Friday, 27 September 2019
Wednesday, 25 September 2019
LISTEN: What Are the Risks of Vaping?
Vaping has made global headline news recently following a reported 8 related deaths in the USA and hundreds of cases of respiratory illness.
The following radio segment gives excellent up to date info.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m0008jfh
The following radio segment gives excellent up to date info.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m0008jfh
Wednesday, 12 June 2019
Why Do We Hallucinate?
An interesting article that examines some of the mystery surrounding why people can hallucinate, and the reasons we see what we see.
https://www.quantamagazine.org/a-math-theory-for-why-people-hallucinate-20180730/?fbclid=IwAR1U5uFyCPwk0ZhDw9lEwtziR6xFs1vnbrpXjX0vOdeZ7rQTECcD-f0tfAc
https://www.quantamagazine.org/a-math-theory-for-why-people-hallucinate-20180730/?fbclid=IwAR1U5uFyCPwk0ZhDw9lEwtziR6xFs1vnbrpXjX0vOdeZ7rQTECcD-f0tfAc
Wednesday, 5 June 2019
VIDEO 100 Micron MRI Scan of the Human Brain
1000 times more detailed than a regular MRI scan. For full description please follow the link.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e4v78RDd17s
Friday, 17 May 2019
Sleep Hygiene Top Tips
The Centre for Clinical Interventions (CCI) https://www.cci.health.wa.gov.au/ provides outstanding psychological resources both for clinicians and those looking to help themselves or others. I would highly recommend having a look through their website and bookmarking for future reference as their information is not only very complete, but refreshingly concise!
Their fact sheet on Sleep Hygiene is outstanding. Please see the following link to read the full article.
https://www.cci.health.wa.gov.au/~/media/cci/mental%20health%20professionals/sleep/sleep%20-%20information%20sheets/sleep%20information%20sheet%20-%2004%20-%20sleep%20hygiene.pdf
To summarise, the article is a guide to 'Sleep Hygiene' that is, the things you can do to provide yourself with the best possible chance of a good nights rest and lists 15 top tips.
1. Keep to regular waking and sleeping times.
2. Only try to sleep when you feel tired to avoid frustrated time 'trying to sleep'. *Contradiction with point 1 noted... see point 3)
3. If you can't get to sleep for 20 mins get up and do something relaxing/boring then go back to bed to try again, then repeat if necessary.
4. Avoid all stimulants such as caffeine for 4-6 hours before going to sleep.
5. Avoid alcohol 4-6 hours before bed the same reason.
6. Train your body to use your bed only for sleeping by using the bed only when you want to rest (not watching tv, working etc)
7. Avoid taking naps in the day. If you do need a nap make it before 3pm and less than one hour.
8. Make a 'sleep ritual' to prepare your mind/body for sleep. This could be stretching/breathing or anything that is calming in the time period before wishing to sleep.
9. Having a hot bath 1-2 hours before bed. Research shows that sleeplessness can be caused by a low body temperature, thus by raising the body temperature in a bath is can make you drowsy and more able to sleep.
10. Don't clock watch. Constantly checking the time can reinforce anxious feelings and make it harder to sleep.
11. Using a sleep diary can be helpful to track progress (though do it without checking the time constantly!)
12. Regular exercise can assist with good sleep, though strenuous activity in the 4 hours before bed is not recommended.
13. Balanced diet. Sleeping on an empty stomach can be distracting, as can sleeping on a full stomach. A light snack can work well, as can warm milk that is a natural sleep enhancer.
14. Ensure your environment is right. A good temperature, quiet, dark and with adequate, comfortable space.
15. If you have a bad night sleep do not alter daily activities as this can promote insomnia.
*I wonder if these tips will work on my 5 year old daughter??
Their fact sheet on Sleep Hygiene is outstanding. Please see the following link to read the full article.
https://www.cci.health.wa.gov.au/~/media/cci/mental%20health%20professionals/sleep/sleep%20-%20information%20sheets/sleep%20information%20sheet%20-%2004%20-%20sleep%20hygiene.pdf
To summarise, the article is a guide to 'Sleep Hygiene' that is, the things you can do to provide yourself with the best possible chance of a good nights rest and lists 15 top tips.
1. Keep to regular waking and sleeping times.
2. Only try to sleep when you feel tired to avoid frustrated time 'trying to sleep'. *Contradiction with point 1 noted... see point 3)
3. If you can't get to sleep for 20 mins get up and do something relaxing/boring then go back to bed to try again, then repeat if necessary.
4. Avoid all stimulants such as caffeine for 4-6 hours before going to sleep.
5. Avoid alcohol 4-6 hours before bed the same reason.
6. Train your body to use your bed only for sleeping by using the bed only when you want to rest (not watching tv, working etc)
7. Avoid taking naps in the day. If you do need a nap make it before 3pm and less than one hour.
8. Make a 'sleep ritual' to prepare your mind/body for sleep. This could be stretching/breathing or anything that is calming in the time period before wishing to sleep.
9. Having a hot bath 1-2 hours before bed. Research shows that sleeplessness can be caused by a low body temperature, thus by raising the body temperature in a bath is can make you drowsy and more able to sleep.
10. Don't clock watch. Constantly checking the time can reinforce anxious feelings and make it harder to sleep.
11. Using a sleep diary can be helpful to track progress (though do it without checking the time constantly!)
12. Regular exercise can assist with good sleep, though strenuous activity in the 4 hours before bed is not recommended.
13. Balanced diet. Sleeping on an empty stomach can be distracting, as can sleeping on a full stomach. A light snack can work well, as can warm milk that is a natural sleep enhancer.
14. Ensure your environment is right. A good temperature, quiet, dark and with adequate, comfortable space.
15. If you have a bad night sleep do not alter daily activities as this can promote insomnia.
*I wonder if these tips will work on my 5 year old daughter??
Tuesday, 19 February 2019
Technology Use in Addictions Therapy
Wearable technology is being developed by Case Western Reserve University as an automatic alert system to aid people quit smoking, possibly the first time a mobile alert system has been used to aid addictions in such way.
Two armband sensors have been developed to demonstrate a 98% accuracy in determining movements associated with lighting a cigarette as oppose than other similar motions such as eating or drinking. When these sensors detect the specific movement pattern of smoking a short 'motivational' video message is automatically sent to the user via a smart phone app, with the intention of halting the thought process and stopping the act of smoking.
The technology is being combined with an online platform that includes mindfulness training and an individualised stop smoking quit plan. In years to come is this what behavioural change therapy is going to look like? I think it is a great example of how increasingly intelligent technology can be used to benefit our health.
Full article
http://thedaily.case.edu/tech-takes-cigarette-smoking/
Two armband sensors have been developed to demonstrate a 98% accuracy in determining movements associated with lighting a cigarette as oppose than other similar motions such as eating or drinking. When these sensors detect the specific movement pattern of smoking a short 'motivational' video message is automatically sent to the user via a smart phone app, with the intention of halting the thought process and stopping the act of smoking.
The technology is being combined with an online platform that includes mindfulness training and an individualised stop smoking quit plan. In years to come is this what behavioural change therapy is going to look like? I think it is a great example of how increasingly intelligent technology can be used to benefit our health.
