|
|
HYPNOTHERAPY
by Vincent Tilsley
Hypnosis is the induction of trance states.
Hypnotherapy is the utilisation of those states for therapeutic purposes.
The trance state is not peculiar to Hypnosis. Most of us are in and out of trances all day long. Anyone
who is absorbed in a book or a TV programme is in a trance - sometimes quite a deep one. Daydreaming
is another good example. And have you ever been surprised to hear from a friend that he saw you in the
street, even said hello to you, and you walked straight past him? No doubt you can think of dozens of
other examples from your own experience.
It is important to grasp this fact that the trance state is a natural, everyday phenomenon. It can be a
failure by the therapist to make this point that lets the subject think he has not been hypnotised because
it all feels so ordinary. Expectation counts for a great deal.
Once a trance state has been achieved (usually by talking, though some Hypnotists still use aids to
fixate the attention, such as pendulums, etc.) , the subject tends to be appreciably more "suggestible"
than in the ordinary waking state, and it is the use of suggestion which is the most obvious way of
utilising Hypnosis. (Again, it is helpful to realise that suggestion is an everyday event. The advertising
industry would not exist if it were not.)
Trance induction frequently begins with suggestions of relaxation. Hypnosis is by no means synonymous
with relaxation (an athlete straining himself to the limits of endurance is in a deep state of trance) but it
is fortunately a fact that most people are able to achieve a much deeper state of calm and peace in the
trance state than out of it. Once in that state the mind is much better able to accept suggestions directly
concerned with the particular area of disturbance.
It follows that Hypnotherapy is well suited to the treatment of anxiety and, since anxiety takes a multitude
of forms, hypnosis can be usefully applied to a wide variety of conditions. Smoking and overeating
are the commonest ways of trying to alleviate feelings of anxiety, so it is not surprising that Hypnotherapy
is best known for it's effectiveness in those areas. But there are many others, beginning in childhood
with anxiety-induced behaviours like bed-wetting and nail-biting, and so on into later life disturbances
up to and including drug and alcohol abuse (though it is important to realise that once those have taken
a hold, they present a biochemical problem as well. They have become not only psychological).
Phobic conditions are obvious manifestations of anxiety and Hypnotherapy has a good record in this
field. Also, it has long been recognised that many physical conditions have a psychological component.
Asthma is an obvious example. Skin conditions such as eczema, psoriasis, etc. are others. It is
possible for these to be purely psychological, in which case they may be cleared up entirely. And
even when the condition is physical in origin, it is often exaggerated or even triggered by anxiety, so
that Hypnotherapy can be a useful adjunct to medical treatment.
Frequently, of course, suggestion in itself is not enough because there are underlying reasons for the
problem. Sometimes these need to be made conscious; sometimes they can be processed at an
unconscious level. Either way, hypnotherapy can be very useful provided that the operator has the
appropriate psychotherapeutic skill to deal with the material. It is important that you choose a therapist
who is trained in psychotherapy, not merely in the induction of trance states.
In some areas, such as pain control, depth of trance is important, but for most purposes the level of
trance is a good deal less important than the accuracy of the suggestions. A correct suggestion given
in a light trance will be beneficial. An inept suggestion given in a very deep trance will be largely or
completely ignored.
None of this is new. In recorded history the Greeks used trance induction to treat anxiety and
hysteria; the Druids called it '"magic sleep"; in the 18th Century Dr. Mesmer called it "animal magnetism";
and in the 19th Dr. James Baird named it "hypnosis" which is simply the Greek word for sleep. He
soon realised that it wasn't sleep, and modern recordings of brain rhythms indicate that it is a separate
state of consciousness somewhere in between sleeping and waking.
In any event, most people can achieve a trance state sufficient for most therapeutic purposes.
There are dozens of simple ways to test yourself out.
If you want to try one, close your eyes when
you finish reading this and imagine a lemon.
Imagine picking it up. Feel it's texture. Admire it's
yellowness. Imagine yourself in some appropriate place, such as at your kitchen table; take a knife,
cut the lemon in half and squeeze some of the juice out into a container; look at it; smell it; then put
some of it into your mouth.
Do all this very deliberately. Do it more than once if needs be.
If, having done so, you are not aware of any extra salivation, this website fortunately contains many
other therapies for you to consider.
Information supplied by
The Brighton Natural Health Centre
Back to The Alternative Guide
|
|