Thursday,
May 2, 2013 – Steps to Authentic Happiness via Positive Psychology
by Paul Mountjoy
WASHINGTON- April 28, 2013- “Hypnosis seems helpful in treating
addictions and the depression and anxiety associated with them”-
Psychology Today
Hypnosis and hypnotherapy has been rooted in science with evidence
based results reported for many years. Although the American Medical
Association (AMA) currently has no clear position on the effectiveness
of hypnosis and hypnotherapy, in 1958, the AMA reported hypnotherapy
has a recognized place in the medical armamentarium and is a useful
technique in the treatment of certain illnesses.
Hypnotherapy is considered an effective adjunct in psychotherapy for
many issues, and more are being studied. On its own, hypnotherapy
is reported to be beneficial: In 2001, the British Psychological Society
commissioned a group of expert psychologists and published a report
that declared hypnosis a proven therapeutic medium and valid for study.
The report went on to say hypnotherapy is beneficial for a wide range
of issues encountered in medicine, psychology and psychiatry with
regard to stress, anxiety, pain, and psychosomatic illnesses. Some
illnesses described are insomnia, irritable bowel syndrome, headaches
and migraines, asthma and a variety of skin maladies. Weight reduction
was also cited as benefiting from hypnotherapy.
A comparison study reported in 2007 by American Health Magazine indicates
some psychological issues benefit more from hypnotherapy than psychoanalysis
and behaviour therapy. A German university meta-analysis of 444 studies
supported this claim, concluding a 64 percent success rate with hypnotherapy
for stress, anxiety and chronic pain.
According to Sanjay Paul, A psychology instructor at several universities,
hypnosis is a heightened sense of suggestibility for accessing the
subconscious mind which is responsible for up to 90 to 95 percent
of our thoughts and actions. No one can be made to do anything they
do not wish to under hypnosis. That old, inaccurate reputation stems
from night club acts.
Paul goes on to say hypnosis can provide lasting change by “cleaning
the bottom of the mental fish tank” and it is the sub-conscious
that helps to maintain ones self-image and record all memory via sensor
input as a 24 hour mental tape recorder.
Ohio based certified hypnotherapist Janet Berg describes hypnosis
as the state one must achieve in order to be receptive to hypnotherapy.
She describes hypnosis as a state where the sub-conscious can readily
accept and act on new information and suggestions for healing, change,
growth and attainment of individual goals.
The experience, according to Paul, is the phase one enters directly
before falling asleep or upon awakening and Berg claims those under
hypnosis can leave this state voluntarily at any time and those who
receive hypnotherapy describe the experience as relaxing and refreshing
The American Psychology Association (APA) website has declared most
clinicians now agree hypnotherapy can be a powerful, effective therapeutic
technique for a wide variety of conditions.
Apparently, hypnotherapy is gaining ground fast as a respected form
of therapy within the corridors of the scientific community.
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