# what exactly is hypnotherapy?



## Misst06 (Nov 15, 2001)

I've been reading a lot of posts about hypnotherapy tapes. what exactly is hypnotherapy? how does it work and help IBS? i really don't know anything on it but would really like to try it because i'm most certain that a lot of my symptoms have to do with pschycological things. any information would help- thanx! Claire


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## eric (Jul 8, 1999)

Hi Claire, there is a clinical hypnotherapist on the bb here who specializes in hypnotherapy for IBS and theree are a lot of people who have had success with his tapes.Here is his website and some other infor for you. Hypnotherapy has a high, if not the highest success rate for IBS.here is his site. http://www.ibsaudioprogram.com/ Here is a site from a top doctor at the UNC the countrries top IBS research center.www.ibshypnosis.comand here is an article he wrote. http://www.med.unc.edu/medicine/fgidc/hypnosis.htm here is the unc website as that is just valuable to read. http://www.med.unc.edu/medicine/fgidc/ If you have any questions just post to the CBT/Hypno/anxiety forum.


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## TryingToDeal (Dec 21, 2001)

try acupuncture first i tried hypnotherapy didn't work one bit waste of my money acupuncture is God sent if you can afford it do it


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## Misst06 (Nov 15, 2001)

tryingtodeal- can u explain accupunture then...what exactly is the procedure for it? just wondering, thanx!


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## eric (Jul 8, 1999)

