Hypnotherapy for Anxiety

In these highly uncertain times, do you feel anxious? 

Anxiety is primarily described as unhelpful thinking patterns we experience when our mind fixates on uncertainty, negatively, and threat. Anxiety is described as having both physical and mental symptoms. It can occur on its own as a response to stress or it can trigger stress, intensifying the anxiety and in worse cases leading to panic attacks. We cannot control anxiety from occurring as it’s our brains automatic survival mechanism. We can however uncover the root cause/ triggers and learn new strategies in how to respond. This is how I help my clients with hypnotherapy for anxiety.  

Fundamentally there are at least three ways in which hypnotherapy can help with anxiety 

1) Hypnotherapy induces calm brainwave states, as you begin to relax you become more inwardly focused and shift into alpha wave patterns. This allows you to access the zone where there is improved memory recall, reduction in  pain, reduced anxiety states and a better response to stress. 

When the hypnotic state deepens we access mainly theta waves. There we are in the range where our internal consciousness is increased. You are deeply relaxed, allowing your conscious mind to relax and stop the loop of negative self-talk, from the monkey mind, focusing on signals from within and creating an opportunity for learning and updating and reprogramming. 

2) In the hypnotherapy session I  will give you pre- and post-hypnotic suggestions along with personally sourced metaphors to help you cope with anxiety-inducing situations. 

For example many people are anxious about the current pandemic and isolation resulting from lockdown . During your hypnotherapy for anxiety session I may use phrases such as….When you have thoughts about this pandemic, focusing on your breathing or becoming aware of your feet planted firmly on the ground makes you feel more relaxed 

Those words are embedded into your subconscious so that when those distressing thoughts come in, you’re able to cope better. 

3) I use hypnotherapy to harness the power of neuroplasticity, by allowing us  to set up new neural pathways (connections) in the brain towards reducing anxiety. We have learnt how to become anxious so we can also unlearn it. This is called forgetting. 

I also teach my clients self-hypnosis and grounding techniques to use in between and after our sessions to support them. 

Resent Research reveals that hypnotherapy for anxiety is very effective when combined with other therapeutic interventions such as NLP, EMDR and CBT.  

Certain physical and medical conditions can make us feel anxious. For example, undergoing a medical procedure can cause emotional distress. In this regard,  in a 2008 systematic review revealed that hypnotherapy was an effective treatment in reducing anxiety related to surgical procedures (bypass surgery, cataract surgery, plastic surgery). 

In a study in 2018 at University of Baylor hypnotherapy was successful in alleviating the anxiety of post-menopausal women. 

Several studies have also explored the efficacy of hypnotherapy in treating specific anxiety disorders in a 2015 study hypnotherapy for anxiety  helped obstetric patients overcome their post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) before giving birth. Resulting in a positive birth experience. 

In 2018, a study identified hypnotherapy for anxiety as a successful treatment method for generalised anxiety disorder (GAD). When used in combination with meditation and mindfulness can help people who suffer from this disorder learn new helpful strategies, worry less, and feel more hopeful about the future. 

In a review in 2019, 15 studies concluded that the average participant who underwent hypnotherapy for anxiety had a remarkable 84% more than those who didn’t receive it. 

So, if you’re constantly apprehensive and restless, hypnotherapy for anxiety is an effective treatment to consider.

Written by Sam.