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In movies, hypnosis is often used to modify a person’s beliefs or make them remember things that either occurred in the past as a way of retrospection. In real life, you may have heard of someone who used hypnotherapy as an adjunct treatment for specific forms of addiction.
Because of its capacity to access the subconscious mind, hypnosis techniques are being used to develop one’s self. The key is to change your limiting beliefs, helping you achieve things you never thought you could do.
How exactly can you use it for self-development? In this article, you’ll explore how you can use hypnosis techniques to improve yourself.
Hypnotism Versus Hypnotherapy
Most people confuse hypnotism with hypnotherapy. In simple terms, the former is a tool while the latter is a method. By definition, hypnotherapy is the use of hypnotism as a therapy to supplement a patient’s existing medical treatment.
A trained health care professional should assess and discuss with the patient whether to use hypnosis as an adjunct therapy. Depending on the severity or complexity of the problem, hypnotherapy sessions can take time.
The Basics of Hypnotism
Hypnosis comes from the Greek word, ‘hypos,’ which means ‘sleep.’ It was coined by the famous Scottish neurosurgeon James Braid. The term is actually a misnomer, being that hypnosis doesn’t put a subject to sleep. Braid later realized this and tried to change the term to ‘monoideism.’ However, the name had already stuck and continues to be used to this day.
An individual’s conscious mind acts as the buffer for the subconscious mind, making it hard for most people to access the latter. Because it can’t be accessed, the subconscious is typically difficult to manipulate, being that it’s being ‘guarded’ by the conscious mind.
Thus, the only way to gain through it is by putting the conscious mind into a more relaxed mode. This can be achieved by hypnotizing a person. When the patient is in a state of hypnosis, he or she is still aware of the surroundings and can come in and out of it anytime the individual wishes to. It should not be thought of as a form of mind-control or brainwashing.
When done properly, self-hypnosis can help improve how you feel, see, and understand things; thus, influencing behavior, attitudes, and feelings.
What Makes Hypnosis Helpful in Self-Development?
Hypnotism works by making suggestions. These modifications may be introduced by another person, for instance, a hypnotherapist, or by yourself—if you’re trained. Unknown to many, a person can be trained to perform self-hypnosis. And, contrary to common perception, a person who’s in a state of hypnosis is fully aware and in control of his or her surroundings.
Hypnosis is merely a state of heightened focus and attention, with elevated levels of suggestibility. A person in a normal state may be adamant and uncompromising, but under hypnosis, the same person can be more open to suggestions. If you want to know more about your personality, take this Lyran Starseed quiz to find out.
How To Use Hypnosis in Achieving Goals
As mentioned, hypnosis is the state of elevated suggestibility. This means it can access the subconscious and helps modify an individual’s behavior and attitudes. If you want to improve some aspects of your life, consider learning how to perform self-hypnosis.
The main tools used in hypnotherapy include:
- Metaphor – A form of indirect suggestion that could help a client through a situation using action metaphors. This method aims to remove blockages to the client’s development.
- Visualization – It’s a straightforward technique that tells the person to imagine himself or herself in a specific situation.
- Cognitive Method – This method is widely used in neuro-linguistic programming (NLP) and cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT). It involves telling the client to visualize their problem and helping them alter the visualization.
- Regression Therapy – This technique aims to re-assess the incident in the hopes of removing fear.
- Parts Therapy –A strategy that acknowledges a person is composed of parts that aren’t always in sync with each other. Parts therapy helps facilitate a smooth interaction between and among them.
Besides helping you overcome specific forms of addiction, hypnosis, when used with other forms of therapy, is believed helpful with the following issues:
- Boosting Confidence
Your limiting beliefs can impact self-esteem and how you feel about yourself. With hypnosis, a person can access the subconscious mind and break down these limiting beliefs, helping boost self-confidence.
- Learning New Skills
The conscious mind may stop you from doing more, likely because of fear of failure and rejection. Getting rid of these negative thoughts can push you to learn new things and acquire new skills.
- Relieving Stress and Anxiety
Hypnosis is also often used to relieve stress and anxiety by modifying how you respond to specific stressors in your daily life.
- Managing Pain
Hypnosis may be effective in minimizing acute and chronic pain based on research. Because of your relaxed state, you’ll be able to access the unconscious mind and become more focused, ruling out pain as merely a distraction.
- Managing and Controlling Weight
A hypnotherapist can use specific tools to access the subconscious mind and address a person’s tendencies to overeat.
- Dealing with Depression
When a person gets into a relaxed state, such as during a hypnotherapy session, it makes them feel better right away. Using hypnosis, the therapist can help the patient deal with the trauma buried within a person’s subconscious levels.
- Overcoming Specific Forms of Phobias
Phobia is also a form of anxiety, where a person suffers from an unreasonable fear of an object or situation. Hypnosis can help address the root cause of these fears in an attempt to resolve the issue.
- Coping With Emotional Stress and Trauma
Regression is often used to take the person back to the traumatic event that impacts the present. Hypnosis can then help the person realize that the perceived danger is no longer a threat at present.
- Enhancing Athletic Performance
Through hypnosis, competitive athletes can feel relaxed and more focused, helping improve their mental and physical capacities. This can likewise help them concentrate on winning the game.
Final Thoughts
Hypnosis can be used to modify a person’s behavior and emotions. With these capabilities, it’s often used to complement medical treatments in the hopes of boosting the latter’s efficacy.
As it can be used only as an adjunct therapy, hypnosis shouldn’t be relied upon to address health problems on its own. Medical diagnosis is needed before a patient is referred to a licensed hypnotherapist.
However, the use of hypnosis is not limited to persons with emotional and psychological issues. Even persons who want to improve their performance and boost self-confidence can put it to good use.