Full article
http://thedaily.case.edu/tech-takes-cigarette-smoking/
Tuesday, 18 December 2018
Hobbies That Will Make You More Intelligent
Following on from https://healnowtherapyhypnosis.blogspot.com/2018/12/9-types-of-intelligence-infographic.html, Alison Courses recently put together a list of eight hobbies that will make you smarter. https://alison.com/messages/1466/8-hobbies-that-make-you-smarter-according-to-science- I have summarised the article below, while also adding in my own thoughts.
1. Photography. Altering various components in order to capture the right picture aids problem solving and sensory awareness. Editing photos can also be a challenging pass time that connects several different aspects of intellect and creativity.
2. Gardening. Soil bacteria releases serotonin in the brain, boosting positive feelings and learning. It is also good exercise (see below) while often requiring research and creativity in design.
3. Learning Music. Our brains constantly look for patterns to overcome problems, something which music learning aids us in doing. Learning music also takes high levels of both concentration and memory, while making your own music stimulates creativity.
4. Reading Literature. Gains intellectual and emotional stability through 'deep reading'.
5. Language Learning. Improves leadership, problem solving and planning skills that enhance creativity and intelligence.
6. Exercise Regularly. Stimulates proteins in the body that boost memory, learning, concentration and understanding.
7. Quizzes. Improve both subject specific knowledge and brain activity.
8. Meditation. Brain waves of monks in meditation shown to reach 'deeply compassionate state' where they could control brain activity.
To add to their list I suggest the following:
9. Arts and Crafts Like photography only perhaps involving even more aspects of intelligence. Arts use spatial, sensory and motor skills in mixing colour and shape to design and create. Painting, drawing, sculpting, making or computerised design requires a lot of brain power!
10. Puzzles. A bit like quizzes above. Crosswords, Sudoku, anagrams etc. Stimulate brain function through problem solving in logical, linguistic, maths, language and other subject specific themes.
11. Cooking. It takes a combination of several intelligence 'ingredients' to cook well, often while multi-tasking. From researching different recipes or specific diets, to mixing aspects of taste, colour, smells and textures in order to design unique creations, cooking uses tablespoons of creative grey matter, as well as elements of spatial, naturalist and intra-personal intelligence.
12. Video Games. Many people on the street will tell you video games are making children less intelligent. I don't necessarily agree. If used in the correct way, in proportional amounts, I am an avid believer that interactive tech, such as video games, can be more intellectually stimulating than reading a book. They are more multifaceted, including reading, looking at pictures, videos, sounds and touch, while they can also be very social as games now link people all across the globe interactively. Like books, there are video games now about every subject matter you can think of, so potentially you can find video games that concentrate on any type of intelligence.
13. Travel. Is travel a hobby? Debatable. But travel means you encounter new places, people, language and scenarios plus experiencing the logistics of successfully moving yourself, your belongings and possibly your group around. You will learn intra-personal, interpersonal, linguistic and spatial skills in particular.
14. Sports. I would be tempted to group this with 'exercise'. Sports give you all the benefits of exercise while in addition including several cognitive and social challenges in playing competitively and/or in teams. Learning and teaching new techniques, adjusting training, tactics and strategy to aid performance, multi-tasking... there is a lot of cognition in sports. Lots of major sportspeople are labelled 'dumb' in the media, but I would say at least in some aspects of the spectrum top sports stars are off the scale in areas such as spatial and bodily-kinesthetic intelligence.
Have I missed anything from the list? Which hobbies do you think are best for boosting intelligence?
See also https://healnowtherapyhypnosis.blogspot.com/2013/08/25-ways-to-make-yourself-more.html
https://www.betterhelp.com/online-therapy/
1. Photography. Altering various components in order to capture the right picture aids problem solving and sensory awareness. Editing photos can also be a challenging pass time that connects several different aspects of intellect and creativity.
2. Gardening. Soil bacteria releases serotonin in the brain, boosting positive feelings and learning. It is also good exercise (see below) while often requiring research and creativity in design.
3. Learning Music. Our brains constantly look for patterns to overcome problems, something which music learning aids us in doing. Learning music also takes high levels of both concentration and memory, while making your own music stimulates creativity.
4. Reading Literature. Gains intellectual and emotional stability through 'deep reading'.
5. Language Learning. Improves leadership, problem solving and planning skills that enhance creativity and intelligence.
6. Exercise Regularly. Stimulates proteins in the body that boost memory, learning, concentration and understanding.
7. Quizzes. Improve both subject specific knowledge and brain activity.
8. Meditation. Brain waves of monks in meditation shown to reach 'deeply compassionate state' where they could control brain activity.
To add to their list I suggest the following:
9. Arts and Crafts Like photography only perhaps involving even more aspects of intelligence. Arts use spatial, sensory and motor skills in mixing colour and shape to design and create. Painting, drawing, sculpting, making or computerised design requires a lot of brain power!
10. Puzzles. A bit like quizzes above. Crosswords, Sudoku, anagrams etc. Stimulate brain function through problem solving in logical, linguistic, maths, language and other subject specific themes.
11. Cooking. It takes a combination of several intelligence 'ingredients' to cook well, often while multi-tasking. From researching different recipes or specific diets, to mixing aspects of taste, colour, smells and textures in order to design unique creations, cooking uses tablespoons of creative grey matter, as well as elements of spatial, naturalist and intra-personal intelligence.
12. Video Games. Many people on the street will tell you video games are making children less intelligent. I don't necessarily agree. If used in the correct way, in proportional amounts, I am an avid believer that interactive tech, such as video games, can be more intellectually stimulating than reading a book. They are more multifaceted, including reading, looking at pictures, videos, sounds and touch, while they can also be very social as games now link people all across the globe interactively. Like books, there are video games now about every subject matter you can think of, so potentially you can find video games that concentrate on any type of intelligence.
13. Travel. Is travel a hobby? Debatable. But travel means you encounter new places, people, language and scenarios plus experiencing the logistics of successfully moving yourself, your belongings and possibly your group around. You will learn intra-personal, interpersonal, linguistic and spatial skills in particular.
14. Sports. I would be tempted to group this with 'exercise'. Sports give you all the benefits of exercise while in addition including several cognitive and social challenges in playing competitively and/or in teams. Learning and teaching new techniques, adjusting training, tactics and strategy to aid performance, multi-tasking... there is a lot of cognition in sports. Lots of major sportspeople are labelled 'dumb' in the media, but I would say at least in some aspects of the spectrum top sports stars are off the scale in areas such as spatial and bodily-kinesthetic intelligence.
Have I missed anything from the list? Which hobbies do you think are best for boosting intelligence?
See also https://healnowtherapyhypnosis.blogspot.com/2013/08/25-ways-to-make-yourself-more.html
https://www.betterhelp.com/online-therapy/
Monday, 10 December 2018
Adolescent Online Counselling
The Problem
Being young can be incredibly challenging. Adolescents can have all the problems an adult might experience with the added bonus of the raging emotional turmoil of teenage hormones, plus a very volatile social environment where in-group/out-group themes can feel like everything. At that age you don't know its normal to feel up and down and its likely you don't really understand why you feel the way you do.
