When some people hear the word hypnosis, the first thing that comes to their minds is it’s a control tactic you can use to influence people to fall in love or commit crimes. People can’t blame them because that’s how movies often portrayed hypnosis. In some cases, some television shows frame hypnosis as a supernatural power that can put people to sleep on command.
That kind of representation in the public may be entertaining. But in reality, hypnosis is more than that. It can be valuable and beneficial for your overall health and wellbeing, especially if applied in therapy.
In healthcare, hypnosis is often used in psychotherapy, and it’s referred to as hypnotherapy. It’s a type of psychological treatment used to help people change their behaviors, thoughts, and perceptions. When a person is under hypnosis, they’re relaxed and calm, and they start becoming more open to suggestions, encouragements, and discussions.
Benefits of Hypnotherapy
Licensed professionals like physicians or psychologists can perform hypnotherapy. This process is widely accepted as a valid medical treatment. And if you’re in doubt of its efficacy in remedying what it says it can, here are five benefits it offers that you should know.
1. Improve Sleep Quality
Are you constantly having some trouble sleeping, or maybe you have insomnia that prevents you from getting the shuteye you deserve? Hypnotherapy can help you relax and put you in much ease to get you to sleep easier.
During a session, a hypnotherapist will give you verbal cues to let your mind wander and think about things that help you relax or calm down. As you’re put in a trance-like state, you may fall asleep during or after the hypnosis session.
Hypnotherapy can also help you if you’re a sleepwalker. During sessions, a hypnotherapist will train you and your brain to wake up the moment your feet hit the floor. This way, you can avoid any sleepwalking escapades in the future.
2. Help Quit Smoking
Every smoker knows that giving up on tobacco is never easy. Once it becomes a habit, it’s almost impossible to quit or even forget lighting one up in a day. While studies are still undergoing, many past smokers claimed that hypnotherapy helped them stop smoking.
There are two ways your hypnotherapist can help you quit smoking.
- They will help you find a healthier alternative to smoking, such as taking a walk or chewing a piece of gum whenever you crave a cigarette. Once you found a healthier option, your hypnotherapist will train your subconscious mind to always think of the new habit instead of smoking.
- Your hypnotherapist will train your brain to associate smoking with negative feelings or thoughts such as a foul odor from the smoke or an undesirable taste in your mouth.
Take note that hypnotherapy for smoking cessation may only work best when you regularly have one-on-one sessions with your hypnotherapist. They will ensure you get personalized sessions for your lifestyle.
3. Change Eating Habits for Weight Loss
As with quitting smoking, studies are still undergoing in terms of hypnotherapy’s effectiveness towards weight loss. However, it’s known that hypnotherapy can help you become more conscious and mindful of every food choice you make.
Hypnosis helps you through suggestions. When you’re hypnotized, you become more open to recommendations. This makes you more active in listening to suggestions such as picking up healthier food, getting the urge to exercise, and other advice which may help you with your weight loss journey.
4. Alleviate Anxiety and Overcome Phobias
Hypnotherapy may help put you at ease if you’re a person who’s constantly feeling anxious in their day-to-day life. Under hypnosis, a hypnotherapist can encourage your body to automatically activate its natural relaxation response—such as slowing your breath or telling yourself to calm down and relax—when signaled by a verbal or nonverbal cue.
Aside from that, hypnotherapy can also help you overcome phobias. Know that a phobia is the unconscious part of your mind’s way to protect you from emotional or physical harm because of fear and past experiences.
Through hypnotherapy, your therapist will bring you back to the past event when you first realized your phobia or fear. The hypnotherapist will then help you resolve the cause, release your fears, and mentally rewrite your past.
5. Ease Symptoms of Irritable Bowel Syndrome
According to research, hypnotherapy is known to improve symptoms brought by irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). When you have IBS, you’ll often experience bloating, diarrhea, and constipation, which causes abdominal pain and interrupts your day-to-day activities.
Through hypnotherapy, the hypnotherapist will put you in a relaxation state before giving you soothing sensations or imagery, which you can use to fight off the symptoms and relieve you of IBS.
It’s clear that hypnosis is more than just for entertainment. Hypnotherapy is an effective form of treatment that can help improve your sleep, ease stress, anxiety, overcome phobias, and help you quit negative lifestyle habits. So, get in touch with your trusted hypnotherapist, and schedule your first session now.
