Psychoanalyst Sigmund Freud considered that suppressed memories and hopes bring all sorts of mayhem on the mind. As a result, we develop stigmas, phobias, aversions or, in severe instances, psychological disorders. He felt that therapy sessions could bring out the unconscious glitches and fix the human psyche. A number of therapists have tried to draw out their patient’s most suppressed memories to cure afflictions, but perhaps none are as mysterious or effectual as hypnotherapy. Using techniques of hypnosis, therapists can oftentimes push past mental blocks to guide memory recall, and then separate the thoughts from the learnt behavior, leaving more negative associations behind.
Patients undergoing hypnotherapy, stage hypnosis or those that use self hypnosis techniques move from their normal awake state to a stage of deep relaxation, where they breathe deeper, their body feels heavier and their mind begins to become more engrossed. Next in the state of trance, the subject will feel deeply engaged in the words or pictures the therapist presents and there is dissociation from critical thoughts. The patient is then open to suggestion and will react and comply with the hypnotherapists suggestions. Following the experience, patients frequently report feeling euphoric and as though they had just had the best night of sleep ever, even if the session only lasted several minutes.
Hypnosis therapy is used to treat a wide range of physical and mental complaints. Most recently, researchers learnt that the mind plays a vital function in pain management, particularly with cancer patients or those undergoing surgery. Studies show that hypnosis meditation can lessen an individuals need for medication and reduce recuperation time. Thinking negative thoughts can lead to stress, which has powerful ramifications on the body. It can interrupt a woman’s menstrual cycle, produce a cold sore, make a person ill with a cold, disrupt sleep patterns, generate ulcers, facilitate hair loss, aggravate psoriasis, lead to heart disease and contribute to obesity. Nowadays, hypnosis sessions are used in the treatment of asthma, anxiety, sleepwalking, nail biting, smoking, inflammatory bowel disease, insomnia, addiction, bed wetting, fibromyalgia, IBS, eczema, psoriasis, acne, migraines, stress, tinnitus, cancer pain, eating disorders, phobias, depression and the pain of childbirth.
Despite overwhelming clinical evidence, hypnotherapy is still considered a pseudo science. The scientific community is at odds over techniques such as hypnotic suggestion, acupuncture, magnetism and additional natural alternative cures. However, most doctors will advocate a combination of therapies to treat their patients, oftentimes combining medication with a type of counseling. The mind is doubtless the most esoteric part of the body, with so much left to be discovered about how the mind and body work together. Maybe with the increasing applications of MRI technology, more studies will discover the mind’s miraculous possibilities.
