The prevalence of anxiety disorders is rising by leaps and bounds across the world. And so is the demand for hypnotherapy. Can anxiety be cured by hypnosis? How to overcome anxiety with hypnosis? How successful is hypnotherapy for anxiety? Read on to know.
What is Hypnosis
Hypnotherapy is the mind-calming process and involves working with your subconscious mind. Hypnosis helps you relax and focus your mind. You will enter into a relaxed and sleep-like state during the hypnotherapy. In this state, you’re more willing to focus on your subconscious mind and explore some of the deeper issues causing you anxiety. Your mind is focused and more open to suggestions during hypnosis.
Hypnotherapy sessions are effective –
- If you want to relax and reprogram your anxious brain
- For exploring repressed memories such as abuse
- Instilling a desire for healthy habits like weight loss
Why do you need to connect to the subconscious mind to overcome anxiety with hypnosis?
The subconscious mind is a data bank that stores everything – skills, memories, experiences – from the moment you’re born to date. Everything you have witnessed, done, or thought is stored in the subconscious mind, it is not there in your conscious mind. Something can trigger your subconscious mind in day-to-day life, leading to sudden anxiety and irrational fears.
You need to understand that sudden anxiety may be caused in the present but it is actually triggered by something that occurred in the past.
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Process of overcoming anxiety with hypnosis:
- The hypnotherapist will ask you questions to understand the cause of anxiety and assess your personality type.
- Then they will work on your thought process using their voice and a specific language pattern to help you overcome anxiety.
- Manage thoughts in a positive direction
- Clear out past experiences that gave birth to anxiety
- The therapist will feed your subconscious mind with empowering messages
- More you work with the subconscious mind, the more the change in thoughts to the point where your anxiety is easily managed.
- The hypnotherapist is there to help guide this process, not to control your mind.
How do hypnotherapists help you overcome anxiety with hypnosis?
Assume that you wish to overcome the fear of participating in school sports. The hypnotherapist will use powerful language to motivate you.
During hypnosis, the therapist can give you what’s known as a “posthypnotic suggestion” Because you will be in a dream-like state. But very focused, so your mind becomes open to suggestions.
The professional will revisit the origin of the anxiety related to sports and work their way up to the current time. Because, your anxiety – occurring in the present moment – is triggered due to something that occurred in the past, such as bullying by seniors or failure.
Hypnotherapists will work on triggers, and negative memories associated with the fear of sports deep in your subconscious mind, reframe your thinking and boost your confidence to participate in sports. Your therapist can instill in you how easily confident you will be the next time playing your favorite sport.
Similarly, you can overcome the fear of driving that is caused by a terrible car accident that happened a few years ago. With hypnosis, using a technique such as systematic desensitization, the hypnotherapist will help you work on your fears and calm the driving anxiety
Whether it is public speaking, marriage, traveling, animal or relationship stress, parenting or any other issue – you can overcome anxiety with hypnosis. All you need is to access the negative memories associated with a specific issue you’re facing, easily confront that memory and move past it.
Read 33 Lies Your Anxiety Tells You
How does hypnotherapy work?
Hypnotherapy works because it –
- Relaxes your mind and body
- Helps you address the underlying cause of your anxiety
Researchers at Gonzaga University found that hypnosis relaxes your mind, and body and boosts your immune response. The stronger the immunity, the better you can manage stress and anxiety. Also, hypnosis helps you rewire your brain to accept a more positive and empowering perspective.
Because of the relaxed state during hypnosis, it’s easier to avoid escalating any anxiety symptoms such as shortness of breath and increased heart rate. Therefore, people undergoing hypnotherapy experience better sleep, calmness, and inner peace
In most cases, anxiety stems from learned behavior combined with stress or trauma. Hypnosis helps you manage both the learned behavior and its triggers. Hypnotherapy enables you to address specific issues from all sides. It empowers you to integrate a healthier way of dealing with that issue in your daily life. Maintain and build upon positive changes. That’s how people overcome anxiety with hypnosis.
Hypnotherapy makes a person more confident and emotionally healthy so that can live their life to the fullest.
There are many myths about hypnotherapy. Some people believe that hypnosis is a magical approach that puts you in trance mode. Research shows that hypnosis is a technique that guides you into a relaxed state, so as to bypass the conscious mind and access the subconscious mind – that’s where the healing begins.
