Matron I think I'm a washing machine (Hypnotherapy)

Member Name: sandrabarber

Product:	Hypnotherapy
Date:	02/12/01 (204 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Can help a variety of conditions

Disadvantages: Expensive as not often available on NHS

Hypnotherapy and hypnosis are two very different practices which are often confused. Whereas hypnosis is often used as entertainment to make people eat raw onions, think they're washing machines or have orgasms every time they hear a Rolling Stones record, hypnotherapy is a long-recognised psychotherapeutic practice which can be helpful in many psychological and emotional conditions.

Freud himself was a big fan of hypnosis as a tool to reveal the subconscious and unconscious conflicts which he believed caused mental illness, and in the 1930s to the 1960s it was popular to be put under whilst taking LSD. Cary Grant was just one of many Hollywood celebrities who subscribed to the latter practice which is now understandably outlawed on the grounds that not only is it ineffective as a treatment (who on earth could come out with anything but utter s**t after they'd just dropped a tab?) but is also highly dangerous and sent many a devotee on a long holiday in a sanatorium after a few sessions.

Today hypnotherapy is still widely practised by both specialists in the field and by psychologists in general. Freud's theory of it opening a channel to the subconscious/unconscious still carries some weight, but many psychologists use it as a way to relax their clients and enable them to talk more freely and relaxedly about the causes of their emotional or mental problems.

A good friend of mine, a psychologist of 15 years standing, has used hypnotherapy in her treatment of phobias, depression, anxiety, panic syndrome and even infertility. She finds it an invaluable way of relaxing her clients and has had a good degree of success, from curing spider and flying phobias to helping people understand the basis of their illnesses and so work to overcome them. She has also used it as a motivational tool to aid people's sports performance.

I have tried hypnotherapy on two occasions - once to help anxiety and once to lose weight.


How it works:

I was disappointed my first time that the therapist didn't swing a pocket watch in front of my eyes and tell me I was feeling very sleepy. What he did do was have me sit in a comfortable reclining chair, play some subtle music, have me stare at a strobing light bulb and talk very gently to me.

I felt a sensation of lightheadedness and sleepiness but did not think I was 'under' at all. then he told me that a balloon was tied to my left wrist, and next thing I knew my left arm was straight up in the air and try as I might I couldn't get it down again. I was indeed under his spell. He then talked a lot about my problem and about it disappearing and gave me loads of positive thoughts and affirmations which he said would pop into my head every time I had a negative or anxious thought.

The whole experience was very pleasant indeed and for the rest of the day following a session I felt relaxed, positive and deeply content.

But does it work?:

Well, for me it did not help with the anxiety - but then I was very ill at the time and I don't think that anything other than psychiatric drugs could have done the trick at that time.

My second experience, however, was altogether different. I had had a broken leg which took ages to heal and left me rather immobile, during which time I put on 20 lbs. I had three hypnotherapy sessions to help me find the willpower to lose the weight, and I also had a tape of the first session to use at home every night.

I lost 20 lbs in 3 months without ever feeling as though I was on a diet. I found myself only wanting small portions of healthy food and not even thinking about nosh in between meals. This for me was amazing - I do love my grub - and I have to put it down to the hypnosis.

Is it dangerous?:

There was a case in the media recently of someone suing a stage hypnotist because they became schizophrenic shortly after b
eing put under. I'm not sure but I think the hypnotist won. I'm no expert but in my opinion schizophrenia exists dormant in a person and anything could potentially trigger it to activate.

Of course there is always the chance that a hypnotherapist could 'plant' bad suggestions in your mind, but I've never heard of this happening and hypnotherapists themselves always say that the individual will is far stronger than that of the hypnotherapist and would reject any idea of the hypnotist's it found repugnant or undesirable.

In the end I suppose you're taking a chance like you are with anyone you choose to put your faith in, but I would recommend that if you do decide to go for hypnotherapy you choose a registered member of the Society of Medical Hypnotherapists or similar. These people have usually had sound psychotherapy training and are often qualified clinical psychologists.

How much does it cost?:

As many psychologists practice hypnotherapy you might well get to see one free on the NHS. Privately you could expect to pay £30+ per hour.

Summary: