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Disadvantages of hypnotherapy


Hypnosis - Mayo Clinic

Overview

Hypnosis is a changed state of awareness and increased relaxation that allows for improved focus and concentration. It also is called hypnotherapy. Hypnosis usually is done with the guidance of a health care provider using verbal repetition and mental images. During hypnosis, most people feel calm and relaxed. Hypnosis typically makes people more open to suggestions about behavior changes.

Hypnosis can help you gain control over behaviors you'd like to change. It may help you cope better with anxiety or pain. Although you're more open to suggestion during hypnosis, you don't lose control over your behavior during a hypnosis session.

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Why it's done

Hypnosis can be an effective way to cope with stress and anxiety. In particular, it may ease stress and anxiety before a medical procedure, such as a breast biopsy.

Hypnosis also may be helpful for:

  • Pain control. Hypnosis may help with pain due to burns, cancer, childbirth, irritable bowel syndrome, fibromyalgia, jaw problems, dental procedures and headaches.
  • Hot flashes. Hypnosis may ease hot flashes caused by menopause.
  • Behavior change. Hypnosis has been used with some success to treat sleep problems, bed-wetting, smoking and overeating.
  • Cancer treatment side effects. Hypnosis has been used to ease side effects from chemotherapy and radiation treatment.
  • Mental health conditions. Hypnosis may help reduce anxiety associated with fears and phobias.

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Risks

Hypnosis done by a trained health care provider is a safe, complementary and alternative medical treatment. Be aware, however, that hypnosis may not be safe for some people with severe mental illness.

Harmful reactions to hypnosis are rare, but they may include:

  • Dizziness.
  • Headache.
  • Nausea.
  • Drowsiness.
  • Anxiety or distress.
  • Sleep problems.

Be cautious when someone suggests hypnosis as a way to work through stressful events from earlier in life. That may trigger a strong emotional reaction.

How you prepare

You don't need any special preparation for hypnosis. It's a good idea to wear comfortable clothing to help you relax. Make sure you're well rested. That way, you're less likely to fall asleep during the session, as it is meant to be relaxing.

Choose a health care provider who is certified to perform hypnosis. Get a recommendation from someone you trust. Learn about any provider you're considering. Ask questions, such as:

  • Do you have specialized training in hypnosis?
  • Are you licensed in your specialty in this state?
  • How much training have you had in hypnosis? From what schools?
  • How long have you done hypnosis?
  • What are your fees? Does insurance cover your services?

What you can expect

Before you begin, your health care provider explains the process of hypnosis and reviews your treatment goals. Then the provider typically begins by talking in a gentle, soothing tone, describing images that create a sense of relaxation, security and well-being.

When you're relaxed and calm, your health care provider suggests ways for you to achieve your goals. That may include, for example, ways to ease pain or reduce cravings to smoke. The provider also may help you visualize vivid, meaningful mental images of yourself accomplishing your goals.

When the session is over, you may be able to bring yourself out of hypnosis on your own. Or your health care provider may help you gradually and comfortably increase your alertness.

Contrary to what you might see in movies or during a hypnotist stage act, people don't lose control over their behavior during hypnosis. They usually remain aware during a session and remember what happens.

Over time, you may be able to practice self-hypnosis. During self-hypnosis, you reach a state of relaxation and calm without a health care provider's guidance. This skill can be helpful in many situations, such as before surgery or other medical procedures.

Results

Hypnosis can be effective in helping people cope with pain, stress and anxiety. Keep in mind, though, that health care providers typically suggest other treatments, such as cognitive behavioral therapy, for those conditions before or along with hypnosis. Hypnosis may be effective as part of a larger treatment plan for quitting smoking or losing weight.

Hypnosis isn't right for everyone. Not all people are able to enter a state of hypnosis fully enough for it to work well. In general, the more quickly and easily people reach a state of relaxation and calm during a session, the more likely it is that they will benefit from hypnosis.

