Hypnosis is not that tool for entertainment that you see on television; it is a proven therapy. Hypnotherapy has been recognized and approved by the American Medical Association and the American Psychiatric Association as a valuable therapeutic tool in medicine. We have all been exposed to meditation and the benefits it can have on our emotional and mental wellbeing, but hypnosis has been a hidden but very valuable tool that we can utilize by ourselves.
Meditation Versus Self-Hypnosis
Meditation and Self-Hypnosis are constantly confused and often questioned if they are essentially the same thing just with a different name, but these two practices are completely different. Although both Meditation and Self-Hypnosis commonly start with a focus on your breath and with an idea of relaxation, their intentions are different. Meditation is simply about meditating, and that is the ability to clear your mind, often centered around focusing on your breathing and any time your mind wanders, pulling it back into focusing only on your breathing. This intention is to quiet the mind and is intended to be a spiritual practice.
Self-Hypnosis has a different intention of suggestion and change. The practice of self-hypnosis often starts with the familiar focusing on your breath, but that is not where the practice of hypnosis stops. Once the person practicing self-hypnosis gets to a place of relaxation from focusing on their breathing, that is where the next step comes in. This is about being open to and receiving suggestions. When you are in this induced relaxed state, your mind becomes more open to suggestion, and you start to have a conversation with your unconscious mind.
Understanding Hypnosis
Harvard MBA and Hypnotherapist Christine Deschemin states:
“Hypnosis is a naturally occurring state of awareness. That states achieves the “bypass of the critical factor” and as a result enables you to make changes to the self-defeating behaviors and self-limiting beliefs, bringing you then to your desired target state (sleeping better, becoming slimmer, and managing pain more easily for instance).”
We have all experienced a state of hypnosis that we often don’t realize. Hypnosis can happen when you’re driving and you “zone out” or you personally start to operate on “autopilot.” It’s the same as when you’re watching a movie, or doing the dishes, you tune out to your surrounding world. This gives you a break from trying to process all of the information that is around you and tune in to your subconscious.
Things You Can Accomplish Through Self-Hypnosis
A popular use of self-hypnosis is quitting smoking. According to Dr. Robin Miller, the success rate for quitting smoking is as high as 66%. Chelsea Handler, Matt Damon, Ashton Kutcher and many more celebrities have used Hypnotherapy to quit their smoking habit.
Hypnosis is also used to help people overcome phobias and anxiety issues. It is a strong tool to alter behaviors, creative blocks, and habits in general, it’s even used to assist in weight loss. It is said that Mozart composed “Cosi fan tutte” while hypnotized. Jackie Kennedy Onassis used hypnotherapy to relive and let go of tragic events in her life, and in 1984, Mary Lou Retton used hypnosis to block pain in her foot and won the Gold Medal for Gymnastics. There are so many success stories of the use of Hypnosis.
How To Practice Self-Hypnosis
It is possible to practice self-hypnosis without any assistance, but there are tools that you can utilize to assist in the process. There are audios and videos accessible, just make sure you are going to a reputable place. UpNow has free audios for sessions related to stress, depression, relaxation, and hope. They even have audios for weight loss and athletic performance. This app was developed by a licensed hypnotherapist, so it is a safe and reputable method to utilize. You could also look for a licensed hypnotherapist to book appointments with if you’re looking to work directly with someone, but again you can practice this in your own home with an app like UpNow. You just need to trust and listen to the audios, and you will work yourself into living a better life that you are in control of.
Self-hypnosis is worth you taking the time to try. As long as you follow along, you can and will make a positive difference in yourself in whatever you want to improve. Invest time in yourself and improving your life.