Dorothy FarrarHypnosis
Hypnosis is a psychotherapeutic procedure that induces a deep state of relaxation. Hypnosis can be used in the treatment of anxiety, pain and sleep disorders as well as psychosomatic and other ailments.
What is hypnosis?
Hypnosis is a psychotherapy procedure characterized by deep relaxation and an altered state of consciousness, whereby patients can simultaneously focus their attention on a specific object without distraction. Hypnosis is very similar to trance.
During hypnosis, the patient experiences a regression of thinking, feeling and willing. Hypnosis is one of the oldest psychotherapeutic procedures. In modern Europe, it experienced its heyday in the 19th century thanks to psychoanalysis. Modern hypnotherapy goes back mainly to Milton H. Erikson.
Applications
Typical applications of hypnosis:
- Pain disorders
- Nicotine addiction
- Psychosomatic complaints
The most common areas of application of hypnosis include anxiety disorders such as specific phobias or evaluation anxiety. Psychosomatic complaints and sleep disorders are also indications. In addition, patients with pain disorders or nicotine dependence may benefit from hypnosis; especially in smoking cessation, but also in other forms of application, attention must be paid to a scientifically sound training of the hypnotist. In the therapy of dissociative identity disorder or multiple personality disorder, hypnosis is also often used.
With the help of the therapist, patients often find easier access to split off (dissociated) personality parts during the trance and can thus build up or strengthen internal communication, which in the long term enables a combination of different personality parts or splinters. Hypnosis may also be indicated for a number of physical complaints, for example in the context of dental treatment or physical pain.
What methods and procedures are there?
In empty hypnosis, the hypnotist induces a trance, lets the patient linger in it for a while (usually a few minutes) and then takes the hypnosis back. An empty hypnosis is essentially used for relaxation and may serve to prepare a longer and more intensive hypnosis session. Analytical hypnosis comes from psychoanalysis and accordingly uses its techniques; Analytical hypnotherapists work, among other things, with methods such as free association or the uncovering of unconscious conflicts.
Hypnotherapy, on the other hand, is largely based on the findings of Milton H. Erikson; in part, however, this term also serves the general description of hypnotic procedures in the context of psychotherapy. In hypnocatharsis, patients react to affects and can relive repressed experiences, partly resembling hypnodrama, which is based on the psychodrama concept. People who can put themselves into hypnosis practice self-hypnosis.
What does the patient have to consider?
Patients should ascertain in advance whether a therapist is sufficiently qualified to use hypnotic procedures. In addition to adequately trained specialists, some people who are insufficiently trained also offer corresponding services. If there is insufficient trust between the patient and the therapist, hypnosis is usually difficult and may require an improvement in the therapeutic relationship. On the other hand, however, hypnosis can also lead to a greater dependence of the patient on the hypnotist and increase the perceived closeness to the practitioner.
In advance, the hypnotist usually conducts a preliminary talk with the patient to ask about the background and to determine the indication. In addition, therapists working with hypnosis must check the presence of contraindications, since they can lead to complications. Personally, patients can prepare for hypnosis by preparing themselves mentally for the upcoming session. The hypnosis cannot take place against the will of the hypnotized; Unconscious resistance can also appear.
How does hypnosis work?
Initially, the therapist usually asks the patient to sit or lie down and close their eyes. The hypnotist then induces a state of relaxation with the help of simple instructions, which he gradually deepens. During hypnosis, the therapist can use suggestions to work on specific, previously defined and agreed subject areas with the patient.
The preparatory work is usually done together, with the patient giving you the direction of the hypnotherapeutic session; During the actual hypnosis, the patient takes on a more passive role and reacts to the suggestions presented. This type of external influence aims to change the content of thinking, feeling and wanting that is deeply anchored in the psyche. In the context of pain treatment, for example, the suggestion can focus on the pain; the hypnotist may first illustrate the pain with a mental image and then suggest to the patient how the mental representation – and with it the pain – gradually disappears.
Finally, the hypnotist withdraws the hypnosis and the patient returns to the waking state. Following hypnosis, the hypnotized person should take sufficient time to allow any residual lowering of consciousness to subside. Usually, the hypnotist conducts a follow-up session, during which, among other things, the effects of the suggestions are discussed.
Who bears the costs?
If the hypnosis takes place as part of a psychotherapy with sufficient indication, the costs for the hypnosis session(s) are usually covered by the therapy permit. If the treatment is to be limited to hypnosis, patients can also submit an application to the health insurance company; with the appropriate indication and qualification of the therapist, the health insurance usually also covers the costs in this case. With hypnosis as an instrument for personality development and self-discovery, on the other hand, it is a personal contribution: the client usually bears the costs for such hypnosis sessions himself.
Risks, complications and side effects
Hypnosis can trigger psychosis in people with a corresponding predisposition. Patients suffering from Schizophrenia or another psychotic disorder should therefore point this out to the hypnotist. Contraindications also include acute Manic Episodes , severe depression and severe depressive moods. During hypnosis there is a risk of taking the regression too far. Incomplete withdrawal from hypnosis, in which the patient does not fully awaken, can partially persist the induced twilight state. It is disputed whether patients under hypnosis can commit crimes; However, even under hypnosis, patients do not act against their own beliefs.
Hello and welcome to my Health Guide & Encyclopedia! My name is Dorothy Farrar, and I'm the founder and main author of this platform.
My passion for health and wellness started at a young age when I became interested in the connection between the food we eat and the way we feel. This fascination led me to study nutrition and dietetics in college, where I learned about the importance of a balanced diet and the impact of various nutrients on the body.