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4 Advantages and Disadvantages of Hypnotherapy – ConnectUS

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When you are dealing with conditions and disorders that are negatively impacting your health, it is only normal that you would look for alternative treatment options. People that are trying to quit smoking or Stop overeating, might benefit from a hypnotherapy treatment. Hypnotherapy is becoming more popular and is a more trusted option. It involves the use of hypnosis to allow for the desired result. Hypnosis is designed to allow you to relax deeply. Before you consider trying hypnotherapy, it is a good idea for you to become more aware of the advantage s and disadvantages. Here are the advantage and disadvantages of using hypnotherapy:

Advantages of Hypnotherapy

1. Important Issues Resolved
One of the reasons why hypnotherapy is becoming so trusted is because this treatment option really works. This means that if you are dealing with a serious problem, it is possible to sort it out with the use of hypnotherapy. If you are tired of dealing with these issues on your own, it is time that you had the help that you need.

2. Person Centered
Another great benefit to this type of treatment is that it can be specifically designed to your needs. This means that each hypnotherapy session is designed for just you and allows for a very individualized approach. The reason that hypnotherapy can be so effective is because it is so person centered. If you have tried other treatments and not seen results, you should give hypnotherapy a try due to the fact that it is so person centered.

Disadvantages of Hypnotherapy

1. Cost
One of the main downsides to using hypnotherapy is the cost. This means that if the price of treatment is something that is a major concern, it might not be best to choose hypnotherapy. This type of treatment is not cheap and it does require one on one sessions with a trained hypnotists. This means that if you are looking for the most affordable treatment, this might not be ideal for you.

2. Varied Results
It is also important to note when you are considering hypnotherapy that it is not always the answer. This means that hypnotherapy will not always work for you in the way that you desire. Some people are more apt to have success with hypnotherapy than others. However, it is often worth a try when you are looking for a solution to a real problem. This cab be exactly what you have been looking for.

Author Bio
Natalie Regoli is a child of God, devoted wife, and mother of two boys. She has a Master's Degree in Law from The University of Texas. Natalie has been published in several national journals and has been practicing law for 18 years.

what it is, how it works, essence, pros, cons, what problems it will help with, myths about hypnotherapy

  1. Essence of hypnotherapy
  2. What is hypnosis based on?
  3. Is it possible to manipulate our consciousness with the help of hypnosis?
  4. What problems is hypnotherapy suitable for?
  5. What to expect at a meeting with a hypnotherapist?
  6. Pros and Cons of Hypnotherapy

Perhaps the most incomprehensible approach in psychotherapeutic work for many is hypnotherapy . Charlatans and "dealers" of the 1990s had a great negative impact (at least in our country). Let us recall Kashpirovsky and Chumak, who promised people happiness through the TV screen. Then, after long years of isolation, yesterday the Soviet people were flooded with a huge information flow, for which they were not ready. Unfortunately, stereotypes in relation to hypnosis are very firmly entrenched in the minds of our compatriots. Some refer to him as an outright "scam". Others feel danger and "loss" of sanity and will (these are just echoes of group sessions of various kinds of "hypnotists", as well as myths about hypnosis, which are often broadcast, for example, in films and books). And only in the last few years, hypnotherapy has begun to take its rightful place in our country among effective and evidence-based methods in the psychologist's arsenal. Let's try to figure it all out.


The essence of the approach

In the article on body-oriented therapy, we talked about the psychoanalytic paradigm. From its founder, Z. Freud, the concept of the unconscious as the source of all our desires, needs and passions firmly entrenched in psychology. With the help of psychotherapeutic techniques, psychoanalysts try to get to the unconscious of their clients in order to understand what is really happening there, to overcome the "thickets" of psychological defenses and help cope with anxiety and neurosis. Sometimes this work takes years. And sometimes it is not possible to find the very key to the client, and the therapy ends without a deep and lasting result.

This is where hypnosis comes to the aid of a specialist. It is important to understand here that hypnosis is not a separate psychotherapeutic school or paradigm. This is a technique, tool , that a psychologist with the necessary skills can use when working with clients. Its task is to "communicate" directly with the unconscious of a person in order to better understand the true situation and find the most effective way to help . Hypnosis saves a huge amount of time and also gives a true, undistorted picture.

How does it work?

For example, a person experienced some kind of strong emotional shock, for example, sexual abuse in childhood from one of their close relatives. It is clear that this greatly injures the psyche, and in order to make it easier for a person to survive the situation, his psyche builds a serious barrier that protects his conscious part from painful experiences, from feelings of fear and guilt. And there remains only a trail of anxiety and distrust, for example, towards the opposite sex.