How successful is hypnotherapy for anxiety?
Earlier, hypnotherapy was known as an unconventional method of therapy. But years of research on the effects of hypnosis on anxiety, depression, and other mental health conditions, showed promising results.
Hypnotherapy was found to help a person effortlessly focus on his/her present and future without holding onto past traumas and experiences. Hypnosis is effective in modifying nervous habits like binge-eating, nail-biting, and even smoking. Researchers validate that hypnosis is an effective technique to overcome fear, stress, panic attacks, low self-esteem and confidence, and anxiety, which is why hypnotherapy is becoming more mainstream by the day.
In 2016 study researchers scanned the brains of 57 people undergoing guided hypnosis and found that people with hypnotized brains have –
- Focused attention
- Less self-consciousness
- Greater physical and emotional control
Another study revealed that self-hypnosis training is a cost-effective, nonaddictive, and safe alternative to medication for the treatment of anxiety associated with cancer, medical or dental procedures. So, hypnosis can be effective for managing everyday anxiety. Self-hypnosis also relieves students from anxiety and feelings of helplessness according to research, conducted at Hampshire Hypnotherapy Centre. In one clinical study women undergoing hypnosis before breast cancer surgery required less anesthetic during surgery and experienced less emotional stress and fatigue.
All these studies provide evidence that people can overcome anxiety with hypnosis.
Successfully overcoming anxiety with hypnosis depends on the professional you choose. A licensed mental health professional or qualified, certified hypnotherapist – having the education and training to diagnose and treat mental health conditions – is a key component in the success of hypnotherapy.
No side effects are the major plus point of hypnosis. The effects of hypnotherapy are similar to that of meditation. Some experts believe that Hypnosis should be used as a complementary treatment to cognitive behavioral therapy.
Read What Triggers Your Anxiety, Based On Your Zodiac Sign
Best ways to overcome anxiety with hypnosis
1. It is always safe and best to opt for a qualified certified hypnotherapist.
To overcome anxiety with hypnosis, it’s always recommended to see a licensed mental health professional (psychologist, psychotherapist, psychiatric nurse practitioner, counselor, social worker, or medical doctor — who is also a hypnotherapist.) They will not only give you the right guidance but provide custom-tailored sessions and recordings designed for your specific issues.
Thoroughly check the qualifications of the practitioners and if they are affiliated with any professional associations, such as the American Society of Clinical Hypnosis. Check out if they have extensive training in hypnosis.
If you have experienced severe trauma and anxiety in the past then your overall treatment plan should include several modalities (approaches), and hypnotherapy is just one of the many clinically effective tools known to help treat anxiety. Even if you are not aware of your trauma, and your hypnotist uncovers trauma while doing hypnotherapy, they must know how to treat trauma – which comes from being licensed.
2. Use a pre-recorded audio hypnosis for anxiety and hypnosis for depression.
Pre-recorded audio allows you to choose from multiple sessions and topics.
3. Do a self-guided practice or self-hypnosis.
Hypnotherapists educate their clients on self-hypnosis and how to consciously relax their minds and body. They will provide you with recordings that will help you work on your issues between the sessions at your convenience, anytime anywhere.
Self-hypnosis recordings are like life-long resources that promote self-healing and well-being even when you are unavailable for scheduled sessions. Once you learn self-hypnosis, you can use it in your everyday life to overcome anxiety.
Related: The Healing Practice of Self-Hypnosis: 5 Simple Steps
How many sessions are needed to overcome anxiety with hypnosis?
Anxiety disorders vary from person to person. So, the number of hypnosis sessions needed for anxiety will vary depending on the range and complexity of your problem. Small and simple issues may take one or sessions but deep-seated issues and problems may require more sessions.
Wrap Up
Hypnosis is a safe and effective process to overcome anxiety by addressing the root of the problem, clearing negative experiences from the subconscious mind, and feeding empowering messages. It makes you relaxed, confident, motivated and fulfilled. If you want to overcome anxiety with hypnosis, visit a licensed mental health professional – a key component in the success of hypnotherapy.
Are you ready to overcome anxiety with hypnosis and live a more peaceful life?
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