Using Hypnotherapy To Relieve Anxiety

When you think of anxiety treatment, what comes to mind? Your first thought is probably medication or psychological therapy. What may come as a surprise to you is the use of hypnosis as an anxiety treatment, working as an effective strategy for a patient's therapy. The concept of hypnosis, or hypnotism, may bring to mind a man speaking in low tones, inducing a volunteer to look at a swinging watch, while an audience eagerly awaits the moment when that person begins barking like a dog or clucking like a chicken. This, however, is a creation of fiction. No person can be made to do anything under hypnosis that they would not do while awake.Modern psychology regularly uses hypnotherapy to treat anxiety. But is it a cure? The roots of hypnotism go back in history for thousands of years, although it has only been in the last two centuries that current techniques have taken shape. Hypnosis as an anxiety treatment was officially accepted by the American Medical Association as recently as 1958. Decades later, the National Institute of Mental Health approved hypnotherapy as a treatment for chronic pain. In today's psychology, hypnosis can be an integral part of, but not replacement for, anxiety treatment. If you are interested in hypnotherapy, and your therapist is not experienced in this method, you will need to find someone who is. A useful starting point is Hypnotherapy Helper's Hypnotherapist Directory.In hypnotherapy, the patient is put in a "trance," which is a state of relaxation and acute focus. While under hypnosis, the subconscious mind is more open, allowing the therapist to explore the root causes of the patient's symptoms and possible hidden trauma. Hypnotherapy has also been used to recover "repressed memories." This is not widely-advised, however, due to the danger of false memories planted inadvertently by the therapist. Another form of hypnosis as an anxiety treatment involves suggestive therapy, the process of replacing negative behaviors and thoughts with positive ones. In addition to mental health disorders, such as anxiety and depression, hypnotherapy has been successfully used to treat nicotine addiction, and even nail-biting!Hypnosis is not a cure for anxiety, but it can be an important part of your treatment. Throughout history, different cultures have used techniques similar to hypnosis for treatment of a variety of ailments. Although these ancient patients considered themselves "cured," we know today that therapy is not that simple. However, hypnosis as an anxiety treatment may be effective in your situation. Consult your doctor and discover the benefits of hypnotherapy for yourself.

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