Self Hypnosis CD's, the effective low cost approach to hypnosis

Good Health magazine, May-June 2001

Hypnotherapy how it can help you
Hypnotherapy for conquering cravings and treating phobias is becoming very popular. But many people would still approach it with trepidation - often without good reason. Barbara Jacobs reveals exactly what's involved

Sometimes in life, you have to put clichés to one side. When it comes to hypnosis, forget about stage acts where people fall under the magical influence of the performer, then rip off their clothes and bark like dogs. Hypnosis has had a bad deal from the performing arts, tricksters and urban myths. Hypnosis doesn't mean handing over power and control to others and allowing them to dictate what we do.

'Some doctors and dentists trained in hypnosis use it as a means to bypass the use of anaesthetic in minor operations'

A 'hypnotic state' is an altered state of consciousness induced by a therapist with your consent. It's similar to the deeply relaxed state you fall into moments before you go to sleep. In this state, the therapist can empower your will by making suggestions of how to overcome pain or beat cravings, defeat phobias and eating disorders. He can also encourage your subconscious mind to seek mental and physical wellbeing. Some practitioners have also been known to use this deeply relaxed state to probe your inner fears and traumas to help with psychotherapy.

Some doctors and dentists trained in hypnosis use it as a means to bypass the use of anaesthetic in minor operations. In the past, the medical establishment has regarded complementary therapies with a degree of suspicion, but has now become more respectful of hypnosis as a form of therapy. It has also recognised the valuable role hypnosis has to play in the healing process and acknowledges that it is capable of relieving some pains, including childbirth. Scientists say that hypnosis releases endorphins, our feel-good hormones, which have a pain-killing and relaxing effect. These days, more and more people are turning to hypnotherapy as an effective method of stopping smoking, curing their fear of flying, beating bulimia and conquering the pain of a chronic illness. Others use it simply to relieve stress, boost their self esteem or search inside themselves for clues as to what triggered a particular fear, such as being afraid of spiders.

Hypnosis history
Hypnosis was named by a British physician called James Braid in the 1840s when it was used in India by the surgeon James Esdaile in amputation operations. Patients recovered perfectly and had no memory of being in pain. The father of psychoanalysis, Freud, used it to help recover lost memories of childhood in his patients. This technique is called 'regression' and is used by some hypnotherapists to find the source of deep fears and anxieties, and is particularly valuable in psychotherapy. The founder of the British Hypnotherapy Association, Robert Brian, says the investigative approach to helping patients with relationship difficulties involves analysis under hypnosis.
'Hypnosis helps some patients to talk more easily and be more open in their responses,' he says. 'This can speed up the process of solving their problems.'
So whichever form of hypnosis interests you - suggestion hypnosis, psychotherapy hypnosis, or medical hypnosis - what's your first move when looking for a therapist?
Firstly, make sure the person you see has a recognised qualification. Accreditation is provided by the letters NCH (National Council for Hypnotherapy), APT (Association for Professional Therapists) or ICM (Institute of Complementary Medicine) among others, so ask your therapist for details of their training. The British Hypnotherapy Association (BHA), for instance, requires at least four years of training before accreditation.
Next, make an appointment for an initial consultation. If you're the type of person who becomes very deeply involved in a television drama, a film or a book, to the extent that you shut out everything else, you're a prime candidate for hypnosis. This type of intense concentration has been identified in those most susceptible to treatment.
A first appointment for suggestion hypnosis, which can treat phobias, eating disorders, habit-breaking and anxiety problems, lasts about an hour and a half and usually goes through the following stages:

Consultation - the therapist takes details of your medical condition and your problem. This is to help them identify any underlying problems you may have.
Explanation - you'll be talked through the procedure. The therapist should reassure you that you won't be asleep and that you won't lose control.
Agreement - you will both decide on the exact form of the suggestions you would like to be put to you. If the hypnosis is for smoking, you may be asked whether you want to feel repulsed by other people smoking.
Hypnosis - you'll be invited to sit on a comfortable or reclining chair and to focus on a particular spot on the wall or ceiling. The therapist then starts to talk to you, relaxing you in stages. Your eyes will feel very heavy and you will probably close them. Then you'll be taken deeper into this relaxed state and may be asked to imagine walking down stairs. At this stage your conscious mind becomes by-passed.
The third and deepest level is then entered as the therapist talks you into a full trance-like state to obtain permission from your subconscious mind to place your suggestions there. Then you'll be brought back stage by stage, and finally asked to open your eyes. The procedure usually lasts from 45 to 90 minutes, depending on what you're being treated for and the type of treatment.
Afterwards - The hypnotherapist will ask about your experiences, and talk you through what you remember about the session. At this stage, you will be able to ask further questions. You may be offered a tape recording of the session to help you work through the hypnosis again at home. You may want to book another appointment. Most hypnotherapy treatments will often need more than one session.