On the extreme end of the spectrum, Japan has seen a thirty year high in youth suicide https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-46096626 while there have been recent similarly concerning findings in the UK https://www.theguardian.com/society/2018/sep/04/suicide-rate-rises-among-young-people-in-england-and-wales
Adolescents can feel angry, depressed, scared, lonely, frustrated and very much in need to talk to someone - but talking to someone they know could be the very last thing they would want to do for a variety of reasons. They can feel embarrassed or ashamed to own up to their problems, too emotionally insecure to put such trust in someone close to them. Teens can readily feel the pressure of expectation from family, friends and school, networks that should exist to help them can end up having an opposite, negative effect.
How Can Counselling Help?
Counselling and advice services can provide help to teens by supporting them in a confidential, non-judgemental and near anonymous format. Services can take the form of face-to-face counselling, phone calls or online through webchat, email or forums.
Counselling is the most common form of talking therapy and can help young people deal with their issues and the impact they have been making upon their mental wellbeing. The counsellor will help explore the individual's problems and symptoms, and will aim to develop coping strategies to use in future scenarios.
Counselling can address a wide range of problems from anxiety, depression, bullying, relationships and self-harm, but is not recommended for more serious mental conditions which require more specialised treatment plans.
Different Types of Counselling
https://youngminds.org.uk/find-help/for-parents/parents-guide-to-support-a-z/parents-guide-to-support-counselling-services/ names these different types of counselling:
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)
The approach of CBT is about thinking more positively about life, looking at how you can get stuck in patterns of behaviour and ways of changing these rather than dwelling on past events. There are typically six or 12 weekly sessions and the therapist sets goals with the young person, often with ‘homework’ to do in between.
Mindfulness
Mindfulness is often combined with CBT and helps a young person to focus on difficult thoughts and feeling, rather than avoiding them, so that the fear of them gradually lessens. Therapists can also include meditation, yoga and breathing exercises.
Psychotherapy
This is a more long-term therapy and involves talking about the effects of past events and can be more helpful with long-term problems such as depression or eating disorders. NHS psychotherapists work in clinics or hospitals; some private psychotherapists work from home.
Family Therapy
The whole family works with the family therapist to try and understand the problems they are all having. It can help improve communications between family members and issues such as children’s behavioural problems, disability, family breakdown, addiction and domestic violence.
Online Counselling
The modern adolescent is very much at home with using technology in the form of smart phones/social media to communicate. With this in mind https://www.teencounseling.com/ has developed a system whereby teens receive counselling over their smart phones in webchat style forums, ideal for individuals who struggle to open up in a face to face environment.
Being young can be incredibly challenging. Adolescents can have all the problems an adult might experience with the added bonus of the raging emotional turmoil of teenage hormones, plus a very volatile social environment where in-group/out-group themes can feel like everything. At that age you don't know its normal to feel up and down and its likely you don't really understand why you feel the way you do.
On the extreme end of the spectrum, Japan has seen a thirty year high in youth suicide https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-46096626 while there have been recent similarly concerning findings in the UK https://www.theguardian.com/society/2018/sep/04/suicide-rate-rises-among-young-people-in-england-and-wales
Adolescents can feel angry, depressed, scared, lonely, frustrated and very much in need to talk to someone - but talking to someone they know could be the very last thing they would want to do for a variety of reasons. They can feel embarrassed or ashamed to own up to their problems, too emotionally insecure to put such trust in someone close to them. Teens can readily feel the pressure of expectation from family, friends and school, networks that should exist to help them can end up having an opposite, negative effect.
How Can Counselling Help?
Counselling and advice services can provide help to teens by supporting them in a confidential, non-judgemental and near anonymous format. Services can take the form of face-to-face counselling, phone calls or online through webchat, email or forums.
Counselling is the most common form of talking therapy and can help young people deal with their issues and the impact they have been making upon their mental wellbeing. The counsellor will help explore the individual's problems and symptoms, and will aim to develop coping strategies to use in future scenarios.
Counselling can address a wide range of problems from anxiety, depression, bullying, relationships and self-harm, but is not recommended for more serious mental conditions which require more specialised treatment plans.
Different Types of Counselling
https://youngminds.org.uk/find-help/for-parents/parents-guide-to-support-a-z/parents-guide-to-support-counselling-services/ names these different types of counselling:
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)
The approach of CBT is about thinking more positively about life, looking at how you can get stuck in patterns of behaviour and ways of changing these rather than dwelling on past events. There are typically six or 12 weekly sessions and the therapist sets goals with the young person, often with ‘homework’ to do in between.
Mindfulness
Mindfulness is often combined with CBT and helps a young person to focus on difficult thoughts and feeling, rather than avoiding them, so that the fear of them gradually lessens. Therapists can also include meditation, yoga and breathing exercises.
Psychotherapy
This is a more long-term therapy and involves talking about the effects of past events and can be more helpful with long-term problems such as depression or eating disorders. NHS psychotherapists work in clinics or hospitals; some private psychotherapists work from home.
Family Therapy
The whole family works with the family therapist to try and understand the problems they are all having. It can help improve communications between family members and issues such as children’s behavioural problems, disability, family breakdown, addiction and domestic violence.
Online Counselling
The modern adolescent is very much at home with using technology in the form of smart phones/social media to communicate. With this in mind https://www.teencounseling.com/ has developed a system whereby teens receive counselling over their smart phones in webchat style forums, ideal for individuals who struggle to open up in a face to face environment.
Sunday, 9 December 2018
9 Types of Intelligence Infographic
We often hear references to different types of intelligence, how x person has a y type of intelligence and how that relates to their personality. This info-graphic courtesy of https://blog.adioma.com/9-types-of-intelligence-infographic/ really makes a wonderful succinct summary of the different intelligence types.
Where would you place yourself?
Where would you place yourself?
Monday, 19 November 2018
Top 10 Hypnosis Trends 2019
Like any good form of therapy Hypnotherapy must adapt with the field in order to both survive and thrive. https://hypnosistrainingacademy.com/hypnosis-trends-2017/ have produced an excellent article naming the top 10 hypnosis trends for 2017. As we approach 2019, this article aims to analyse these trends and perhaps predict which direction future trends may lead us.
1. Traditional Treatments are Evolving. The article talks about virtual gastric band vs surgery, and the emergence of vaping and its potential problems.
My previous article Vaping vs Smoking discusses some of the latest thoughts on vaping as it is currently a very hot topic with the great number of people taking up e-cigs and other alternatives to smoking without solid long-term research to say that it is completely safe. I think its a very good bet to say that stop-vaping services will be sought after increasingly in the years to come, and its something I get asked about regularly in my clinics at the moment.
At present there is no official stop vaping service in the UK, while typically stop smoking aids and medications are designed only for burning tobacco products, despite vaping being a highly addictive and potentially harmful habit taken up by a huge number of people. A stop vaping hypnotic service could therefore be a very useful service for the present and future.
2. Mental Health Services. It is noted that although public/media perception to mental health has recently shifted to something acceptable for open discussion, public funding has continued to be cut. The most recent UK budget has set aside increased funds for mental health services however, presumably as it makes perfect sense to treat problems early before they become more serious. CBT is being used with greater frequency to treat common issues such as anxiety and depression for this reason.