For example, it is very difficult for such a person to start a relationship, he is constrained during sexual contacts even with a loved one, he does not get pleasure during intimacy and is not able to relax. From this, conflicts arise with a partner (by the way, formally they begin on completely different occasions, because of unwashed dishes or scattered things).

Since the topic of sex is of great concern, the couple does not openly discuss the issue in this area. It is safer and easier to communicate about everyday troubles, with which they turn to a psychologist. You can try for a long time to teach such a couple to build a comfortable life for both, but only partners do not become happier, because the real problem lies much deeper. This is where hypnosis comes in handy. He helps the client recall the correct sequence of events and the true cause of alarm . The child's brain could not endure all that pain and fear, but now an adult person with the help of a psychotherapist is able to cope with his experiences and improve his life.

What is hypnosis based on?

The main term here is "trance state" . It is very natural for each of us. It is believed that we are in this state several times a day. Has it ever happened to you that you walked down the street and were so immersed in your thoughts that you didn’t notice how you reached the right place without seeing anything or anyone around? Or when you read a book and find that you read the last few paragraphs "on the machine" and have to go back to understand the meaning of what was written? It is at these moments that we are in a trance. That is, the main thing to understand about trance: when a person is in this state, nothing gets into his head "from the outside" . With the help of special techniques, the hypnotherapist can put the client into a trance and help to get to the unconscious.

Is it possible to manipulate our consciousness with the help of hypnosis?

Filmmakers are very diligent in reinforcing in us the idea of ​​hypnosis as a dangerous method by which you can force a person to do something dangerous or illegal. In fact, everything is somewhat different.

One of the founders of hypnotherapy in the world - Milton Erickson, the founder of his own approach - Eriksonian, or Ericksonian hypnosis - once tried to inspire a person in a state of "hypnotic trance" with the idea that he would commit a crime. The action took place at a group psychotherapy meeting, and the "experimental" - a respectable person who is not prone to theft - should be pulling something out of the jacket of one of the participants.

Erickson instructed the client not to remember the nature of the session. When the session was over, the client, having opened his eyes, immediately complained of a severe headache and asked to bring him his jacket (that is, he did not even come up to the hanger with the clothes of the participants). After which he immediately left the group. More to Milton Erickson, he did not apply and spoke of him extremely negatively.

Returning to our question, it is impossible to inspire a person with something that is unusual for him, in a state of hypnosis . It is a myth. One can only discover or discover what we already have in us. Using hypnosis as a psychotherapeutic technique it is possible to help people well and it is impossible to harm them - our defense mechanisms will not let us be offended. As the immune system fights off the invasion of harmful bacteria, so our unconscious mind will not allow us to harm.

What problems is hypnotherapy suitable for?

The main purpose of this approach in psychotherapy is deep psychological traumas that happened to us in childhood or at a conscious age. Psychologists sometimes find "blind spots" in their clients, that is, periods in life that a person simply cannot remember. It can be either a specific day or several years of which there are no clear memories. In such cases, the standard techniques of psychologists do not work or cope with the situation for an extremely long time.

We don't remember events because they carry very serious and complex experiences, often traumatic events. It takes a huge amount of resources and energy to hold onto these memories. Clients may complain of a lack of interest in life, of the complexity of relationships, of incomprehensible enduring anxiety. To work with all these states one of the fastest and most effective methods can be hypnosis .

It usually takes several sessions to reach the desired "memory". In addition, a competent therapist will spend several meetings preparing the client: we will tell him about what will happen, how the mechanisms work. This is necessary to relieve unnecessary anxiety and inspire confidence in yourself, and trust is the main condition for a successful hypnosession.

What to expect at a meeting with a hypnotherapist?

No, they no longer work with shiny gold clocks that the therapist swings like a pendulum in front of the client's eyes. Now the methods have become much more civilized. You will be offered a comfortable chair or sofa. Often specialists use relaxing music. You will need to close your eyes, relax... and let your subconscious mind take the lead. There are no non-hypnotizable people, but if you don't cooperate with a therapist, you can really fail and just waste your time.

Pros and cons of hypnotherapy

The main advantage of is the ability to quickly deal with deep feelings and understand the essence of the problem. But remember that hypnosis sessions do not end the work - this is just a way to speed up the process. The situation will have to be finalized with a specialist in the framework of classical psychotherapeutic sessions.

