# Hypnosis Imagery Question



## Scorchedpath (Sep 17, 2007)

I am in session 2 of the IBS Audio Program and had a question about the imagery. Should I be practicing the imagery outside of just listening to the program? Thanks for any guidance.By the way, I am on day 13 and have noticed a considerable lessening of urgency and as a result, my anxiety has been dramatically reduced. I am quite a bit more adventurous: I went to my son's football game and my daughter's soccer game pretty much without incident. Could not have done that a couple of weeks ago. I made the mistake of starting amitriptyline at the same time as the IBS Audio Program so I am not sure what to attribute the progress to. Just means I will have to drop the drugs here soon, whenever a spasm of courage overcomes me, to see which one is really working. I had used amitriptyline a year ago and had a significant reduction in IBS symptoms, but I gained about 25 pounds and was tired all the time. This time I am on a much smaller dose. But I will save the rest of that story for another forum.


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## cookies4marilyn (Jun 30, 2000)

Hi - It is not necessary to actively practice the imagery outside of the session, as that directive is given to your subconscious mind and it knows what to do automatically - however, if you wish to do so on an active level outside of your sessions, it is OK to do so, just not essential to see results!I was on Elavil (amitriptyline ) for my IBS many years ago as well - It was helpful, but the effects were short-lived, and ultimately the hypnotherapy did the best for me - hope it helps you too! But as you say, hard to know if it is the meds or the hypno for sure - but it can be a good thing, because you are giving yourself positives from both sides - whatever helps you to feel better - or even the combination - it just creates positives and that is helpful.All the best to you.


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## Iwillcuremyibs (May 17, 2007)

cookies4marilyn said:


> Hi - It is not necessary to actively practice the imagery outside of the session, as that directive is given to your subconscious mind and it knows what to do automatically - however, if you wish to do so on an active level outside of your sessions, it is OK to do so, just not essential to see results!All the best to you.


I do not remember any of the imagery outside of the sessions. I thought I needed to remember them in order to fully heal.Thanks for letting us know this.


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## Lillett (Jun 4, 2006)

good for you that you are getting out to your kid's activities. Keep it up!


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## Scorchedpath (Sep 17, 2007)

Lillett, thanks for the encouragement. Not long after my last post, I again started to have the same old problems of urgency and diarrhea and narrowed my activities accordingly. That lasted until about two days ago when I started to improve again. I still have considerable abdominal pain but the urgency seems to have gone again. I can only attribute it to the hypnosis because I have changed nothing else. I did get off of the amitriptyline a few days ago so my improvement is especially encouraging. I am also excited about moving on to session 3 of the IBS Audio Program tomorrow. I still do not have the track record to go to my daughter's soccer tournament out of state this weekend, but if this improvement, and my courage, holds, I will go to the next one. I can hardly imagine the freedom that implies.Like most others here, I suppose, I have had IBS for so long, and have had so many shattered hopes, that I do not want to tempt the fates and be disappointed again. So I am trying to be cautious, but I can't help but share my small successes so far. I want so badly for this one to work.


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## Lillett (Jun 4, 2006)

Urgency has been the last thing for me to go after doing Mike's tapes. It is better though. With each success that we have (like attending a child's sporting event) we gain confidence. But remember, the IBS was so ingrained that you are bound to have a few setbacks. You are wise to take it slowly. Only you know your body so trust in it. I have been back to volunteering a bit here and there. My first since IBS kicked in two years ago. Baby steps...


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