We know that self-hypnosis techniques alone can greatly aid anxiety and personal well being. Will preventative services further latch on to the effects of hypnotherapy in the future? It very much depends on how research develops but I think it is an excellent idea worth exploring further.
3. Links with conventional Medicine. Studies indicate that hypnosis can be used for various medical purposes, such as pain management, recovery from surgery, childbirth and IBS. With medical services continuing to be stretched, costs forever increasing and demand from patients not wanting medication based treatment, hypnosis can reasonably expect to play an increasing role in more wide ranging treatment plans of the future.
4. Healthy Diets. Obesity continues to rise in both adults and children, despite the healthy food craze that seems to sweep back and forth perpetually. As a result of this the author suggests there is a trend toward hypnosis to promote healthy eating.
Looking at future trends I would expand upon this to say hypnotherapy can play a role in improving healthy lifestyles in general; to include eating, activity/exercise and social habits.
I have commented before on the potential problem of social media and the screen time both adults and children now seem bound to in both work and leisure. Sedentary lifestyles, eating more processed foods coinciding with decreased 'real' social interactions can only lead to more physical/mental health issues in the future.
Society must find an answer to correcting our negative lifestyle patterns. If hypnosis can aid us eating well, getting regular good exercise and interacting socially then perhaps that answer is right in front of us.
5. Closing The Gap Between The 4 Streams of Hypnotists. The four branches are listed in the article as; the world of research and academia, hypnotists with healthcare qualifications, laymen hypnotists and stage and entertainment hypnotists. The Hypnosis Training Academy says that in the past hypnosis was considered something 'mystical', whereas nowadays for various reasons there is more acceptance and understanding of the practice which has lead to cohesion of sorts.
The author claims the gap between laymen hypnotists and hypnotists with healthcare qualifications is closing, partly due to the increase of training courses available on a widening range of topics. Similarly techniques used in entertainment such as 'hypnotic mind reading' have been taken up in hypnotherapy sessions, while well known celebrities such as Paul Mckenna who started in entertainment have switched to offer therapeutic services.
6. Advances In Research Related To Changes In The Brain. The author cites the recent study of Dr Spiegel which demonstrates how the brain alters under hypnosis, proving that hypnosis has a very real empirical effect upon the brain, and also begins to show how the subconscious mind can be manipulated under hypnosis to make changes to aspects of body such as secretions/blood flow.
As scientific research hopefully continues to demonstrate the potential of Hypnotherapy, this can only strengthen its position within society and open more and more people to the idea of hypnosis as an alternative treatment option.
7. Change Of Emphasis From Power To Empower. The Hypnosis Training Academy say there has been a shift between the image of a hypnotist being in control of their subject to working cooperatively toward a shared goal, empowering positive change.
I would say this is not a very recent change but something that has happened over a longer period of time, and certainly hope that hypnotherapy remains an empowering experience in the future!
8. Hypnotists Are Becoming More Business-Minded. The article states that this is due to the growth of hypnotherapy the industry has had to evolve. Increased demand for hypnotherapy means there are now more hypnotists in the field, so there is a need to promote services to stand out and succeed as a business.
Also there are now more regulatory bodies which aim to set standards of hypnotherapy such as training, CPD and insurance, all with a view to make hypnotherapy more professional practice and move away from those 'mystical beginnings'.
9. Hypnosis As A Career In Later Life. As the population lives longer they are needing to work longer too. The author states that projected stats for 2022 are that 31.9% of people aged between 65 and 74 will still be working, an increase of 58% since 2002.
Due to the work having little physical demands and having the flexibility to be self employed, the article states that more people are turning to hypnotherapy as a second career choice or a career in later life.
With the population being statistically older, perhaps a future trend of hypnosis need best consider the treatment/lifestyle needs of the aged also. What will the requirements be for older people still needing to work, or longer years spent in retirement? Could hypnosis be used to improve the lives and well being of older people? Again, I firmly believe there is great potential for development here.
10. Hypnosis For Students And Its Impact On Future Generations. The Hypnosis Research Academy links research demonstrating the benefits for meditation in schools, and claim that the known benefits of hypnosis in stress reduction, behavioural issues and information retention mean that it could be a highly useful tool for future generations of students.
If all children learnt self hypnosis - what kind of effect would that have upon them growing up? The effect upon society could be massive.
Supplementary suggestions to the list...
To add to this list for future trends I feel it would be unwise to ignore the role of technology. Increased screen time can be disadvantageous as previously stated, but tech can also open doors if used in the right way. Advances to the internet and smart phones mean we can be connected to anyone across the globe without limit or financial restraint, and not just by voice conversation, but with face to face via video link.
I have conducted hypnosis successfully using these methods, and although I prefer real time patient interaction telephone consultations certainly suit some clientele. They are cost effective, remove the problem of getting to appointments, the geography divide of patient/therapist, and also remove the waiting room experience. Due to phobias and other medical issues there are a range of reasons why a patients/therapist might not want to have real time interaction - so I can only reflect upon them positively as a flexible and highly useful option for therapy.
There is 'smart' technology emerging everywhere around us at the moment from phones to watches and car seats, all linked by apps that can help us understand the way our body and mind works. A question we have to ask ourselves is how best do we use this technology to actually improve ourselves? How can hypnotherapy be used in conjunction to achieve this?
If you feel there is something missing from the list then please leave a comment to the article.
1. Traditional Treatments are Evolving. The article talks about virtual gastric band vs surgery, and the emergence of vaping and its potential problems.
My previous article Vaping vs Smoking discusses some of the latest thoughts on vaping as it is currently a very hot topic with the great number of people taking up e-cigs and other alternatives to smoking without solid long-term research to say that it is completely safe. I think its a very good bet to say that stop-vaping services will be sought after increasingly in the years to come, and its something I get asked about regularly in my clinics at the moment.
At present there is no official stop vaping service in the UK, while typically stop smoking aids and medications are designed only for burning tobacco products, despite vaping being a highly addictive and potentially harmful habit taken up by a huge number of people. A stop vaping hypnotic service could therefore be a very useful service for the present and future.
2. Mental Health Services. It is noted that although public/media perception to mental health has recently shifted to something acceptable for open discussion, public funding has continued to be cut. The most recent UK budget has set aside increased funds for mental health services however, presumably as it makes perfect sense to treat problems early before they become more serious. CBT is being used with greater frequency to treat common issues such as anxiety and depression for this reason.
We know that self-hypnosis techniques alone can greatly aid anxiety and personal well being. Will preventative services further latch on to the effects of hypnotherapy in the future? It very much depends on how research develops but I think it is an excellent idea worth exploring further.
3. Links with conventional Medicine. Studies indicate that hypnosis can be used for various medical purposes, such as pain management, recovery from surgery, childbirth and IBS. With medical services continuing to be stretched, costs forever increasing and demand from patients not wanting medication based treatment, hypnosis can reasonably expect to play an increasing role in more wide ranging treatment plans of the future.
4. Healthy Diets. Obesity continues to rise in both adults and children, despite the healthy food craze that seems to sweep back and forth perpetually. As a result of this the author suggests there is a trend toward hypnosis to promote healthy eating.
