Could Hypnotherapy be answers for your challenges??

Dec 27, 2022 | Mental health

I already discussed Cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) and EMDR in my previous blogs as psychotherapeutic options for your individual mental and emotional needs. If you haven’t read those blogs yet, then I would suggest you reading those blogs. That way you would have the information needed to compare these 3 therapies and decide which therapy would be beneficial for your individual needs and challenges if you chose to go to the route of psychotherapy.

I would share my experiences of hypnotherapy and how it benefited me as I received around 14 sessions of hypnotherapy. I write every blog based on my “UNDERSTANDING” which I acquired through my own personal experiences in my personal growth journey.

Hypnosis, also called Hypnotherapy, is a state of deep relaxation and focused concentration. The first and foremost thing to understand is “All hypnosis is a self-hypnosis”.  However, a trained hypnotist or hypnotherapist guides you into this deep state of focus and relaxation with verbal cues, repetition and imagery.

How hypnotherapy works??

    Conscious mind is quieted down in the deep state of focus and relaxation called Hypnosis. In this state, deeper part of brain called “Subconscious mind” or unconscious mind in which beliefs, thoughts, sensation, memory, perceptions and off course “TRAUMA” resides can be tapped into. Hypnotherapist can help individuals/patients by providing guidance to modify or replace the unconscious thoughts that are driving currents disempowering behaviors.

Can anyone be hypnotized??

Each person differs in their ability to be hypnotized. A person’s fears or concerns about hypnosis may interfere with their ability to be hypnotized. Speaking of my personal experiences of being hypnotized, I could easily go into hypnosis staying into “Theta brain wave” to “Delta brain wave”. Your brain tends to produce theta waves when you are sleeping or dreaming. Theta brain waves are slower than gamma, beta and alpha waves, but faster than delta waves. Put simply, you feel much more relaxed in delta than in theta waves.

Did hypnotherapy help me??

The answer is “YES” and “NO”. Hypnotherapy helped me much more than cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) did because I went through complex trauma which reside in subconscious mind. As I described in previous two blogs that Hypnotherapy and EMDR are two therapies I know of that can tap into subconscious mind and resolve issues lies in subconscious or unconscious mind.

                        Yes, Hypnotherapy did help me dealing with my emotional and mental challenges to some extent. However, my conscious mind is very dominant or strong and it is estimated that there are only 6% of individuals who have very dominant conscious mind. My conscious mind was in the way with regards to taping into my subconscious 100% (fully). No, Hypnotherapy didn’t help me fully (100%).

Hypnotherapy VS EMDR therapy

We are all unique individuals as such what might be beneficial to me may not beneficial to you. I share my understanding with you so that you could learn from my experience and make better decision. The amount of conscious interference varies by individual. Much of this centered around whether ego is comfortable not being in charge. In my case, this was being the case. Therefore, non-direct way using technique like EMDR was more beneficial in my case as compare to hypnotherapy.

In what conditions/challenges can Hypnotherapy be beneficial??

Hypnotherapy partially helped me with disempowering beliefs and behaviors caused by complex trauma. I went through complex trauma in my childhood and even later years as I mentioned in my two previous blogs. Let me elaborate what I mean by disempowering beliefs. I acquired a belief that “I was Victim” and hence as a result I believed that I didn’t have power over my life. Trauma caused and strengthened this belief. I paid huge price for having this disempowering belief. Hypnotherapy is said to help other issues:

  • Pain control. Hypnosis may help with pain due to burn, cancer, headaches, childbirth etc.
  • Behavior change. Hypnosis has been used with some success to treat sleep problem, smoking, overeating etc.
  • Anxiety. Hypnosis may help with anxiety associated with fears and phobias.

Disclosure: However, this blog is for informational purposes only. You need to use your own discretion and get medical and psychological help if needed.

Meet the Author

Amir Siddiqui

Following a series of disappointments as a young man, Amir Siddiqui became depressed and suicidal. He spent the next eight years pursuing personal growth and completely turned his life around. Now he aims to help people overcome negative mindsets to live happy, healthy lives.

Amir was born in Pakistan and immigrated to the United States in 1994. He lives in Virginia, where he loves nature, particularly forest bathing, kayaking, and sailing. He also enjoys meditating and yoga.

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