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Hypnotherapy, helpful and important facts

Hypnotherapy is a method of inducing a trance or a dream-like state of deep relaxation to treat disorders of a mainly psychological or emotional origin. It has been practised in various forms for thousands of years by many cultures including Druid, Celtic and Egyptian. In the 19th and early 20th centuries, hypnosis (or ‘mesmerism’) was seen more like a sideshow curiosity than a valid medical treatment.

Today, hypnosis is recognised by the scientific community as an effective healing tool.

Hypnosis can help you change attitudes, perceptions and behaviours. It can be effective in treating a range of medical and psychological issues, including:
Anxiety
Asthma
Chronic pain
Fears and phobias
Smoking
High blood pressure
Insomnia
Panic attacks
Stress
Migraine
Obesity
Thumb sucking
Sleep problems
Sexual problems
Stuttering
Weight Loss
Binge Drinking
Compulsive Gambling
Concentration
Relationship triggers dynamics
Self Esteem
Insomnia
The hypnotic state

The brain has different levels of consciousness, or awareness, ranging from fully alert to drowsy to fully asleep, with variations in between. Hypnotic states occur naturally and spontaneously.

Everyday examples include:
Daydreaming
Being absorbed in a pleasant task and losing track of time
Doing a mundane task (such as washing the dishes) while thinking about something else, to the degree that you can’t actually remember performing the task
Getting lulled into a dreamy state by boredom, for example, when listening to a dull speech.
Clinical hypnosis deliberately induces this kind of relaxed state of awareness. Once the mind is in a relaxed state, any therapeutic suggestions can have great effect on attitudes, perceptions and behaviours. The way that this occurs isn’t fully understood. Some researchers believe that hypnosis promotes particular brain wave activity that allows the mind to take in and adopt new ideas, while others suggest that hypnosis accesses the ‘unconscious mind’, which is more open to new ideas than the rational ‘conscious mind’.
Hypnosis – you are in control

Suggestions may be taken in, but only if those suggestions are acceptable to the hypnotised person. Contrary to popular belief, you can’t be hypnotised into doing things against your will. You can’t be forced into a hypnotic state either. Instead, you allow yourself to be hypnotised. It is a voluntary altering of your own consciousness, and you are always in control. In other words, you are hypnotising yourself.

Hypnosis should be avoided if you are suffering from:
Severe depression
Psychosis
Chronic pain that has not been investigated and diagnosed by a qualified doctor.