Looking at future trends I would expand upon this to say hypnotherapy can play a role in improving healthy lifestyles in general; to include eating, activity/exercise and social habits.
I have commented before on the potential problem of social media and the screen time both adults and children now seem bound to in both work and leisure. Sedentary lifestyles, eating more processed foods coinciding with decreased 'real' social interactions can only lead to more physical/mental health issues in the future.
Society must find an answer to correcting our negative lifestyle patterns. If hypnosis can aid us eating well, getting regular good exercise and interacting socially then perhaps that answer is right in front of us.
5. Closing The Gap Between The 4 Streams of Hypnotists. The four branches are listed in the article as; the world of research and academia, hypnotists with healthcare qualifications, laymen hypnotists and stage and entertainment hypnotists. The Hypnosis Training Academy says that in the past hypnosis was considered something 'mystical', whereas nowadays for various reasons there is more acceptance and understanding of the practice which has lead to cohesion of sorts.
The author claims the gap between laymen hypnotists and hypnotists with healthcare qualifications is closing, partly due to the increase of training courses available on a widening range of topics. Similarly techniques used in entertainment such as 'hypnotic mind reading' have been taken up in hypnotherapy sessions, while well known celebrities such as Paul Mckenna who started in entertainment have switched to offer therapeutic services.
6. Advances In Research Related To Changes In The Brain. The author cites the recent study of Dr Spiegel which demonstrates how the brain alters under hypnosis, proving that hypnosis has a very real empirical effect upon the brain, and also begins to show how the subconscious mind can be manipulated under hypnosis to make changes to aspects of body such as secretions/blood flow.
As scientific research hopefully continues to demonstrate the potential of Hypnotherapy, this can only strengthen its position within society and open more and more people to the idea of hypnosis as an alternative treatment option.
7. Change Of Emphasis From Power To Empower. The Hypnosis Training Academy say there has been a shift between the image of a hypnotist being in control of their subject to working cooperatively toward a shared goal, empowering positive change.
I would say this is not a very recent change but something that has happened over a longer period of time, and certainly hope that hypnotherapy remains an empowering experience in the future!
8. Hypnotists Are Becoming More Business-Minded. The article states that this is due to the growth of hypnotherapy the industry has had to evolve. Increased demand for hypnotherapy means there are now more hypnotists in the field, so there is a need to promote services to stand out and succeed as a business.
Also there are now more regulatory bodies which aim to set standards of hypnotherapy such as training, CPD and insurance, all with a view to make hypnotherapy more professional practice and move away from those 'mystical beginnings'.
9. Hypnosis As A Career In Later Life. As the population lives longer they are needing to work longer too. The author states that projected stats for 2022 are that 31.9% of people aged between 65 and 74 will still be working, an increase of 58% since 2002.
Due to the work having little physical demands and having the flexibility to be self employed, the article states that more people are turning to hypnotherapy as a second career choice or a career in later life.
With the population being statistically older, perhaps a future trend of hypnosis need best consider the treatment/lifestyle needs of the aged also. What will the requirements be for older people still needing to work, or longer years spent in retirement? Could hypnosis be used to improve the lives and well being of older people? Again, I firmly believe there is great potential for development here.
10. Hypnosis For Students And Its Impact On Future Generations. The Hypnosis Research Academy links research demonstrating the benefits for meditation in schools, and claim that the known benefits of hypnosis in stress reduction, behavioural issues and information retention mean that it could be a highly useful tool for future generations of students.
If all children learnt self hypnosis - what kind of effect would that have upon them growing up? The effect upon society could be massive.
Supplementary suggestions to the list...
To add to this list for future trends I feel it would be unwise to ignore the role of technology. Increased screen time can be disadvantageous as previously stated, but tech can also open doors if used in the right way. Advances to the internet and smart phones mean we can be connected to anyone across the globe without limit or financial restraint, and not just by voice conversation, but with face to face via video link.
I have conducted hypnosis successfully using these methods, and although I prefer real time patient interaction telephone consultations certainly suit some clientele. They are cost effective, remove the problem of getting to appointments, the geography divide of patient/therapist, and also remove the waiting room experience. Due to phobias and other medical issues there are a range of reasons why a patients/therapist might not want to have real time interaction - so I can only reflect upon them positively as a flexible and highly useful option for therapy.
There is 'smart' technology emerging everywhere around us at the moment from phones to watches and car seats, all linked by apps that can help us understand the way our body and mind works. A question we have to ask ourselves is how best do we use this technology to actually improve ourselves? How can hypnotherapy be used in conjunction to achieve this?
If you feel there is something missing from the list then please leave a comment to the article.
Monday, 5 November 2018
How Common Are Mental Health Problems?
How common are mental health problems? The short answer; extremely common, although it is rather difficult to quantify.
Much like physical health, mental health is complex and can be described upon a wide spectrum of 'seriousness'. A common cold is a physical illness but is it a health problem? Are issues such as mild depression/anxiety/loneliness etc therefore mental health problems?
It is a relative question of coping. If mental health issues are adversely affecting your life then, much like a physical issue, they can be considered a problem that should be addressed.
The trouble is that many of us wont think twice before seeking out a doctor for a physical ailment such as a stomach ache, but will struggle on with mental conditions without seeking help or even admitting to a problem. Ignoring such matters can make them much worse in time causing all kinds of related health problems, both to the individual and those close to them.
For these reasons there has been a recent drive in awareness of mental health issues, with the general purpose of letting the population know that mental health problems are common, that they are treatable and it is certainly acceptable to talk about them. Last week the UK government committed an extra 2 billion GBP to mental health service , we also have mental health awareness week while even the Royal Family have got in on the act. Only time will tell how effective such strategies will be, but I think the results will be hugely positive for society.
So how common are mental health issues?
In the UK a large scale study was conducted in 2016, the results of which are summarised by Mind UK, who also state that 1 in 4 adults will experience a mental health issue each year. It is worth mentioning that the study is far from perfect as it only covered those adults living in private housing, so critically does not include those vulnerable groups where mental health problems are known to be prevalent, such as the homeless, those in hospital or prison. For this reason the following stats can be considered lower than the true figure of the general populous.
What the study says
Generalised anxiety disorder: 5.9%
Depression: 3.3%
Phobias: 2.4%
OCD: 1.3%
Panic disorder: 0.6 in 100 people
Post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD): 4.4%
Mixed anxiety and depression: 7.8%
Psychotic disorder: 0.7%
Bipolar disorder: 2.0%
Antisocial personality disorder: 3.3%
Borderline personality disorder: 2.4%
Suicidal thoughts: 20.6%
Suicide attempts: 6.7%
Self-harm: 7.3%
Mind UK report that 1 in 8 of adults in the UK with mental health problems are being treated, with medication serving as the most common form of treatment.
If we say there are roughly 50 million adults in the UK, even a 8% prevalence of mixed anxiety and depression would suggest there are 4 million adults in the UK with the mental health issue, and one could assume there are many more under the age of 18. It is also interesting to consider what is causing the 20% of suicidal thoughts.
Applying these figures to a worldwide population it is quite staggering to think how many people around the world are suffering with mental health problems that are going untreated.
