Uncover hypnosis, a method of psychological therapy that is often misunderstood

Compared to hypnosis, you may hear the term hypnosis more often. Both have different meanings even though they refer to the same thing. If hypnosis is a therapeutic technique, hypnosis is the action performed by the expert on that therapeutic technique. So, what is meant by hypnosis? Let's look at the explanation below.

What is meant by hypnosis?

Hypnosis, also known as hypnotherapy, is a therapeutic technique that puts you in a relaxed and calm state so you can focus more and concentrate on your own thoughts.

That way, you will find it easier to respond to suggestions given by medical professionals who help in the hypnosis process. Usually, this method involves repeating certain words and asking you to imagine something.

Although this technique has caused controversy, the majority of experts believe that hypnosis therapy can really help treat a variety of health problems. For example, coping with pain, excessive nervousness, change disorders mood , to help you stop a certain habit, such as smoking.

The uses of hypnosis for psychological therapy

You may often see on television or while watching movies, hypnosis techniques are used to commit crimes. Yes, as previously explained, this technique is one of the most controversial and often misunderstood psychotherapy methods.

Hypnosis tends to be attached to techniques for prying someone's secret or giving someone suggestions to do strange things. When in fact, this technique is a method in psychology that is valid for use in clinical psychology practice.

In simple terms, hypnosis is a condition in which a person is focused or fully concentrated, thereby increasing the ability to receive suggestions. Hypnosis is also often associated with being calm or relaxed.

When someone is in hypnosis, they tend to be more open to suggestions than when they are not. Hypnosis in psychological therapy can be used to treat a variety of mental health problems and several other health problems, such as the following.

1. Anxiety disorders

Relaxation techniques such as hypnosis can help with anxiety disorders. However, this technique is known to be more potent and effective in dealing with types of anxiety disorders that occur as a result of chronic health problems such as heart disease.

Hypnosis techniques can also help those of you who are still struggling with phobias. However, these techniques may not be suitable or effective for treating generalized anxiety disorders.

The workings of hypnosis techniques in helping to overcome anxiety disorders is to encourage the body to be able to provide a more relaxed or calm response to many things that have often caused excessive anxiety.

This can be done by using speech conveyed during the hypnosis process, using breathing techniques, and making efforts to lower blood pressure.

2. Stop smoking

Most of the active smokers admit that quitting smoking is not easy. In fact, there are not a few who do not or have never succeeded in doing so. Actually, there are many ways that can be taken if you are serious about breaking this unhealthy habit, one of which is hypnosis techniques.

This technique will be most effective if done intensively with a therapist who can adapt the hypnosis session to your lifestyle. But remember, one of the factors that will have the greatest effect is that your motivation or desire to quit smoking has to be really big.

Hypnosis techniques can be performed in two different ways. The first way is to help you find replacement habits which are certainly healthier when compared to smoking habits. Then, the therapist will encourage you to do the new habit.

Meanwhile, the second way can be done by linking smoking activities with things that are not fun. For example, you may be asked to think about bad breath after smoking a cigarette or some other bad smell that cigarettes have.

3. Lose weight

This one technique can also help you lose weight. Although it has not been proven medically, this technique is thought to help you lose weight. It will be more effective if this technique is done together with changing your diet to be healthier and exercising regularly.

While undergoing this therapy, you will be really focused. Of course this will make it easier for you to listen and respond to suggestions given by the therapist about changing habits that need to be done if you want to lose weight.

4. Sleep disturbance

Other health conditions that can also be overcome with this one technique are sleep disorders, such as insomnia, sleepwalking or sleepwalking, and other sleep disorders.

If you have insomnia, this therapy can help you relax. That way, it will be easier for you to feel sleepy and want to sleep. Meanwhile, if you often sleep while walking, this technique can train you to get up as soon as your feet touch the floor. As a result, you will not sleep walking again.

5. Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)

You can also deal with IBS by undergoing this one therapy method. IBS is pain that occurs in the abdominal area and is caused by a problem with the intestines, and this technique can reduce pain due to symptoms such as constipation, diarrhea, or flatulence.

This technique can be done by helping you to relax, so it looks like you are being helped to calm down. Apparently, the sensation of relaxation and calm is very helpful against a variety of symptoms that appear.

6. Chronic pain

This method of therapy can also be used to treat chronic pain, such as arthritis, cancer, and fibromyalgia. Not only that, hypnosis is also done to treat back pain.

According to Penn Medicine, a therapist will do it in a way, you will be helped to increase the body's control over the pain that often arises.

You will also be helped to be able to deal with it if one day the pain returns. In fact, this technique is believed to be effective in reducing pain for a long period of time.

4 myths surrounding hypnosis

Even so, it turns out that there are still many myths about hypnosis that need to be clarified. The reason is, not all myths about hypnosis are true. Here are some of the myths you need to pay attention to:

1. "You won't remember what you did while under hypnosis"

This statement is not completely wrong. Amnesia can occur in some cases, but people usually remember everything that happened while they were in a hypnotic state. Even so, hypnosis can indeed have some effect on memory.

Posthypnotic amnesia can make someone forget what happened before and during the hypnosis. However, this situation is usually rare and even if it does occur, the effect is only temporary.

2. "Hypnosis can help a person remember events in detail"

Hypnosis can be used to improve memory acuity or dig into someone's past events, but actually the effect is not as big as people think.

Several studies have shown that hypnosis cannot completely make people remember things in detail and accurately, even hypnosis can make someone misinterpret their memories.

3. "You can be hypnotized even if you don't want to"

This you may often see on TV, some viewers are randomly selected to be hypnotized and almost 100% of the people are then in a hypnotic state. In fact, hypnosis requires the "permission" and willingness of the person to be hypnotized.

In order to be hypnotized, a person must really open up and be willing to be hypnotized. This situation can make suggestions given by a psychologist or psychiatrist more easily accepted by the patient.

4. "The person who is hypnotizing you has complete control over you"

Although some people experience the feeling that they are acting against their will, the real person who is hypnotizing you cannot tell you to do something that is against your will.