Trying to deal, was the hypnotherapy you did gut directed or specific, as that makes a big difference.Also Misst06, before your disheartened by trying to deals try at HT, look into it as it has the highest success rate statistically for the majority of people who try it. It is very successful and effective for IBS.Accupunture may also be helpful. There is however a big difference in these two treatments. This is not IBS specific, but good information. HOW AND WHY HYPNOSIS WORKS Thomas Yarnell, Ph.D. Licensed Clinical Psychologist Hypnosis Specialist Modern hypnosis has been used for hundreds of years to build self-confidence, change habits, lose weight with weight loss programs, stop smoking, improve memory, end behavior problems in children and eliminate anxiety, fear and phobias. The question is, WHAT IS HYPNOSIS? Hypnosis is a state of mind characterized by relaxed brain waves and a state of hyper-suggestibility. Hypnosis and hypnotic suggestions have played a major role in healing for thousands of years. According to the World Health Organization, 90% of the general population can be hypnotized. Hypnosis is a perfectly normal state that just about everyone has experienced. What we call "highway hypnosis" is a natural hypnotic state. You drive somewhere and don't remember driving or even remember seeing the usual landmarks. You are on automatic pilot. The natural hypnotic state also exists when you become so involved in a book, TV show or some other activity that everything else is blocked out. Someone can talk to you and you don't even see or hear them. Whenever you concentrate that strongly, you automatically slip into the natural hypnotic state. The hypnotic state, by itself, is only useful for the relaxation it produces. The real importance of hypnosis to the healing and emotional change process is that while you are in the hypnotic state, your mind is open and receptive to suggestions. Positive and healing suggestions are able to sink deeply into your mind much more quickly and strongly than when you are in a normal, awake state of mind. I say positive suggestions because all research has demonstrated that while in the hypnotic state, you cannot be made to do anything against your moral values. All of our habitual and behavior controlling thoughts reside in what is called our subconscious mind. It's called that because it is deeper than our conscious mind. It's below our level of consciousness. We are unaware of the thoughts and feelings that reside there. Did you ever forget you had a dental appointment or some other appointment that you really didn't want to keep? Your subconscious mind is where that thought or memory that you had to go to the dentist at 2 PM went when you forgot you had the appointment. Once it was too late to go, your conscious mind relaxed and the memory came back. Imagine that there is a trap door between your conscious mind and your subconscious mind. Normally, the trap door is closed until your brain waves slow down to a relaxed, alpha brain wave level. This happens when you are asleep. The door opens for short periods of time and ideas, images and thoughts come out of your subconscious mind. We call what comes out in your sleep, "dreams". When you are in a state of hypnosis, the door also opens so helpful suggestions can be directed into your subconscious mind or forgotten memories can be retrieved. The hypnotic induction that hypnotists use is simply a way to focus your attention and concentration so you will go into that natural, normal hypnotic state. Once in the state of hypnosis, the trap door opens and suggestions to help you can be given. The list of ways hypnosis has been used to help children, adolescents and adults is practically endless but does include: weight loss, stopping smoking, building self-confidence and self-esteem, improving academic performance at every age level, improving test taking ability from children through high school, college, medical and law school as well as the National Teacher Certification Exam, pain management, eliminating anxiety, fear and phobias, stress management, insomnia and other sleep problems and helping to heal physical problems. 2. To really work well, suggestions must be reinforced by repetition. Most of the habits, feelings and emotions we want to change are deeply implanted in our subconscious mind and will not just "go away" with one set of suggestions. Most of the time, the hypnotic suggestions need to be repeated on a regular basis until you notice a change. This is one reason that most specialists in hypnosis give clients cassette tapes of their sessions so they can listen to them every day. It's also the reason why hypnosis tapes you buy can work so well. You get to listen to them every day or often enough that the suggestions become permanently a part of you. There is no way to predict how long it will take to see change. It will depend partly on your motivation and commitment. The Three Keys to the successful use of hypnosis for self improvement and personal growth are self motivation, repetition and believable suggestions. 1. The motivation to change must come from within you. If you are trying to change because someone else wants you to "lose weight" or "stop smoking", the chances are greately reduced that the hypnosis will work. For example, I've worked with many people for weight loss or to quit smoking who came to me because their physician or spouse wanted them to change. These people do not respond as well to the hypnosis as those who really want to change. Those who came because they wanted to quit smoking or lose weight responded quickly and easily. Before you start to use hypnosis for your self improvement, you should get it clear in your own mind why you want to change. This clear intention to change will help the hypnotic suggestions to take hold and manifest themselves in your everyday life. 3. The third key to the successful use of hypnosis for personal change is believable suggestions. If you are to accept a suggestion, your mind must first accept it as a real possibility. Telling a chocoholic that chocolate will be disgusting to them and will make them sick is too big a stretch for the imagination. If a suggestion like this even took hold, it would only last a short time because it would be so unbelievable to a real chocolate lover. In cases like this, one of the successful weight loss suggestions I use is that the next time the individual eats chocolate, it will not taste quite as good as the time before. This is far more acceptable and believable to most people. Then, with enough repetition over a period of time, chocolate loses much of it's positive taste and control over that person. One final note is that HYPNOSIS IS NOT DANGEROUS. There are almost no risks when used by trained professionals. You cannot be made to do anything that is against your moral values. An amateur or stage hypnotist might give you suggestions that might embarrass you, might not work or that might make you feel uncomfortable or self-conscious at the time. To avoid this, stick with professionally trained hypnosis specialists. The one risk I know about involves falling asleep. If you are tired or if you become too relaxed, you may move from the state of hypnosis to the normal sleep state. This is fine if you were going to go to sleep right after the trance but if you have other plans after listening to a hypnosis tape, you may want to set an alarm clock just in case you fall asleep. I've even had students fall asleep because they became too relaxed. In relation to this, never listen to a hypnosis tape while driving. It is very dangerous for you and everyone else on the road. Don't even listen to it if you are a passanger as the relaxation suggestions could make the driver fall asleep. Over the years, self improvement and personal growth using hypnosis has helped millions of people change their lives permanently because it is a safe and powerful tool for changing your thoughts, feelings and habits. Copyright C 2001 by Thomas D. Yarnell, Ph.D., Clinical Psychologist. All rights reserved. This material may be copied for educational purposes as long as full credit is given to Dr. Yarnell Thess are on gut specific hypnoptherapy for IBS.www.ibshypnosis.comwww.ibsaudioprogram.com