It is my opinion that medication can only go some way in fully treating a mental condition and can merely paper over the cracks in many cases. Drugs can make you feel better of course, but can they alone solve the underlying causes of mental health problems? Locating and understanding the root of mental issues is a key proponent of talking therapies, along with finding life solutions and coping mechanisms applicable to the individual's life.
Much like physical health, mental health is complex and can be described upon a wide spectrum of 'seriousness'. A common cold is a physical illness but is it a health problem? Are issues such as mild depression/anxiety/loneliness etc therefore mental health problems?
It is a relative question of coping. If mental health issues are adversely affecting your life then, much like a physical issue, they can be considered a problem that should be addressed.
The trouble is that many of us wont think twice before seeking out a doctor for a physical ailment such as a stomach ache, but will struggle on with mental conditions without seeking help or even admitting to a problem. Ignoring such matters can make them much worse in time causing all kinds of related health problems, both to the individual and those close to them.
For these reasons there has been a recent drive in awareness of mental health issues, with the general purpose of letting the population know that mental health problems are common, that they are treatable and it is certainly acceptable to talk about them. Last week the UK government committed an extra 2 billion GBP to mental health service , we also have mental health awareness week while even the Royal Family have got in on the act. Only time will tell how effective such strategies will be, but I think the results will be hugely positive for society.
So how common are mental health issues?
In the UK a large scale study was conducted in 2016, the results of which are summarised by Mind UK, who also state that 1 in 4 adults will experience a mental health issue each year. It is worth mentioning that the study is far from perfect as it only covered those adults living in private housing, so critically does not include those vulnerable groups where mental health problems are known to be prevalent, such as the homeless, those in hospital or prison. For this reason the following stats can be considered lower than the true figure of the general populous.
What the study says
Generalised anxiety disorder: 5.9%
Depression: 3.3%
Phobias: 2.4%
OCD: 1.3%
Panic disorder: 0.6 in 100 people
Post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD): 4.4%
Mixed anxiety and depression: 7.8%
Psychotic disorder: 0.7%
Bipolar disorder: 2.0%
Antisocial personality disorder: 3.3%
Borderline personality disorder: 2.4%
Suicidal thoughts: 20.6%
Suicide attempts: 6.7%
Self-harm: 7.3%
Mind UK report that 1 in 8 of adults in the UK with mental health problems are being treated, with medication serving as the most common form of treatment.
It is my opinion that medication can only go some way in fully treating a mental condition and can merely paper over the cracks in many cases. Drugs can make you feel better of course, but can they alone solve the underlying causes of mental health problems? Locating and understanding the root of mental issues is a key proponent of talking therapies, along with finding life solutions and coping mechanisms applicable to the individual's life.
Monday, 22 October 2018
Overcoming Speech Anxiety
What is Speech Anxiety?
Speech anxiety, aka Glossophobia, is a common fear, up there with spiders, heights and snakes in terms of worldwide popularity. Glossophobia.com report that 75% of the population have a form of speech anxiety and;
First it is essential to identify the underlying causes of your anxiety, and from uncovering the root of your problem you can then focus upon it. Is it self esteem/confidence? Is it comparing yourself to others and thus unfairly judging yourself? Is it feeling the eyes of the room upon you? Was it a horrendous previous experience that has affected you in particular? Do you generally feel under-prepared in speaking situations?
...statistically, far more of us claim that we would prefer death to giving a speech; even comedian Jerry Seinfeld used to joke that at a funeral, most people would rather be lying in the casket than delivering the eulogy.
Thoughtco.com define speech anxiety as:
Public speaking anxiety (PSA) is the fear experienced by a person when delivering (or preparing to deliver) a speech to an audience. Public speaking anxiety is sometimes referred to as stage fright or communication apprehension.
Thoughtco.com define speech anxiety as:
Public speaking anxiety (PSA) is the fear experienced by a person when delivering (or preparing to deliver) a speech to an audience. Public speaking anxiety is sometimes referred to as stage fright or communication apprehension.
What does Speech Anxiety feel like?
I began to develop a speaking stutter when performing class readings in secondary school (possibly induced by the anxiety of the occurring squeaky voice of teenage boys), while I attempted to overcome shyness in social situations by drinking far too much alcohol to have the courage to approach, particularly, women. I recently massively stressed over giving a best man's speech for months preceding the event... so I can certainly empathise with this phobia! Though I'm not sure I would opt for Seinfeld's casket instead, it would certainly be tempting!
Experiencing speech anxiety feels horrible. Increased heart rate, sweats, feeling of blood rushing to your head and face, slurred speech, shaking/trembling, nausea/vomiting, dizziness, muscular tension. It is the classic fight/flight response.
When I was at school my flight response was essentially to feign illness so I did not have to do the class presentation. To some this means avoiding taking job interviews/presentations that have the knock on effect of impairing career development. To others it is avoiding social events where new friends/connections could be made.
Glossophobia can therefore have a massive negative impact on life quality; but does it necessarily need to be that way?
When I was at school my flight response was essentially to feign illness so I did not have to do the class presentation. To some this means avoiding taking job interviews/presentations that have the knock on effect of impairing career development. To others it is avoiding social events where new friends/connections could be made.
Glossophobia can therefore have a massive negative impact on life quality; but does it necessarily need to be that way?
What causes Speech Anxiety?
Healthline.com report that:
Many people who have a strong fear of public speaking fear being judged, embarrassed, or rejected. They may have had an unpleasant experience, like having given a report in class that didn’t go well. Or they’re been asked to perform on the spot with no preparation.
Though social phobias often run in families, the science behind this isn’t understood. A 2002 study reported that breeding mice that show less fear and anxiety resulted in offspring with less anxiety. But more research is needed to assess whether social phobias are hereditary.
Testing conducted by the National Institute of Mental Health found that the brains of people with social anxiety have a heightened response when negative comments were read to them. The affected areas were those responsible for self-evaluation and emotional processing. This heightened response wasn’t seen in people without the disorder.
How to overcome Speech Anxiety?
Learn Better Breathing Habits
When people start to experience anxiety, they tend to have shallow breathing. This can just add to anxiety and increases your heart rate. If you want to overcome anxiety, it can help to learn deep breathing habits. Practice breathing in through your nose while making sure that you are expanding your lungs from top to bottom. That means that your diaphragm should move as well while you breathe. Once you have breathed in, hold it in for a few seconds, and then slowly exhale it out through the partially open mouth. Once you have completed your exhale, start again.This can help to calm your nerves and settle your body.
Practice Visualisation
When we experience anxiety about something, we tend to focus on the negative repeatedly. We circle through it in our heads over and over again thinking about all the things that were afraid of regarding the situation. You can overcome this by practising positive visualisation. Practice thinking about yourself speaking in front of a group and doing a great job. If you have a specific speech or presentation that you will be giving soon, visualise yourself giving that over and over again. This can help you build your confidence and feel more comfortable with the task at hand.
Join A Group To Practice Your Skills
If you are in a position where you're going to need to be speaking in front of people on a regular basis, it can help to join a group that helps you practice your skills. Toastmasters International is one such group that helps you do this. You can work on developing your skills with peers that are doing the same. There is no fear of judgement.