In the hands of a recognised and qualified practitioner, hypnosis is totally safe. The success rates are very high, even for really difficult aims, such as stopping smoking or adopting a healthy eating plan.
The key to its success is that when you side-step the conscious mind and all the mental barriers you've generated, during hypnosis you can reach the strength of will in your subconscious, and empower it to lead you into a healthier way of life. The therapist simply helps you to tap into your own potential for healing yourself and modifying your own behaviour patterns.

Real life case studies

Good Health put three people forward for a hypnotherapy session each with David Botsford, a clinical hypnotherapist based in Harley Street, London. David treats people who want to quit smoking, as well as those with other cravings and addictions such as chocolate and alcohol, plus phobias and general feelings of negativity. His technique is a subtle form of treatment. Instead of using the 'regression' technique performed by some hypnotherapists, which takes the person back to childhood to confront the source of the phobia or craving, he employs a more gentle approach. 'Regression techniques can work, but rather than drag up the past, I'd much rather encourage people to focus on the present and the future, and be positive', he says. Primarily, David taps into the unconscious mind and asks it to help the conscious mind make the right decisions. 'The unconscious mind has been with us, helping us do things all our lives,' he adds. 'We don't think about walking, we don't think about putting one foot in front of the other - we just do it without thinking. What I'm doing is asking people to get their unconscious mind to help them.'

Christina Neal, 32
Good Health's editor
Craving: chocolate

I have always had a weakness for chocolate. The occasional bar once in a while would be fine, but one bar was never enough - one would lead to two or three. I once ate five Mars bars in a row, even though I felt sick after two! I'm a keen runner, and adopted what is known as 'runner's mentality', where you eat as much of anything as you like, as long as you tell yourself you'll be able to burn it off on the treadmill. I would eat chocolate in the day and pound the treadmill in the evening, desperate to undo the damage! My shins became sore and I had to cut down on healthy foods to compensate for the extra calories.
David was recommended to me by a friend. He was younger than I expected, friendly and down to earth. We sat in armchairs and chatted for the first five minutes. He taught me a self-hypnosis technique intended to relax the body. The idea is that the person uses it to help themselves relax during stressful moments - very handy if stress causes the cravings.
David asked me if I wanted to stop eating chocolate entirely, or simply control my intake. I opted for the former. Then he started to talk me into a relaxed state, encouraging me to close my eyes and relax. He talked to me about a nutrition course I did four years ago. I had mentioned to him that the course had been useful and I had eaten healthily for some months afterwards, and had never felt better. David took the information I had given to him and fed it back to me in a more positive scenario. He reminded me how healthy my body had been when I was feeding it the best foods. One of the most powerful points in the 90 minutes session was a visualisation technique. He told me to picture myself at a party, five years from now, where people around me were eating and drinking, and everyone was having a good time. He said to imagine my body in optimum health and that I would feel free and contented. It sounds strange, but I felt incredibly elated at that point, and I can't describe why. He continued to impress upon me how healthy my body would be without chocolate. I felt quite optimistic when I left. Since then, I haven't eaten chocolate - and the treatment was nearly three months ago. I get the occasional craving - usually in stressful situations, but eating it isn't an option and I don't give in. I would certainly recommend hypnotherapy to anyone with a craving they wish to conquer - but you've got to really want to stop for it to be a complete success, so ask yourself if you definitely want to quit your habit or vice before parting with your money.