The main disadvantage of is the high expectations that many customers have. You should not tune in to the fact that you just need to sit with your eyes closed, and all problems will go away by themselves. Hypnosis is not a pill, not a panacea. It helps to understand, live, remember the problem, but not solve it. If there are no unjustified expectations, then there will be no disappointment.

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Therapy

what is the essence and how it works


medical center "Harmony of Health", a practicing psychiatrist, psychiatrist-drug specialist and psychotherapist Vladislav Sipovich is a continuation of the conversation about hypnotherapy and the features of its use in certain types of mental disorders. This will primarily affect such topical and common diseases as depression, anxiety disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, phobias and panic attacks, sleep and eating disorders. We will also touch on the topic of remote hypnosis.

What is the role of hypnotherapy in the treatment of depression and anxiety/depressive disorder?

Depression is a mental state of a person, which is characterized by a depressed mood, a negative perception of the surrounding reality, a narrowing of the worldview, a change in the rhythm of life, the inability to fully fulfill one's social functions and work tasks. All this leads to a significant decrease in the quality of life, to suicidal thoughts and even suicide attempts.

The main signs of depression are:
• Reduced mood.
• Feeling of weakness, laziness.
• Sleep disturbance and appetite changes.
• Avoiding communication with former friends, acquaintances, establishing new contacts.
• Irritability, aggressiveness, tearfulness, resentment or guilt.
• Emotional burnout.
• Indifference to one's appearance.
• Reduced libido, etc.

Manifestations of depression are individual for each person, and its duration and severity of symptoms depend on many factors:
• genetic predisposition;
• psychological characteristics of a person and a history of psychological trauma;
• changes in the ratio of neurotransmitter synthesis in the brain;
• bad habits;
• Ecology of living environment and even unbalanced diet.

A person suffering from depression experiences severe emotional experiences, he is not able to adequately assess his role in society, be a support for his family, low self-esteem does not allow making right and rational decisions. In addition, with depression, negative changes are observed not only at the mental level, but also purely physiological. Against the background of depression, various kinds of addictions to psychoactive substances, cardiovascular diseases, diabetes mellitus, and sexual disorders are much more likely to develop.

Very interesting statistics. For example, in 2017, about 322 million people in the world suffered from depression, the increase in such patients in 2005-2015 amounted to 18.4%. Approximately half of patients with depression "sit" on antidepressants. 6% of people have depression, and 10% of the population suffers from anxiety disorders. No less frightening statistics are recorded in childhood. Among the average class (30 people), approximately 2 children have depression, and 3 have anxiety disorders. There are also gender differences in the prevalence of depressive disorder - women are more susceptible to it. The severity of a depressive disorder can be mild, moderate or severe, and the nature of the course is chronic (permanent) or recurrent.

The coronavirus pandemic has made its negative contribution to the increase in the number of people with anxiety and depressive disorders. Panic, forced lockdowns, prolonged self-isolation led to their sharp growth. In addition, patients with coronavirus infection often experience the so-called post-covid syndrome, one of the main symptoms of which is depression and unexplained anxiety, sometimes suddenly complicated by suicide attempts for no apparent reason.

With regard to the treatment of depressive and anxiety disorders, it can be divided into medication and psychotherapy. Drug treatment of depression is based on the use of antidepressants, drugs that directly affect the exchange of neurotransmitters that carry chemical signals through synapses at the points of contact of neuron endings. The main neurotransmitters responsible for mood and behavior are serotonin, norepinephrine and dopamine. Their imbalance or deficiency leads to the development of depression. The restoration of normal neurometabolism is facilitated by antidepressant therapy. Unfortunately, medical treatment also has its drawbacks:
• Improvement in the state of a depressive patient is not observed immediately, but only some time after the start of treatment, usually on the 30-40th day.
• The therapeutic course lasts from six months or longer.
• There is a so-called "withdrawal" syndrome, when the symptoms of the disease return with renewed vigor after stopping antidepressant drugs. Therefore, their cancellation should be carried out under the strictest medical supervision.

Anxiety disorders are treated with medication using tranquilizers, with the possible development of dependence on them and the transition to a higher dosage or stronger drugs. Therefore, the treatment regimen must also be carefully selected and monitored by a specialist, self-medication in this case is unacceptable.

