Can Hypnosis Help With Anxiety and Sleeping Problems?
If you have ever noticed the effects of hypnosis on a person or even on animals, you might want to consider trying it yourself. Hypnosis has been used by many people for different purposes, but for most of us, it remains a mystery. Some people have successfully used hypnosis for weight loss. There are also many examples in popular culture of hypnosis being used for more mundane purposes. But what exactly is hypnosis and how does it work?
Hypnosis, technically a neurological process, involves relaxed awareness, focused attention, decreased peripheral perception, and an increased ability to respond to suggestion through behavioral change. The brain waves of the patient are slow and very quiet. It is possible to hypnotize almost anyone provided that the person is willing to undergo the process. Hypnotic suggestion occurs during the relaxation phase of hypnosis. However, it is important to note that a person can only hypnotize themselves; the hypnotized state cannot be accessed by other people.
Hypnosis has been recognized as a helpful medical treatment for a variety of disorders including chronic pain, depression, anxiety, phobias, addictions, and phobias. It has also been used to alleviate symptoms in many psychological conditions including ADD and ADHD, smoking, eating disorders, and OCD (Obsessive Compulsive Disorder). Clinical studies have shown that hypnosis can be effective in treating conditions such as post-traumatic stress disorder, clinical depression, insomnia, stage fright, social anxiety, and obsessive-compulsive disorders. It is not uncommon to find patients in clinical depression who report that their depression improves after undergoing hypnosis.
In the early part of the 19th century, there was a surge of interest in hypnotism and research suggested that it could help with a number of psychological disorders. An examination of the phenomenon of hypnosis by neurologists John Locke and James Braid conducted in London during the latter half of the nineteenth century is the first documented example of hypnosis. Locke and Braid hoped that by implanting a drop of hypnotic suggestibility into patients they would be able to uncover memories and experiences that had previously been buried. The results were spectacular and it was at this point that hypnosis was applied to address a variety of psychological problems. Unfortunately, it was not until much later that research suggested hypnosis could have a positive effect on a variety of disorders.
During the early part of the 20th century, there was some concern that the power inherent in hypnosis might be abused. Some people were concerned that hypnotized individuals might be used by others to benefit from their subconscious. The concern died down as research developed methods of inducing deep relaxation through controlled breathing and relaxation exercises, controlled imagery, and progressive muscle relaxation. These methods have since been refined and are now being employed to induce the kind of profound trance which allows one to enter a highly relaxed state of mental imaging.
A lot of research has been conducted in order to determine whether or not hypnosis can truly help with anxiety and false memories. Hypnotherapy is still widely used today but many researchers believe that once hypnotized, a patient can allow false memories and phobias to take over their lives. This can actually have a detrimental effect on their mental well being.
If you want to try hypnosis for anxiety and quitting smoking then you should definitely do your research beforehand. It may sound like a simple idea; after all, you just have to listen to a hypnosis CD and your pain will go away? Well, this is not entirely true and if you try to listen to just any kind of hypnosis CD you will come away disappointed. Most hypnosis CDs designed to treat smoking and anxiety will only teach you how to relax your body so that you are more likely to start smoking again.
The process of hypnotizing yourself can be very powerful, but it will also require patience. When you first get started, you may be led to feel anxious and tense. You must remember that hypnosis is simply a tool that can be used to provide you with the relaxation that you are seeking. While it can be effective in treating sleep disorders, hypnotherapy cannot fix other health issues such as cancer or depression.