Many people can construe the idea of what hypnosis is and how it works mainly because of what they see on television and in the media. Hypnotherapy is actually a relaxed state of focused attention within your inner self. It is facilitated by a hypnotherapist, but the work is done by the power of the client's mind. Hypnosis is not a method to take over one's mind and turn them into something they are not.
Hypnosis is similar to sleep, but with a state of awareness. It allows you to experience your thoughts and images as real, but a good hypnotherapist will keep you safe and feeling comfortable throughout the whole process.
People experience hypnosis regularly in day-to-day life without even knowing it. For instance, when watching a film with a car chase scene, your mind and body responds in ways as though you are actually in it - your muscles tense up, you are on the edge of your seat, your heart rate increases and you feel excited. This resembles the brain activity that occurs during hypnosis while imagining being in a certain situation and as you focus on that situation, such as walking across a beach, your mind and body will respond as if it is real and put you into a state where your heart beat slows, your body relaxes and your environment is pleasant.
Are there any side effects to hypnotherapy?
Hypnotherapy is clinically effective and is classed as a holistic form of therapy. Side effects are very minimal. You might have some dream occurrences when sleeping, due to your subconscious recalling certain memories during the hypnotherapy session, but other than that the side effects are positive - such as gaining more confidence and quietening negative self-talk.
What is hypnotherapy used for?
It is extremely useful in helping to manage negative behaviours such as:
Smoking
Over-eating
Nail biting
Sleep disorders
Panic Attacks
Stress
Low confidence
Feeling down/sad
A hypnotherapist will know that even though a client will get in touch to receive help with sleep disorders, they will need to work with the client as an individual case and understand what the cause may be of the sleep disorder, rather than trying to make the client feel relaxed and practice sleep exercises.
What happens once I have finished hypnotherapy?
It is good to still practice hypnotherapy at home. The hypnotherapist can provide you with hypnotherapy recordings, and tailor made ones would be significantly beneficial as they will work on any particular issues you have been resolving. Practicing self-hypnosis to relax regularly will allow you to concentrate and think about the positive, and you will be pleasantly surprised by the power of positive suggestion.
If you want to experience hypnotherapy - free hypnotherapy resources are available here