Psychotherapy, unlike drugs, has no side effects, is practically safe and most effective. The psychotherapist always works for the future, changing the patient's attitude towards himself and the world around him, helps a person to resist negative thoughts, control his emotions and correct behavior. The most promising areas of psychotherapy for anxiety and depression are cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and hypnotherapy. In a 2007 study by the Steve Jones team of scientists on the effectiveness of hypnotherapy and CBT, the following results were obtained and published:
• The reduction in depression in the hypnotherapy group was 6% greater than in the CBT group;
• Anxiety decreased 5% more with hypnotherapy than with CBT;
• Hopelessness decreased by 8%, respectively, compared to the CBT group.

This explains why hypnotherapy is gradually coming to the fore in the treatment of depression and anxiety. In addition, hypnotherapy is distinguished by speed - the patient can feel improvement after the first session. With CBT, a positive result will also be achieved, but in a longer period of time. Hypnotherapy also involves several series of sessions, but they require much less. The required number of sessions is determined by the psychotherapist-hypnologist during the initial consultation, focusing primarily on the severity of the disease, the duration of the depressive state and the number of depressive episodes experienced. Usually, 4-10 hypnotic sessions are required to noticeably reduce symptoms. Hypnosis for children is able to achieve the same result in just 1-2 sessions, since children are much easier and faster to hypnotic suggestion than adults.

The effect of hypnosis on a depressive person is to induce a trance, during which the hypnologist reveals the underlying causes hidden in the subconscious and blocked memories that led to the depressive state. After their identification, a person's consciousness is separated from these memories, and more productive, healthy thoughts and images are connected to the subconscious, which trigger recovery processes and open access to the body's internal healing resources.

Can post-traumatic stress disorder be cured with hypnosis?

First, let's define what post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is. It can be defined as a mental state after a shocking event, the main manifestation of which is recurring intrusive memories of this event. They begin up to 6 months after the traumatic situation and persist for at least a month, and sometimes stretch for years.

The main symptoms are nightmares and flashbacks (involuntary recurring memories of psychological trauma). Most often, PTSD suffers from victims of violence, military operations, participants in natural or man-made disasters. Moreover, a person can get this disorder not only as a direct participant in the events, but also as a witness to death, serious injury or mortal danger to another person, as well as having received news of similar cases with their relatives or friends. The prevalence of PTSD is about 4% among the population, and experiences are so painful and debilitating for a person that they significantly impair the quality of life and the performance of social functions. Often, PTSD is accompanied by the development of anxiety and depressive disorders, various kinds of addictions (substance abuse, alcohol and drug addiction), as well as aggressive behavior. All these factors explain the relevance of the problem of post-traumatic stress disorder and its effective treatment. By the way, sometimes the symptoms begin to appear not only months later, but also years after the psychological trauma. Moreover, a situation that recalled a previously experienced stressful state can become a trigger.

The diagnosis of PTSD is established by a thorough history taking, treatment is carried out by two methods - medication and psychotherapy. One of the main areas of psychotherapy for the disorder is hypnosis, the treatment of which was prevalent until the mid-twentieth century, and also proved to be more effective than zolpidem in the use of hypnotherapy in Israeli combat veterans in 2008. This was especially true for improving sleep, concentration and reducing depressive symptoms.

The advantage of medical hypnosis in the treatment of PTSD is that it is indicated even for traumatic brain injuries, memory problems and ineffective drugs. Moreover, the effect is achieved faster than when using such a direction of psychotherapy as cognitive-behavioral therapy.

The most common hypnotherapy regimen for PTSD includes the following steps:
• Stabilization and reduction in the intensity of symptoms with increased self-control of one's condition. The result is achieved through relaxation, feelings of peace and security. Especially popular is the “safe place” technique, where the patient is asked to imagine himself in a place where he feels calm and relaxed.
• Return to traumatic memories, most often with the help of the age regression technique (reverse journey through the patient's life). At this stage, the patient is already sufficiently prepared to safely dive into the past and, in doing so, to cope with their emotions and memories of past traumatic experiences. A trusting contact has already been established between the patient and the psychotherapist, which allows you to suggest to the patient that he can control the development of a fatal event in a different context. For example, imagine your actions to save another person or protect yourself. The ability to positively resolve a traumatic event, even in the imagination, allows you to get a significant healing effect.
• Exit the vicious circle of negative memories and the formation of the ability for self-development.

