Millions of people in the world suffer from anxiety disorders annually. Because of this, many individuals are looking for ways to deal with anxiety. One way that is becoming popular is hypnosis. Unlike what you see in films, hypnosis involves much more than going into a trance like state after closing your eyes.

During a hypnosis session, the therapist will take you to a process of relaxation and help you focus your mind. It is similar to a state of sleep, but the memory is alert and can respond to suggestion. Experts say that during the relaxed state, you are ready to focus on your subconscious mind. The therapist is, therefore, able to explore some broader problems you are dealing with.

Benefits of using hypnosis to treat anxiety

Although hypnosis is not widely known as medication and psychotherapy for treating anxiety, scientists and researchers have been researching the positive effects it can have on anxiety and other mental conditions for many years. According to a 2016 study that scanned brains of people under hypnosis, researchers found out that hypnosis causes changes in the mind that give a person:

• Greater emotional and physical control
• Focused attention
• Less self-consciousness

How therapists use hypnosis to treat anxiety

Let us say you are experiencing a particular fear. The therapist can administer ‘posthypnotic suggestion’ during the trance state. In this state, your mind is alert to suggestion. In this state, it is easy for the therapist to suggest how comfortable and confident you will be if you are in the situation that causes fear.

If you are using hypnosis to treat anxiety, it can have effects similar to just like when you are meditating. Hypnotic induction helps put you in a relaxed state. If you are dealing with fear, you can focus and go back to the first time you experienced the fear. You then visualize yourself in the future feeling peaceful and calm.

Things to note before you try hypnosis

• Ensure you are using a licensed mental health professional with extensive training in hypnosis
• Check the practitioner’s qualifications before choosing a hypnotist.

Conclusion

Note that a valid overall treatment session must include several modalities and hypnosis is just one of the many practical methods to help treat anxiety.  For instance, if a hypnotist discovers trauma during your session, he or she should be able to address trauma. Therefore, having the training and education to diagnose and treat mental health illnesses is a critical component in the effectiveness of hypnosis.