How Stress affects your health and how hypnosis can help combat stress
Are you suffering from stress?
Or you can use hypnotherapy
Stressful situations will most certainly affect all of us at some time in our lives.
Since 2008 and the global market crash, stress levels have risen dramatically across the world with the world health organization and journals such as the lancet reporting some very worrying statistics. Many people have been affected, from all walks of life. Whether it is the corporate business man with the responsibility of securing employee’s jobs and maintaining profits in ever increasing competitive market place or the family just trying to manage the household budget to stay afloat or the sick and disabled person coping with reductions in benefits, Stress affects us all and can make us physically very ill.
How we respond to stress and how we manage those situations will without doubt have an effect of our health, both mental and physical. Left unchecked and left to fester, stress leads to serious long term health issues such as depression which can be quite difficult to treat and in some instances stress can lead to a shortened lifespan.
People most likely to suffer are those in high pressure jobs and positions of great responsibility or those people who find it very difficult to control what happens in their lives.
There are numerous emotional and physical disorders that have been linked to stress including depression, anxiety, heart attacks, stroke, hypertension, immune system disturbances that increase susceptibility to infections and a host of viral linked disorders ranging from the common cold and herpes to AIDS and certain cancers, as well as autoimmune diseases like M.E, Fibromyalgia, rheumatoid arthritis and multiple sclerosis.
In addition stress can have direct effects on the skin (rashes, hives, atopic dermatitis, the gastrointestinal system (GERD, peptic ulcer, irritable bowel syndrome, and ulcerative colitis) and can contribute to insomnia and degenerative neurological disorders like Parkinson’s disease. In fact, it’s hard to think of any disease in which stress cannot play an aggravating role, or any part of the body that is not affected by stress. This list will undoubtedly grow as the extensive ramifications of stress are increasingly being appreciated.
It is important to recognize and understand the signs of stress so that you can take some action and either deal with it through self help or seek external professional help.
A most important fact to recognize is that stress can be managed and by managing your stress levels effectively, you will benefit from a better quality of life and improved peace of mind.
There are many ways to combat stress.Yoga,Meditation, Exercise, Walking, Creative pursuits, Mindfulness and more.
Hypnosis is a particularly beneficial way of combating stress because it not only relaxes but also allows stress to be managed at a subconscious level tackling the emotional centres and root cause of the problem.
Hypnosis can be used for stress management in two ways:
First, hypnosis can be used to get you into a deeply relaxed state, fighting tension and triggering your automatic relaxation response. This will help to prevent health problems due to chronic stress.
Secondly, hypnosis can also help you achieve various healthy lifestyle changes that can reduce the amount of stress you encounter in your life. For example, you can use hypnosis to help yourself to stick to an exercise program or keep your home less cluttered, or feel more confident, setting boundaries with others, etc.
In this same vein, you can also effectively use hypnosis to help overcome any negative habits that you have been using to cope with stress, like smoking or compulsive eating.
What's Involved With Hypnosis?
For hypnosis to be effective, it is my belief that it should only be carried out by a professional on a one to one basis. Although a person can learn self hypnosis and this may be somewhat helpful, the best recommendation is to seek the help of a fully trained professional who is a member of a professional body and who is covered by liability insurance too. As a professional Hypnotherapist I would never recommend using free videos on social media platforms as one simply does not know the credentials of who has put the programme together
The process of hypnosis involves the person voluntarily entering a trance like state which may sometimes be light or quite deep depending on the type of work to be done. The hypnotic state is a bit like daydreaming where the person is both deeply relaxed and usually aware of everything that is going on around them but guided to focus only on the hypnotherapists words, so all other sounds are filtered out into the background and hypnosis is delivered by the therapist making positive suggestions for the clients subconscious mind to accept.
What Are The Benefits Of Hypnosis?
Hypnosis is an extremely versatile tool that can be used for many things from simple relaxation to pain management. The results are often life transforming and can last a lifetime. It is completely drug free with no harmful negative side effects and sometimes people report multiple benefits at the same time, such as improved vitality, confidence, happiness etc.
Are there Drawbacks of Hypnosis?