Be Prepared
There are many ways that you can prepare for a speech to overcome speech anxiety. Start by making sure you are familiar with the material you're going to be speaking about. Then, practice it. Make sure you are familiar with the location where you are going to speak and make sure you know how to get there. Find out where to go once you arrive, and then make sure you're not rushing before you have to speak.
Practice Self-Care
Practising self-care can go a long way in helping you overcome speech anxiety. Start by exercising on a regular basis. Exercise helps to cut anxiety and boost your mood and confidence. If you have to give a big presentation or speech, make sure that you exercise the morning of.
Make sure that you eat foods that are healthy for you and will help to calm your body. Avoid having caffeine or sweets the day of your presentation. Avoid the morning cup of coffee, the soda, or the sugary muffin from Starbucks. Instead try to eat things like whole grains, fruit cups, and stay well hydrated. Make sure you use the restroom before your presentation since you will be drinking more water.
Make sure you dress your best and wear something that you are comfortable wearing. This will help you to feel more confident when you get in front of a group. Don't wear clothes that you feel like you will need to keep pulling at, readjusting, or be concerned about in any way.
Change Your Focus
When we suffer from speech anxiety, we are focused on ourselves. One way to improve this is to change your focus from yourself to your audience. While you are talking, focus on the friendly faces in the crowd. Instead of worrying about how you look, how your voice sounds, or if you're going to get your words right, focus on delivering valuable information to the audience. Think about how the information that you're giving them is going to help them and improve their lives. Keeping the focus on your audience removes your focus from yourself which can help ease anxiety.
Talk To A Counsellor
If you experience strong anxiety when you need to speak in front of other people, it can help to talk to a licensed therapist. They can work with you to help get to the root of the problem and then address it in a way that helps you to overcome it. Better Help has professionals that are ready and waiting to help you overcome your speech anxiety. It's an affordable and convenient option for you to use.
I feel I (at least mainly) overcame my glossophobia through slowly building my self confidence in social speaking situations. My recent best man's speech went very well, and I felt so relieved/overjoyed in completing it I now feel a new confidence to do another one (though from the content of the speech I am not so certain I will ever be asked again). For me preparation is essential before any presentation, going over the material so well that you know it, and visualise yourself performing. I would not say I am a natural public speaker and most like never will be, but it is not something I waste precious time and energy stressing over.
I feel I (at least mainly) overcame my glossophobia through slowly building my self confidence in social speaking situations. My recent best man's speech went very well, and I felt so relieved/overjoyed in completing it I now feel a new confidence to do another one (though from the content of the speech I am not so certain I will ever be asked again). For me preparation is essential before any presentation, going over the material so well that you know it, and visualise yourself performing. I would not say I am a natural public speaker and most like never will be, but it is not something I waste precious time and energy stressing over.
Monday, 15 October 2018
How Hypnotherapy Can Help With Addiction
How Hypnotherapy Can Help With Addiction
Addiction is a mental
health crisis
that can ruin people’s lives. When you’re addicted to something, it’s hard to
come off of it, or try to deal with the withdrawal symptoms once you quit.
Whether you’re addicted to alcohol, food, the Internet, or anything else,
seeking help is a good way to prove to yourself that you’re willing to make a
change.
There are many ways to treat addiction.
Some turn to counseling,
where a therapist will guide you through dealing with your problems through
therapeutic techniques. Others may turn to rehabilitation programs and/or take prescribed
medication to manage the symptoms of withdrawal. Another way to treat addiction
is through hypnotherapy.
What is Hypnotherapy?
You probably have this stereotypical
picture in your head when you think of hypnotherapy – a hypnotist waving
something shiny in front of your eyes, saying that you’re getting sleepy. Of
course, there’s much more to it than that. Hypnotherapy involves trying to
change a person as they are, while they are in an unconscious state. The goal
is to put the client into an uninterrupted trance, which can make them hyper-aware
and able to express memories and secrets they otherwise wouldn’t share or
recall in their conscious state. However, being under hypnosis can make a
person more susceptible to suggestion.
Hypnosis commands can either be direct
orders or suggestions. Some people respond well and listen to direct orders – for
example, if you’re trying to quit drinking alcohol, a hypnotist telling you to
stop drinking could make you do just that, after hearing the command. However,
not everyone likes to be told what to do. In these cases, the hypnotist may
make suggestions while their clients are under hypnosis. They may say, “You
should consider drinking less,” and explain reasons as to why, instead of just giving
the hypnosis command “Stop drinking.”
Hypnotherapy and Treating Addiction
Hypnotherapy can be used to treat
addiction, addictive behaviors, and withdrawal symptoms as well. By opening
yourself up to suggestion, a hypnotist can make suggestions or orders for you
to help treat your addiction. It’s not magic or instantaneous – you won’t be
cured suddenly, but it may help to increase your chances of quitting and not
relapsing.
Hypnotherapy is also good for relieving
pain and anxiety. These are just a few side effects of withdrawal. Sometimes,
the experience of withdrawal is so overwhelming and uncomfortable that it makes
people return to their addiction. By making the withdrawal process easier to
cope with, you increase your chances of a full recovery.
Is it Effective?
While many studies on hypnotherapy’s
efficacy in treating addiction have been inconclusive, there are others that
have said that hypnotherapy may help to relieve pain and anxiety, which are
symptoms of withdrawal. When recovering from addiction, you should definitely examine
and consider all possible options – researching what works best for you, or
perhaps employing multiple techniques can increase your chances of making a
recovery. Hypnotherapy can work well when used in conjunction with other treatments
as well.
Finding a Hypnotherapist Near You
If you’re considering hypnotherapy, take
some time to research patients’ reviews and the hypnotherapists themselves. As
with any profession, some are great at their job – they can help even the most
stubborn of people change their behaviors and habits through hypnotherapy.
Others may have more difficulty with their clients, may not be suggestive at
all, are more direct in their commands, or may employ techniques that you feel
may not be the right fit for you. Read the reviews and choose one that you may
be comfortable with. If it might not be the right therapeutic relationship for
you, don’t give up on working on conquering your addiction – ask your
hypnotherapist if they might be able to refer you to another colleague, or
another type of therapist.
Addiction is hard to conquer, but by trying
out different types of therapy, you’re taking one more step toward recovery.
Try hypnotherapy (or any other type of therapy) and see what it can do for you.
Every effort made towards addiction recovery counts!
Marie Miguel has been a writing and research expert for nearly a decade, covering a variety of health- related topics. Currently, she is contributing to the expansion and growth of a free online mental health resource with Better Help. With an interest and dedication to addressing stigmas associated with mental health, she continues to specifically target subjects related to anxiety and depression.
Tuesday, 25 September 2018
Studies Find 4 Major Personality Types
Personally I am not a big fan of personality types as I believe personality to be too open, changing and complex to be accurately classified in any simple context. Neither do I feel comfortable placing people into subsections, especially based on personality test questions that are, at best, ambiguous.
We are constantly told not to judge books by their covers and never to have prejudice based on superficial details - yet these tests are forcing us to make judgements of personality based upon answers to a handful of closed questions, often ticking a box that most applies to us rather than an accurate answer.
