What is Hypnosis



	What is Hypnosis: Frequently Asked Questions & Answers Hypnosis has long been regarded as a viable method of changing unwanted habits and behaviors. Once we discover our untapped skills and make positive use of them, the possibilities are virtually endless. Many people have experienced miraculous changes in their life, as a result of having used hypnosis in order to change unwanted or limiting behaviors. Hypnotic suggestion may be directed toward behavior, emotions, sensations, physiologic processes, cognition, imagery, and relationships. Hypnosis can help YOU. Medical hypnosis is an accepted form of medical treatment. In 1958, the American Medical Association officially approved hypnosis as a form of treatment in all areas of medicine and surgery. Hypnosis is one of the oldest forms of treating people and dates back to ancient Egypt. The Ebers Papers, one of the oldest human writings dated 300 BC, describes the use of hypnosis in the treatment of human illness. Misconception about Hypnosis There are many misconceptions about hypnosis that have been impressed on us by books, movies, cartoons and television programs. Hypnosis, therefore, has been associated in the minds of people with control and the super natural. Nothing can be farther from the truth. Hypnosis is a natural state of consciousness that we have all been in before. Although the word sleep is used to describe the trance, the patient is far from being asleep. A person in hypnosis is aware of his surroundings in a detached sort of way and is more receptive to acceptable suggestions. The mind is concentrated on the suggestions and pays very little attention to anything else (much like being deeply involved in a movie or reading a book). Hypnosis is not: Sleep Dangerous Loss of self-control Being weak-minded A state of unconsciousness Being controlled by someone Is It Safe? Actually of all therapies, medical and non-medical, hypnosis is the safest. It has no side effects other than feeling calm and refreshed. What Does Hypnosis Feel Like? Many people expect to feel something special or different despite the fact that it is a normal state of absorption of the mind that we have all been in many times. Each person's experience is different and will vary from time to time. As a matter of fact, it seems so normal to a person that he will often deny that he was in hypnosis. He can hear everything that is going on around him and sometimes his mind can even wander. He has no point of reference to differentiate this from the waking state (not unlike daydreaming). In general, it is a pleasant feeling of relaxation where he feels very little inclination to move or open his eyes, although he could if he really wanted to. Sometimes a patient will report that he couldn't move or open his eyes or that he didn't hear what was said. This is similar to having a vivid dream yet forgetting it immediately upon awakening. The mind and the body respond to their own innermost needs and experiences. Can A Person Be Hypnotized so Deeply That He Cannot Be Awakened? No, the hypnotized person is not asleep, unconscious, or unaware. All authorities agree that the "old wives" tale of the subject who could not be "awakened" is completely false. I Don't Want To Lose Control You cannot be hypnotized against your will or without your consent. It is a state that is entered into willingly and with full awareness. A hypnotized person will not accept any idea or suggestion that is against his religion, upbringing, and morality or against "his grain". The medical hypnotist is like an instructor or orchestra conductor; the patient achieves his own hypnotic state. I'm Afraid I Can't Be Hypnotized People who say this often make the best subjects. Permanent inability to go into hypnosis does not exist. There may be temporary unwillingness, just as people can force themselves to stay awake at night. If you are willing to cooperate, you can learn to let yourself go into hypnosis. People of above average intelligence make the best subjects. Each time you go into hypnosis your body goes deeply into a resting state. As a result of conditioning, the body learns. To maintain this state and healing takes place. Repetition of proper thoughts helps recondition the patient. For example, in hypnosis we can suggest to a patient with fear of flying that as the plane is moving he will feel as if he is riding a bus and when he is airborne he will feel like he is sitting in the movies. This is the way he will respond. For this reason, once we determine what the problem is, very little time is spent on conscious talking because it has so little treatment impact. How Long Does Treatment Take? This depends a great deal on the nature of the problem, the degree of motivation for cure and the amount of cooperation supplied by the patient. The first visit involves extensive history taking to determine if hypnosis would be helpful; usually no hypnosis is used at the first visit. Then some diagnostic sessions are necessary to refine the preliminary diagnosis. In that way I know exactly where I must go in therapy to be the most effective as quickly as possible. The use of hypnosis has greatly shortened the length of therapy in all but extreme