Generally no, however hypnosis isn't for everyone. Occasionally some people do have trouble getting past their initial prejudices about the practice in general, and some may have a more difficult time getting into the trance like state required for hypnotic suggestions to become deeply embedded. Here though, it is important to understand that this is where the skills of a good hypnotherapist come into play in recognizing and working with the client’s unique personality type to assist them to enter the hypnotic state properly. A good hypnotherapist needs to be caring, reassuring and empathic. Other draw backs of hypnosis can be that some people find that they simply can’t find the time or the focus, and have an easier time with other stress-management techniques.
How does hypnosis and self-hypnosis compare to other stress reduction methods?
For people with physical limitations that make exercise and techniques like yoga much more difficult hypnosis may be a preferable option. As mentioned above, hypnosis is a completely drug free process which is a naturally occurring state and which has no potential negative side effects, as with some medications or herbal remedies.
Hypnosis usually requires you to set aside some time each day, around 20 -50 minutes, which may mean that it requires more time than other stress reduction methods. Hypnosis programmes can be tailored with either waking endings or sleep endings so this can be a convenient way to find something that fits with your daily routine. Also, few other techniques can offer such a wide variety of benefits as hypnosis.
As in the practice of meditation, hypnosis, if one is going to learn and administer’ self hypnosis,’ does require more focus and practice than techniques like simple exercise or the use of medications and herbal treatments.
And to be properly effective self hypnosis also requires some training, or the help of a trained professional. It is also important that a person who wishes to use hypnosis understands that there are some situations and health conditions where hypnosis is not recommended and once again this is where the skill of a trained professional comes into play.
In the final question, how does hypnosis and self-hypnosis compare to other stress reduction methods?
The whole experience of hypnosis is very positive leaving one feeling very relaxed and which lasts a long time. Used regularly it can only benefit.
Below is a list of 50 common signs and symptoms of stress
1. Frequent headaches, jaw clenching or pain
2. Gritting, grinding teeth
3. Stuttering or stammering
4. Tremors, trembling of lips, hands
5. Neck ache, back pain, muscle spasms
6. Light headedness, faintness, dizziness
7. Ringing, buzzing or “popping sounds
8. Frequent blushing, sweating
9. Cold or sweaty hands, feet
10. Dry mouth, problems swallowing
11. Frequent colds, infections, herpes sores
12. Rashes, itching, hives, “goose bumps”
13. Unexplained or frequent “allergy” attacks
14. Heartburn, stomach pain, nausea
15. Excess belching, flatulence
16. Constipation, diarrhea, loss of control
17. Difficulty breathing, frequent sighing
18. Sudden attacks of life threatening panic
19. Chest pain, palpitations, rapid pulse
20. Frequent urination
21. Diminished sexual desire or performance
22. Excess anxiety, worry, guilt, nervousness
23. Increased anger, frustration, hostility
24. Depression, frequent or wild mood swings
25. Increased or decreased appetite
26. Insomnia, nightmares, disturbing dreams
27. Difficulty concentrating, racing thoughts
28. Trouble learning new information
29. Forgetfulness, disorganization, confusion
30. Difficulty in making decisions
31. Feeling overloaded or overwhelmed
32. Frequent crying spells or suicidal thoughts
33. Feelings of loneliness or worthlessness
34. Little interest in appearance, punctuality
35. Nervous habits, fidgeting, feet tapping
36. Increased frustration, irritability, edginess
37. Overreaction to petty annoyances
38. Increased number of minor accidents
39. Obsessive or compulsive behaviour
40. Reduced work efficiency or productivity
41. Lies or excuses to cover up poor work
42. Rapid or mumbled speech
43. Excessive defensiveness or suspiciousness
44. Problems in communication, sharing
45. Social withdrawal and isolation
46. Constant tiredness, weakness, fatigue
47. Frequent use of over-the-counter drugs
48. Weight gain or loss without diet
49. Increased smoking, alcohol or drug use
50. Excessive gambling or impulse buying
As demonstrated in the above list, stress can have wide ranging effects on emotions, mood and behaviour. Equally important but often less appreciated are effects on various systems, organs and tissues all over the body
Hypnosis can help with coping and dealing with stress leading to a much improved quality of life and state of mind
For information about how hypnosis may help you, please call for a free consultation on 01726 69703.
Regular use of this MP3 is very beneficial as many of my clients have told me.