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## TryingToDeal (Dec 21, 2001)

i know a lot of people with ibs, colitis, and chrones and all that have not found relief from anything else even hypnotherapy(which i havent heard it to work for any of my friends) found relief...first find a reputatble acupuncturist mine is a md and then was trained in chinese medicine you go to the office take off your pants put a towel up to your knees so its like youre wearing shorts really and your shirt is raised a little above your belly button and they then insert very small needles (most you dont feeljust once in a while a slight tingle or small shock) after that you lay there relaxing(i usually fall asleeep) for 30 min to hour and a half depends on your drs plan for you and they come in take them out and then you are on your way chinese medicine fixes your problem not just the symptoms like medicating you for D or C they fix what causes it and some will give you specially blended herbs (these are not sold in the stores) and after a few treatments you feel so much better..a lot of insurances are starting to cover it mine does i only pay a little when i go and its well worth it infact i am going for a visit this week it's totally safe and no side effects...hypnotherapy first off has not worked for me or my friends and do you really want someone playing with your mind? and of course that does work for some people but you have to realize there is the placebo effect if people want things to work sometimes they do...but everyone i have known who went for acupuncture it worked for them and for me i doubted it the whole time till i actually got better so i wasnt the placebo type i have a good paper on it email me or something and ill get it to you ill have to find it it describes the whole process


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## ERINSTANDAGE (Dec 11, 2001)

Well, here's my .02 worth.I started reading about these tapes here and saw quite a few people who had results. It's not going to cure you, but can reduce the symptoms. Why does it reduce symptoms in some, because you create stress in your body and mind because of the constant worry of where you might be when you have to use the bathroom immediately. You plan your day around how you feel. When you worry about that all the time that worry wears on you emotionally even though you may not realize it. I have had ibs for about 4 years now and it has been tolerable. But recently while seeing a therapist I dug up a whole bunch of childhood junk and was very depressed. Immediatly my ibs became completely intolerable and I couldn't even leave the house. I got even more depressed with everything that was going on in my head and body that I got on the net to try and find some help. I found this board, read about the tapes and ordered them. The minute I ordered the tapes and read about others with my same problems my ibs symptoms got immensly better. So I know a lot of it is in the mind. I felt better because I found other people who understood how I felt and that maybe this HT would help me. It was a huge relief. (I am not saying that ibs is all in the mind)I have only been doing the tapes for 6 days, but I enjoy them very much. Please know that it is a commitment as the course lasts 100 days I believe. And if it is any help for you to decide, I have not felt as I was under someones control - I've woke up in the middle of several of my "sessions" when my 2 year old daughter started crying and I was not confused about where I was or anything. (I use mine at night and fall asleep to them.)I know nothing really about the medical view of acupuncture, but anything that can get you to relax will probably help you with stress which in turn can help with your symptoms. Meditation and yoga etc... could help too. HTH! Good Luck!


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## star (Dec 7, 2000)

Just wondering... how much are the tapes?


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## ERINSTANDAGE (Dec 11, 2001)

I believe I paid $120.00 for the cd's. The tapes are cheaper but I don't remember.Erin


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## TryingToDeal (Dec 21, 2001)

some of my friends symptoms totally disappeared from taking the herbs and getting accupuncture id rather have it taken away then just controlling some of the symptoms and its not stress release this is fixing your body not everyones ibs has anything to do with stress or the stress of being sick b/c i don't get worried if ill get sick or not you learn in time not to but the symptoms need to be taken care of


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## eric (Jul 8, 1999)

Star,here is the website for them.www.ibsaudioprogram.comIt may also help to read the CBT/HT forum.Trying to deal " not everyones ibs has anything to do with stress or the stress of being sick b/c"The gut and the brain are very interconnected and stress effects normal people guts and it does effect everyone with IBS in one way or another. IT is one of the biggest triggers in IBS. Its learning relaxation techniques that help to calm the brain gut axis and hence the symptoms get better. Hypnotherapy is at the top of the list for this for the various reasons, but an important one is that its target to the subconcious brain and enteric brain where digestion takes place.


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## Nikki (Jul 11, 2000)

Bump


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