Has anybody had Hypnotherapy before??

[Shell26]

Hi,

Im due to have my first session of Hypnotherapy on the 19th of March which is a session basically just to discuss my issues and then the second session will start the Hypnosis.

I was just wondering if there is anybody on this site that has had Hypnotherapy before and what it is like?

Im sort of worrying about what it entails and what the outcome will be.

xx

[nomorepanic]

My experiences are on the website page on the left under Hypnotherapy so have a read of that

[Forgetmenot]

Hi

Please - dont worry about the hypnotherapy process itself...I was in your position a few weeks ago and have now had 5 sessions (and cant wait for my 6th tomorrow).

I found out through word of mouth about a local lady who does CBT and went along assuming we would talk abut my anxiety and she would help me 'reframe' all those negative thoughts and feelings that drive it. In actual fact we spend only about 5 mins talking and reframing (though this is incredibly useful) and the rest of the session is hypnosis.

My first couple of sessions made me feel panicky just by being there because its so weird being in this persons house being hypnotised. But the therapist totally understands, so any anxiety you feel at the time shouldn't escalate unbrearably.

The hypnotherapy is really about finding deep relaxation. Then the therapist makes positive suggestions to your subconscious mind. Because you are relaxed and the conscious mind has stopped 'chattering', the messages should sink in. It's no immediate cure - but trust me - it does have an effect over days and weeks. While you are 'under' you don't actually feel hypnotised - just relaxed. You are awake, you are listening to the therapists voice and breathing deeply. They can't make you say or think anything you dont want to. When you 'come out' of it - you may feel a little sleepy, but it's not as if you experience some altered state or anything. It's all very subtle.

To prove to me that the hypnotherapy works and to guage my response we did a test where I held my arm up and relaxed my hand. The therapist told my mind to move my hand slowly towards my own face but I was under instruction not to move it on purpose (if that makes sense). Slowly, my hand moved towards my face in a series of those jerky musle jumps that you sometimes feel when you are dropping off to sleep. That proved that at some deep level my subconscious mind was listening to the therpists instruction. Those jerky muscle moves can't be replicated on purpose by the conscious brain!

I find that as you relax during hypnosis, certain parts of your body feel strange and muscles & tendons ache like you have cramp - this is because that tension is finally unlocking and when a muscle has been held in a tense position for a long time it actually aches when it finally unlocks. So, I find the therapy uncomfortable - but in a good way - again, hope this makes sense. Sometimes as my brain feels those bodily changes my heart starts racing and I feel panicky within the hypnosis. That's fine - it's just your brain realising things/changes are going on in there. It doesnt jeopardise the process.

In one session we induced a mild panic attack under hypnosis, then undid it again....to prove to myself that I am in control and that I can calm myself down. Other sessions include working on visualising success, deep relaxation, learning not to fear the panic sensations. The emphasis hasn't been on 'fighting' or taking away anxiety....it's all about adding relaxation and healing.

She also gives me a self hypnosis CD to practice every day - I really enjoy doing that, as it enables me to feel I am doing something proactive to treat myself between sessions. I get a new CD after each session.

I normally feel a boost after each session and am convinced this has underpinned my recovery to date. I still have a long way to go though. A couple of times (including this week) I feel like I've got worse between sessions. The therapist reassures me this is because I've done more things (thereby inducing effort, i.e. adrenaline) and then when I've achieved something I feel relief (i.e. at some deep level I have then let go and relaxed - this makes you feel tired, which for me makes me panic again)...it's not that I've really taken a big step back. Also, external stressors in life will always make the path a wobbly one in any case.

It will take time (most people need from 6-20 sessions to see a big effect), but give it a good chance. I hope this will help you go in there feeling confident about the process. I now see each session as a little holiday from my daily panic and discomfort because once you're used to it, it's a lovely experience.

take care
x

[Shell26]

Forgetmenot, thank you so much for your post you have made me feel so much better about the whole thing and so much at ease.