For more information	Useful websites www.hypnosis.org.uk www.hypotherapists.org.uk
David Botsford, clinical hypnotherapist Telephone: 020 7467 8461 e-mail: d.botsford@ntlworld.com website: www.stop-smokingforever.co.uk	BHA Hypnotherapy Association Telephone: 0800 7318443 Details: has a national register of hypnotherapists and can confirm the registered status of hypnotherapists and send you a list of names, addresses and phone numbers, plus letters of introduction.
General Hypnotherapy Register Telephone: 01590 683770 Details: can recommend a hypnotherapist in your area and also verify that certain hypnotherapists are registered before you see them.	British Society for Medical and Dental Hypnosis Mrs Ann Valentine, Flat 23, Broadfields Heights, Broadfields Avenue, Edgware, HA8 8PF Telephone: 020 8905 4342 Details: has a referral list of people who are qualified medically, dentally, or clinical psychologists who have their own specialities and carry out hypnotherapy.

Karleen Adams, 30
Accounts and administration manager
Craving: smoking

I started smoking when I was 13. I realised I was hooked when I was about 14 and started smoking 10 a day. I now smoke on average 20 a day. I've tried patches and inhalers and they reduce the amount of cigarettes I smoke but I still carry on smoking! For any reason, I want one. I get out of bed and the first thing I think about is wanting a cigarette. I thought I'd try hypnotherapy because I believe it's a case of affirming in your head that it's not good for you. I wanted it to work and felt open but I wasn't gullible. David gave me a sheet to fill out and I had to enter the name of a non-smoker I knew. He told me the non-smoker was me! I put my name down and had to write down how many I smoke a day, how much I spend, why I would want to give up, what makes it hard to stop, etc. We talked about what times of the day I smoke and when I find it hard not to have one. Then we went into hypnosis and I don't remember anymore.
When I came out of it, my heart was racing really fast and it was like seeing a thousand and one images in my mind. I was tired and I felt like a zombie. When I left and went out into the street, I saw someone light up a cigarette and I thought, 'that's disgusting'. Everyone was smoking at the station on the way home. It felt as if everyone else could have a cigarette and I couldn't. The first week was really hard but I didn't smoke. In the second week, everyone at work was smoking. I asked people if I could light their cigarettes and I was trying to kid myself that I didn't want one. I had one or two and they tasted disgusting, and I felt dizzy. About the fourth week onwards, I bought a packet, thinking I'd just have one, and that was enough to get me smoking again.
I don't think the treatment worked because I'm weak. I think it does work if you have a really good reason to give up, but if you haven't been told you've got cancer you think, 'I'll do it tomorrow'. I would recommend hypnotherapy, but you've got to be in a certain frame of mind and have a good reason to stop.

Cameron Parker, 24
Syndication manager
Phobia: Lifts and crowded trains and tubes

I've always had a bit of phobia of lifts and trains stopping in tunnels. It's a general fear of not being able to get out of a situation. I got stuck in a lift in an underground station two years ago and that made it worse, so from then on, I wouldn't go in lifts it at all possible.
I felt a bit apprehensive and nervous about what was going to happen - I was nervous that I'd go under a spell. But I'm quite cynical about these kind of things and I wasn't completely convinced that it was going to work. I got the giggles a few times and felt some cynicism.
David asked me what my phobia consisted of, what I was worried about, whether I'd always had it and had something triggered it. He didn't deviate from the focus of the phobia or ask any questions about my personal life or childhood. He went through what my mind was thinking at that time, so I was happy discussing my feelings. I felt as if I was still in control of what I was doing throughout, I didn't feel as if he had taken over my mind and I didn't feel as if I was completely under but I felt very relaxed and as if I was not quite in my own body. I felt a bit detached from my body when I was answering his questions and I was aware that my voice was coming from somewhere else. David put me back to an experience I had on a train stuck in a tunnel and asked me to relive it, with the positive thoughts he gave me. But I couldn't really focus my mind on the feeling that I was reliving it. He said when I feel worried, I should think myself out of the situation and that it isn't a threatening situation. It was very interesting. I wouldn't do it again as the whole experience was quite draining. When I got back to the office, my work colleagues put me in the lift and I went in with a few other people to start with. I felt quite calm and didn't feel any of the physical anxieties, so I went in on my own. Then I was on a crowded tube train the other day and it stopped in a tunnel. I could feel myself beginning to get worried but I remembered what David told me and felt better, so I'm glad I had the treatment. I would recommend it to others with phobias but it depends on their personality. You have to believe in hypnotherapy and be quite spiritually aware for it to work.