restructuring harmful thought patterns
- Restructuring traumatic emotions and memories
- Improving sleep quality
- Performance enhancement
Hypnosis is a safe and effective way to address various mental and physical health concerns. It can be used alone or in combination with other therapies for an even more powerful effect.
How Can I Try Hypnosis?
If you’re interested in trying hypnosis, the best way to get started may be to find a qualified professional in your area. Look for a therapist who specializes in or is experienced with hypnotherapy.
You might also look into learning and practicing self-hypnosis techniques.
Self-hypnosis involves training yourself to enter into a hypnotic state on your own, usually with some relaxation and visualization techniques. Once you can induce hypnosis in yourself, you can then use it to work on whatever goals or issues you’re hoping to address.
A professional hypnotherapist can help you start this process and offer guidance along the way.