Its great to have people like you on this site, many many thanks again xxx

[Tom_M]

Hypnosis is very powerful, but the effects can soon ware off if you don't have plenty of sessions. I remember my first session. My acrophobia was that bad at the time that I had to have an ambulance to take me to the hospital, which was 5 miles away from where I lived. After the session finished, I walked the full 5 miles back to my home, so it worked well on me. unfortunately though, it wasn't long before the acrophobia came back. But the person who hypnotized me was a psychiatrist at the local hospital, so I went back for more sessions, and he eventually taught me self-hypnosis, which I still use.

[dlou84]

yeah I have had it.. Its amazing and really good..

I was floating around the room one time haha.. it was like an outter body experience then i couldnt feel myself breathe as i was taken away from my own body and i S**T myself and came back too :(

hypnosis is basically the first stage of the sleep cycle in a suspended motion.

it allows the subconcious to become the domanate part of the brain as the concious mind slowly slows activity.

it is then that the subconcious mind can be influenced through speach. usually using a predetermined script of some sort.

first they will use a script to bring on the first sleep cycle state.

then possibly whats called a "deeper"


and finally scripts to sort out your problems.. confidence/aniexty etc..

then a script to bring you back too..

its wierd cus you are concious all the way through..

have you ever started to fall asleep while watching the tv?

and you can still hear the tv but you're falling asleep..

its basically the same.

Dan

[alexis]

Hi Im considering hynosis for an ongoing problem which has just been made worse by a friends death.
Do you talk during it, or is it done silently.
This may seem a silly question, but at the moment I dont want to talk about loosing my friend.

[Forgetmenot]

Alexis -

From my own experience - most sessions the therapist does all the talking. Once or twice she's asked me to talk too. She always tells me this is going to happen before we start and she'll check I'm happy with the subject matter to be covered. During hypnosis you'll still be awake and in control of your mind - it wont be possible for the therapist to get you to discuss anything youre not comfortable covering.

Incidentally - I have had quite a profound experience at my last session. Until now hypnotherapy has been used to gradually help me deal with the anxiety symptons - so I've been breaking the anxiety cycle and slowly 'recovering'. Last week I got really bad again and was terrified that the whole 'process' wasn't working despite all that progress. The therapist was very happy about this though (!! I was expecting sympathy!!). This is because it's taken a down fall in order for her to deduce what the TRUE ROOT CAUSE to all this is. I now realise that learning to break the anxiety cycle is only half of the process.

Now we have been able to scrutinise my relapse in order to work out what my root cause is. Her job is now to guide me to realise for myself what it is, then we can cure it. She says this resolution can happen very quickly once you get to the stage where your mind is accepting and ready.

Please dont worry if it seems that your therapy sessions are going nowhere - it may just be that you havent reached that important part of the process where the root cause can really be tackled. Often the real cause is not what you thought it was all along.

One interesting thing is that I notice after any therpay session, or yoga session, or any event that makes me feel good, I get a distinctive 'ball of heat' feeling in my throat. This has been happening for months and I never really thought about it. Most of my phsycial exiety symptoms are throat related too. It turns out that through therapy we have worked out that my root cause is to do with communication and expressing myself. In traditional medicine there are 7 chakras - including a throat one. Sensations around the throat chakra relate to communication and expression. So - for those of you that are into the whole chakra thing - I had a great big fat clue there all along!! If any of you have a senstaion of heat at one particular part of the body and you are open minded to chakra healing - this may be well worth exploring...

[ClareR]

Hi
I found a therapist by looking on the links from this website. I recognised her name straight away as she's presented stuff on local radio. I called her and she phoned me back then sent me questionnaires by e-mail, which I've completed and have booked my first session ( Friday ) I told her on the phone about my health anxiety and phobia ( getting cancer ) and she says she's sure she can help. I feel really positive about it but I know it's no miracle cure. However, it's a step and at least I feel as though I'm doing something.

[Shell26]

Thank you to everybody for your posts on here, you have all been so kind and so supportive. My first appointment is a week today and i am still very weary about it. My initial appointment doesn't entail the hypnosis but it will be a session of me talking about my problems/issues.

I really do hope this works for me as i've tried cbt so really this is my last resort. All i want is to be happy in life but at the moment my depression and ocd is stopping me from enjoying alot of things.

Clare - please could you let me know how you get on, on Friday.

Thank you everybody again so much for all your comments and support.