A large role in the process of hypnotherapy is given to self-hypnosis, thanks to which the patient learns to control and correct his condition, as well as to set quite realistic and achievable goals.

Is hypnosis effective for insomnia and other sleep disorders?

Insomnia (synonyms - insomnia, asomnia, dyssomnia, agripnia) is a sleep disorder characterized by its insufficient duration or poor quality for a long time. At the same time, they are guided not by the absolute number of hours of sleep, but by its individual norm in a particular patient. For example, for one person, 5-6 hours of sleep is enough to maintain normal life, while another needs at least 8-9 hours.hours.

The main causes of insomnia include:
• Unacceptable conditions for falling asleep (noise, cold or heat, uncomfortable place, etc.).
• Non-compliance with hygiene requirements (cleanliness of linen and body, unpleasant tactile sensations, allergic reactions to hygiene products, etc.).
• Post-stress conditions.
• Use of stimulants (psychostimulants) or drinks.
• Shift work and jet lag (desync).
• Constant overload of the nervous system and chronic fatigue.
• Chronic pain of different localization.
• Organic diseases (arrhythmias, hypothyroidism, heartburn, restless legs syndrome, hormonal imbalance, etc.).
• Apnea (holding the breath while lying down).

Depending on the etiological factor, the following types of insomnia are differentiated:
• Adaptive, caused by stress.
• Psychophysiological, caused by the fear of habitual insomnia before going to bed.
• For no apparent reason, so-called idiopathic.
• Behavioral related to sleep patterns, such as in children unable to sleep without a favorite toy or bottle.
• Caused by mental or physical illness.
• Medication.

In addition, pseudo-insomnia associated with subjective feelings of lack of sleep in a person whose falling asleep and sleep duration correspond to the physiological norm is separately isolated.

Sleep hypnosis cannot be used as the only treatment method, it is recommended as an auxiliary type of therapy for sleep disorders caused by stress, overwork, disruption of life rhythm, etc. In combination with other therapeutic measures, hypnosis can significantly reduce the duration of treatment. Improvement occurs after the first session, and for a complete restoration of sleep and wakefulness, 3-6 sessions are required.

By the way, as a therapeutic method, hypnotherapy was approved by WHO in 1983 year. Indications for choosing hypnotherapy for insomnia are the following situations:
• Mild form of insomnia in non-starting cases.
• Patient's categorical refusal of a medical solution to the problem.
• Ineffectiveness of pharmacotherapy or the presence of contraindications to it.

The use of hypnosis for insomnia involves the active participation of the patient in the treatment process, especially in terms of lifestyle revision, namely:
• adherence to the recommended sleep and wakefulness;
• Refusal of bad habits;
• A rational approach to the quality and diet, limiting the number of stimulating drinks and heavy meals at night, etc.

During hypnotherapy of sleep disorders, a professional hypnologist, introducing a patient into a trance state at an unconscious level, finds out and eliminates the causes of insomnia, overcomes blocks and changes program settings. In this case, a purely individual approach is used, depending on the causes of insomnia, psychological burden, the presence of concomitant diseases and the use of other methods of treatment. A hypnologist helps to get rid of fears, relieve mental stress, launch the healing and regenerative resources of the body and, ultimately, return a sound and healthy sleep.

Does hypnosis help to get rid of phobias and panic attacks?

Therapeutic hypnosis is often used in the treatment of phobias (fears) and their extreme manifestation in the form of panic attacks.

Let's start with phobias, which manifest themselves as a persistent fear of some specific objects or situations. This irrational fear is accompanied by severe anxiety and may end in a panic attack. at the same time, a person realizes that fear is exaggerated, does not correspond to real danger, but is not able to get rid of it or at least suppress it a little. Therefore, in order to prevent emotional stress, a person tries by all means to avoid objects or circumstances that frighten him. Naturally, this greatly complicates his life and does not contribute to social communication. The most common phobias are:
• Arachnophobia - fear of spiders.
• Claustrophobia - fear of closed spaces.
• Agoraphobia - fear of open spaces.
• Hydrophobia - fear of water.
• Acrophobia - fear of heights.
• Nyctophobia - fear of the dark.
• Cynophobia - fear of dogs.
• Hemophobia - fear of blood, etc.

