Hypnotherapy - anyone done it?

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ChrisJSY said:
I'm surprised there isn't more ridicule in this thread :o
It's all the power of suggestion and how susceptible you are to that, in the end it's your own will, you always had it just you needed someone to help push you along.
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Why would you mock it? Have you ever had it? Or is this just another stigma around mental health issues?

Hypnotherapy for me was about being able to relax to the point where I could process thoughts one by one, such that I could identify why I was panicking.

I was always aware of being 'hypnotised', which for me was just about deep relaxation. It felt awesome. I came out of it totally energised and relaxed. If I could afford it (it was about £60 a time), I'd have it every week.

Like I say, it didn't cure me, and my fear of public speaking is linked to other stuff - self confidence issues and all that jazz. My girlfriend training to be a counsellor has opened me up totally to self-review, looking at why you think things, why you react the way you do. It's fascinating and it helps people - counselling and hypnotherapy, so I really don't see the problem anyone would have with it.
 
My girlfriend is a hypnobirthing teacher which allows you to give birth supposedly pain free due to hypnotherapy and relaxation.

She isn't short of bookings :)
 
alexthecheese said:
Your view is just evident of a total lack of understanding of how people function and what hypnotherapy is.
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Yeah okay, if you feel the need to justify spending all that money to have dodgy pete tell you that you're special and you can do it, then by all means.

Give me a trust email, I probably do cheaper rates.
 
I thought this was an interesting post elsewhere on the subject - I guess it brings up issues that other 'alternative' practitioners might have to face too - that while they might be equipped to deal with some things they might not be in a position to handle wider health issues/underlying issues.

http://www.skepdic.com/skeptimedia/skeptimedia88.html

When I was a practicing hypnotherapist (2005-2009) I always had the best of intentions; I was motivating and influencing people to quit smoking, lose weight, gain confidence, etc. I believe most hypnotherapists have their hearts in the right place and are trying to help people. If I help someone and make a buck, is that bad? At first I thought, "no!" But now I'm not sure. It depends on whether or not I can deliver on my promise to provide help. The problem is that a lot of these seemingly innocuous behavior changes (quitting smoking, losing weight) have other serious problems underlying them: problems I didn't have the skills to solve. Many of my weight loss clients had histories of physical or sexual abuse. Many of the smokers had histories of other addictions (alcoholism etc). I often encountered other issues like depression, ADD, PTSD, bulimia, you name it. I was told by some teachers to treat those issues with hypnotherapy also. My smartest teacher told me to do that only if they were already seeing a licensed mental health professional for the problem - that I was an "adjunct" or "complementary" therapy. I often found myself feeling frustrated because I wanted to help my clients more than I had the capacity to.

It's not what your hypnotist does that could hurt you, it's what he/she fails to do. I have a ridiculous number of certifications in hypnotherapy and yet I was never taught about therapist/client transference and how to handle it, how to specifically recognize clients I should refer to mental health practitioners, or when I had a "duty to warn" the authorities about my client. That is a short list of things I wasn't taught that all licensed mental health counselors are taught. When I asked about these things I was told to "check with my state's department of health." Hypnosis and hypnotherapy "schools" don't want to teach this stuff because then it will make it look like they're teaching people therapy (which they are) and then they'll require licensure.
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I would presume that the OP, if wanting to try hypnotherapy for something like anxiety and panic attacks, should probably only do so in addition to seeking other qualified medical help...
 
Whilst the thread as it stands is fine - lets keep it on discussion. Let's not start offering treatment as it will be then a medical thread and will be closed :)
 
I had a two hour hypnotherapy session for my drinking. It worked really well for three weeks ,but it was about 200 for two hours so I didn't go back...
 
I don't see what the issue is. If it works for the Original Poster (and others) then it's good isn't it?

Obviously it won't work for everybody, especially those who are dumb enough to try it, determined that it won't work, then come onto forums telling everyone that it didn't work for them, and that they knew it wouldn't.

In either case, hypnotherapy isn't an easy shortcut, but it can be a useful tool to try.
 
Natwee said:
Hope this doesnt count as a medical thread!


I have suffered from anxiety and panic attacks for around 7 years ago. Started suddenly for no reason in particular. It got progressively worse as it ended up that i was so scared of having another, that trying to prevent it it fuelled the anxiety, and made me develop a range of phobias of anything i (at times irrationally) feared would cause panic attacks.

I had hypnotherapy yesterday, and can honestly say its the best thing i've ever done. Had a 2 hour session, and walked out feeling like it hadn't really done anything, but I am now 24 hours past, and have not felt anxiety once. Its vry weird after all that time of constant daily panic attacks, I almost dont know what to do with myself because Im so used to worrying constantly about panicing that I feel like I "should" be doing somehting. The only way I can describe it is that i imagine its what people leaving prison after a long sentence must feel like.


Wondered if anyone else had had it and what their experiences were :)
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What are the main causes of your anxiety and during an anxiety attack, what would happen?

I have suffered from social anxiety since i was around 10/11 years old and still have it now (24) almost everyday.

My anxiety attacks would consist of me throwing up, that way i had an excuse as to why i had to leave any situation that made me feel like that.

It's almost like a defense mechanism, but it's everyday and over the most stupid of things.

Never thought of hypnotherapy, i used to take LA Indural tablets which were useless.
 
Clov!s said:
What are the main causes of your anxiety and during an anxiety attack, what would happen?

I have suffered from social anxiety since i was around 10/11 years old and still have it now (24) almost everyday.

My anxiety attacks would consist of me throwing up, that way i had an excuse as to why i had to leave any situation that made me feel like that.

It's almost like a defense mechanism, but it's everyday and over the most stupid of things.

Never thought of hypnotherapy, i used to take LA Indural tablets which were useless.
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Have you tried CBT? A chap who was in my group found it very helpful for his vomiting.
 
I got hypnotherapy for not smoking, been around a year since that session. Not touched a cigarette since. Best £220 I ever spent, 2 hours, 1 session. No smoking :) Saved my money back and then some!

I was on 20 or so a day for 8 years.
 
I'm afraid this thread is now moving towards discussion or recommendation of medical or psychological treatments.
 
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