Hypnotherapy for stress and anxiety
Stress and Anxiety are often seen to go hand-in-hand within a modern society, as great demands and responsibilities are frequently put upon us. In the UK, it is estimated that about one in seven people suffer from stress or anxiety at one time. This can have a great impact on one’s life and well-being. However, there are distinct differences between stress and anxiety:
Stress – arises from a situations we find ourselves in. Examples can include balancing work and family; facing extra demands on our time; problems in work or personal lives, etc.
Anxiety – arises from fear or apprehension: we may not necessarily know what the cause is, or where it comes from. Often, we may find ourselves over-thinking about the ‘what if’s, and what may happen. We may find we stop doing things because think that ‘this or that’ may happen…
Stress and anxiety can present itself in various ways – from shortness of breath, tight chest, racing heartbeat, dry mouth, tremors, sweating, panic attacks, sleeping problems (insomnia), Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS), feeling agitated, feelings of losing control, feeling irritable, lack of libido and sexual dysfunction, lowered immune system – making us more prone to picking up infectious illnesses … and more!
The physical consequences of exposure to stress for prolonged periods can be serious. It can lead to stomach ulcers, a stroke, or even a heart attack.
Did you know …
- Anxiety affects 16% of the UK population at any one time
- Everyone experiences anxiety. It only becomes a problem when it interferes with everyday activities, or prevents us doing things we want to do.
How Hypnotherapy can help with stress and anxiety
Hypnotherapy can give deep relaxation by shutting off anxious feelings and reprogramming thoughts. This helps sufferers to change the way that the respond to stress. For example, one technique that can effectively be used is “reframing”: i.e. learning to view a situation in a more positive way.
I have worked with many clients suffering with stress and/or anxiety. For example, stress and anxiety caused by: Driving Test, Exam Nerves, Public Speaking, Job Interviews, Cancer treatment, Surgery and other medical interventions.
The National Hypnotherapy Society has an informative Newsletter on
STRESS – visit http://www.hypnotherapy-directory.org.uk/articles/stress.htm
and similarly, the National Hypnotherapy Society has a useful Newsletter relating to
ANXIETY – see http://www.hypnotherapy-directory.org.uk/articles/anxiety.html
Hypnotherapy helps patients manage stress levels:
The following is from an article in the National Hypnotherapy Society Newsletter – September 2013. It is an example of how hypnotherapy can benefit patients with stress. The article illustrates how hypnotherapy can help patients who under-go surgery manage their stress AND recover quicker.
“Patients in India are increasingly turning to hypnotherapy to help them control pre-surgery stress and fear. The technique is being used by psychologists and psychiatrists to bring down stress levels in patients prior to surgery and in some cases, to help with reducing labour pains as well.
Dr Prashant Bhimani, a psychologist, who has used hypnotherapy to help several transplant patients manage their pre-surgery stress at the Institute of Kidney Disease and Research Centre (IKDRC), said, that it also aids in better and faster recovery of patients.
“Many patients undergo severe stress before surgery. And this need not be a major surgery. We use hypnotherapy on patients to calm them as well,” said Dr Bhimani. He further said that the length of the therapy sessions is different for each case.
“At times, patients come to us on their own, while in some cases, the doctors recommend them to undergo such sessions to manage their stress levels,” said Dr Bhimani reports dnaindia.com “”
Breathing Techniques:
Breathing techniques can also be used to help “Sleep soundly and manage stress and pain” (Source: Stuart Sandeman “Breath In Breath Out” 2022). I can introduce you to various breathing techniques to help manage stress, alongside hypnotherapy sessions.