In the treatment of phobias, psychotherapy methods such as cognitive behavioral therapy (exposure method - an imaginary encounter with a phobic situation that frightens a person) and hypnotherapy have proven their effectiveness.

Hypnotherapy for phobic anxiety disorders is a highly effective and short-term method of treatment, during the sessions of which a person put into a trance is given new attitudes to overcome fear and anxiety. Hypnosis helps to reduce the level of discomfort from experienced negative sensations, images and thoughts about the object causing fear. In addition, the hypnologist finds out the causes and mechanisms of the formation of phobias hidden in the subconscious, and also gently teaches a person to resist attempts to avoid frightening situations, inspires the patient with confidence that he will be able to cope with his fear. As a result, a person's attitude to his condition changes, a positive attitude is created, self-confidence grows stronger and internal reserves for restoring a normal psychological and physiological state are launched.

As far as panic attacks are concerned, hypnosis has proved its effectiveness here as well. they are purely psychological in nature and can be easily corrected when inducing a trance. Panic attacks occur involuntarily and regardless of the time of day, emotional and physical state, type of professional activity and other aspects. An attack always starts suddenly and often for no apparent reason. A person lives in constant anxious expectation of its manifestation, which further worsens his well-being and reduces the quality of life.

Among the main signs of a panic attack are the following:
• A pronounced feeling of panic.
• Sharp jumps in blood pressure.
• Increased and rapid heartbeat, often arrhythmias.
• Dizziness, up to fainting.
• Nausea.
• Sweating.
• Breathing problems causing feeling short of breath.
• Numbness of hands and feet.
• Internal trembling, etc.

By the way, there is a popular belief that a panic attack cannot lead to serious consequences for the patient. But this is far from true. The release of a large amount of adrenaline into the bloodstream can cause a sharp vasoconstriction, which in turn can lead to acute cardiovascular failure, heart attacks and strokes. Therefore, timely treatment of panic attacks is relevant not only to restore vital potential, but also to save the patient's life.
Hypnotherapy for panic attacks is based on the same principles as the treatment of phobias with hypnosis. First of all, this is the clarification of the root cause hidden in the subconscious, the transformation of negative attitudes into positive ones, opening access to internal healing resources and teaching self-control over one's emotions, thoughts and reactions.

Can hypnosis be used to correct eating behavior?

Eating disorders (EDDs) are purely female diseases (among those suffering from EDD 97% are women). The most common mental disorders among them are anorexia and bulimia. Anorexia is an eating disorder with an obsessive and persistent fear of being overweight and obese. Moreover, the assessment of the state of one's body is completely inadequate and does not correspond to reality. All aspirations of the patient are aimed at permanent weight loss, sometimes to a critically low level. An aversion to food is developed, patients practically do not eat anything and do not even drink. As a result, constant starvation is accompanied by dystrophic changes in internal organs, metabolic and hormonal disorders, which ultimately can lead to complete exhaustion, make the process irreversible and lead to death.

Bulimia, unlike anorexia, is characterized by periodic bouts of overeating and then taking preventive measures to get rid of the remnants of ingested food by inducing vomiting, taking laxatives, giving enemas, etc. Weight loss is not as catastrophic as with anorexia, but no less destructive for the body and psyche. With a long course, it can also end sadly.

As for the hypnotherapy of eating disorders, there are two opinions about this. Some experts consider hypnosis to be insufficiently effective in the treatment of eating disorders, but they allow its use as a “general tonic” tool that improves the general condition of the body and reduces the intensity of individual symptoms. Others consider hypnotherapy as a full-fledged "partner" in the complex treatment of ED and recommend its active use. Both positions are united by the idea that medical hypnosis is not an alternative to classical approaches in the treatment of such life-threatening and health-threatening anorexia and bulimia.

Separately, I want to dwell on such an increasingly popular form of hypnotic suggestion as online hypnosis. Hypnosis via Skype is actually a remote form of work of a hypnologist, which has become especially relevant in the era of the coronavirus pandemic with its quarantine measures and long-term self-isolation.

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