situations. What used to take months or even years to accomplish now only takes weeks. Intensives can shorten the process to days, but require more of a commitment. Does It Work? While hypnosis is not a cure-all for all medical and non-medical problems its use has shown amazing results. More and more professionals now embrace hypnosis for a variety of problems as a safe effective treatment procedure. Hypnotic pain control? Hypnotic pain control -- hypnoanalgesia (controlled feeling) and hypnoanesthesia (no feeling) -- is well represented in the literature. Commonly reported are uses in dental procedures, surgical operations, and giving birth without any anesthesia other than hypnosis. Many people have gained control over chronic pain that did not respond to any other method. How Does Hypnosis Help Pain? Relaxation of the mind reduces the anticipation of the pain and relaxation of the body raises the pain threshold. Putting our attention on pain makes it worse. The reverse is true also. We can distract our mind away from pain. Have you ever been so busy that you didn't feel a bruise or a toothache until things quieted down? Hypnosis can help the anxiety and depression that often accompany pain, making it easier to bear and less likely to interfere with life. Self-relaxation is a way of relaxing every muscle. When we are in pain, we tense, not consciously, but as a coping reflex against pain. But muscle tension magnifies pain. So the secret of pain relief is total relaxation, a warm comfortable feeling, a stretch of time that can last as long as you wish and be almost pain free. Many dentists now use hypnosis to reduce fear and the need for anesthesia. Can I cure my insomnia with hypnosis? Many people have found hypnosis to be the perfect cure for insomnia. Sleep disturbances come in many forms, and not all of them have been shown to respond to hypnotic suggestion, most notably those caused by physical anomalies in one's air passage. But many cases of insomnia do respond well, and some types of sleep problems are surprisingly easy to control with self hypnosis. This may be true even for sleep problems that have gone on for years. "Can I use self hypnosis for things like interpersonal relationships?" Your own behavior, through both supraliminal (overtly observable) and subliminal behaviors, is of paramount importance to the nature of every relationship. This includes romantic as well as career and professional relationships. And, while there is no universally accepted evidence that our minds can directly control the thoughts and behavior of others, self hypnosis can help you control your own thinking and behaving, as well as the subliminal cues you transmit to others. Hypnosis Applications What is hypnosis used for? Hypnosis can be used for just about anything. A complete list of all of the ways in which self hypnosis has been used would be too long and probably impossible to compile. However, here is a partial list of applications: *Academic Applications* Removing Learning Blocks, Fears, Apprehension, Stage Fright Improve Learning, Concentration, Comprehension, Class Participation, Communication, Focus, Attention Span, Memory, Presentation Skills, Study Skills. Addictions Chemical or substance Attitude Career, Family Interpersonal, School Work Cancer (Chronic and Terminal Illnesses) Make your treatment more effective Career Enhancement Improve Focus, Concentration, Decision Making, Motivation, Tenacity, and Control Behavior *Concentration* *Fears, Phobias* Release Fears and Phobias *Fitness* Enhance Motivation & Performance Habit Control Modify Food & Eating Behaviors, Nail Biting, Procrastination, Smoking Substance Abuse Image Projection Change how others perceive you. *Medical Applications* Analgesia, Anesthesia, Bodily Functions (under autonomic control) Dermatology (warts, rashes, skin conditions, etc.) Healing Facilitation. Obstetrics (birth, related procedures), Pain Management, Skin Conditions (Dermatology), Tinnitus (ringing in the ears), Improve Treatment Effectiveness & Motivation *Motivation* Academic, Career, Job Performance, Fitness, Health, Personal Achievement, Sports *Pain Control* Dental, Childbirth, Chronic & Terminal Illnesses Performance (music, sports, business, personal, speaking, academic, etc.) Personal Relationships Problem Solving Reading Improve speed, comprehension, motivation remove blocks Sales Improve Attitude, Memory for Names, Faces, Facts, Motive People, Persuasive Qualities, Subliminal Communication, Tenacity, Drive Self Confidence (Discover) Sex Dysfunctions, Inhibitions and Mental Blocks, Increase Pleasure Shyness Sleep More, Less, Better Smoking Cessation Quitting (of course!) Speaking in Public Speech, Audience Rapport, Concentration, Memory, Presence of Mind on Stage Stage Fright, Communication Apprehension *Sports Performance* Competitiveness, Sportsmanship, Concentration, Drive, Image, Rehearsal, Peak Performance, Practice Effects *Stress, Tension* Anxiety Attacks, Hypertension, Panic Attacks, Relaxation, Stress Management Subliminal Communication Timing (time awareness, internal clock, etc.) Weight Loss, Control (dieting, eating disorders, metabolic influence)
Within the Miracle	Debbie Wagner Hypnotherapist