Similarly I do not like being placed into a certain bin. If I am told I am an introvert is that not self-fulfilling prophecy? While if I want to be seen as introverted or feel I am a certain personality type (as I imagine everyone does in some way) then surely the test cannot remain truly objective? Human thoughts/behaviours can only fairly be judged in context which tick box type questions cannot reasonably achieve.
Our personalities can change at time of day, throughout our lifespans, in different company, moods etc, so how you answer the questions at one moment could be completely different to sometime next week.
Perhaps in the future there will be highly intelligent computer software that could make more accurate and valuable assessments of personality, but until then we must make do with what we have.
Regardless of the above it is certainly fascinating to study personality types, while the potential uses of analysing and matching our personalities to different careers, partners, interests is an exciting prospect.
www.nature.com documents a new study that tested hundreds of people by use of questionnaire. The data came back lumping results into four key groups, and thus concludes that there are four main personality types; reserved, role models, average and self-centred.
https://bigthink.com/surprising-science/four-new-personality-types?rebelltitem=5#rebelltitem5 summarises these as the following:
'Average: Average people are high in neuroticism and extraversion, while low in openness. "I would expect that the typical person would be in this cluster," says Gerlach. Females are more likely than males to fall into the Average type.
Reserved: The Reserved type is emotionally stable, but not open or neurotic. They are not particularly extraverted but are somewhat agreeable and conscientious.
Role Models: Role Models score low in neuroticism and high in all the other traits. The likelihood that someone is a role model increases dramatically with age. "These are people who are dependable and open to new ideas," Amaral says. "These are good people to be in charge of things. In fact, life is easier if you have more dealings with role models." Women are more likely than men are likely to be role models.
Self-Centered: Self-Centered people score very high in extraversion and below average in openness, agreeableness, and conscientiousness. "These are people you don't want to hang out with," according to Revelle. There is a very dramatic decrease in the number of self-centered types as people age in both with women and men.'
More discussion on this topic
https://www.washingtonpost.com/science/2018/09/17/scientists-identify-four-personality-types/?noredirect=on&utm_term=.6ba2f87821aa
We are constantly told not to judge books by their covers and never to have prejudice based on superficial details - yet these tests are forcing us to make judgements of personality based upon answers to a handful of closed questions, often ticking a box that most applies to us rather than an accurate answer.
Similarly I do not like being placed into a certain bin. If I am told I am an introvert is that not self-fulfilling prophecy? While if I want to be seen as introverted or feel I am a certain personality type (as I imagine everyone does in some way) then surely the test cannot remain truly objective? Human thoughts/behaviours can only fairly be judged in context which tick box type questions cannot reasonably achieve.
Our personalities can change at time of day, throughout our lifespans, in different company, moods etc, so how you answer the questions at one moment could be completely different to sometime next week.
Perhaps in the future there will be highly intelligent computer software that could make more accurate and valuable assessments of personality, but until then we must make do with what we have.
Regardless of the above it is certainly fascinating to study personality types, while the potential uses of analysing and matching our personalities to different careers, partners, interests is an exciting prospect.
www.nature.com documents a new study that tested hundreds of people by use of questionnaire. The data came back lumping results into four key groups, and thus concludes that there are four main personality types; reserved, role models, average and self-centred.
https://bigthink.com/surprising-science/four-new-personality-types?rebelltitem=5#rebelltitem5 summarises these as the following:
'Average: Average people are high in neuroticism and extraversion, while low in openness. "I would expect that the typical person would be in this cluster," says Gerlach. Females are more likely than males to fall into the Average type.
Reserved: The Reserved type is emotionally stable, but not open or neurotic. They are not particularly extraverted but are somewhat agreeable and conscientious.
Role Models: Role Models score low in neuroticism and high in all the other traits. The likelihood that someone is a role model increases dramatically with age. "These are people who are dependable and open to new ideas," Amaral says. "These are good people to be in charge of things. In fact, life is easier if you have more dealings with role models." Women are more likely than men are likely to be role models.
Self-Centered: Self-Centered people score very high in extraversion and below average in openness, agreeableness, and conscientiousness. "These are people you don't want to hang out with," according to Revelle. There is a very dramatic decrease in the number of self-centered types as people age in both with women and men.'
More discussion on this topic
https://www.washingtonpost.com/science/2018/09/17/scientists-identify-four-personality-types/?noredirect=on&utm_term=.6ba2f87821aa
Thursday, 20 September 2018
What is Asperger Syndrome?
The name Asperger Syndrome (AS) comes from the Austrian Child Psychologist Hans Asperger, who wrote a 1944 study detailing the first definition of the syndrome. AS is now classified as part of the Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and is thought to be a milder form of Autism.
From http://www.asperger-syndrome.me.uk/history.html
'In four boys, he (Asperger) identified a pattern of behaviour and abilities that he called "autistic psychopathy", meaning autism (self) and psychopathy (personality disease). The pattern included "a lack of empathy, little ability to form friendships, one-sided conversation, intense absorption in a special interest, and clumsy movements." Asperger called children with AS "little professors" because of their ability to talk about their favourite subject in great detail.'
https://www.autism.org.uk/about/what-is/asperger.aspx# explain that AS is not a disease but rather a personality type that one is born with and has indefinitely. Those with AS 'see, hear and feel the world differently to other people' and can find everyday life 'overwhelming'. A complexity in describing and diagnosing AS is that it can affect people differently and is often mixed with other mental health problems meaning two people with AS can have apparently completely different problems.
'The characteristics of Asperger syndrome vary from one person to another, but in order for a diagnosis to be made, a person will usually be assessed as having had persistent difficulties with social communication and social interaction and restricted and repetitive patterns of behaviours, activities or interests since early childhood, to the extent that these “limit and impair everyday functioning”.'
As of September 2018 the causes of AS remain unclear despite major studies aiming to determine several hypotheses, such as the MMR vaccination being a potential cause. AS is thought to be genetic.
There is no perfect treatment for AS and rather a body of different coping strategies to aid the core symptoms of low level communication skills, obsessive/repetitive routines and physical clumsiness, with the accepted view being the earlier intervention the better in children.
https://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/all-disorders/asperger-syndrome-information-page
'An effective treatment program builds on the child’s interests, offers a predictable schedule, teaches tasks as a series of simple steps, actively engages the child’s attention in highly structured activities, and provides regular reinforcement of behaviour. It may include social skills training, cognitive behavioural therapy, medication for co-existing conditions, and other measures.'
Children and adults can function normally with AS if treated effectively, though social/communicative situations may persist in being challenging scenarios. For this reason it is suggested that those with AS receive continuing support to maintain independent lifestyles.
From http://www.asperger-syndrome.me.uk/history.html
'In four boys, he (Asperger) identified a pattern of behaviour and abilities that he called "autistic psychopathy", meaning autism (self) and psychopathy (personality disease). The pattern included "a lack of empathy, little ability to form friendships, one-sided conversation, intense absorption in a special interest, and clumsy movements." Asperger called children with AS "little professors" because of their ability to talk about their favourite subject in great detail.'
https://www.autism.org.uk/about/what-is/asperger.aspx# explain that AS is not a disease but rather a personality type that one is born with and has indefinitely. Those with AS 'see, hear and feel the world differently to other people' and can find everyday life 'overwhelming'. A complexity in describing and diagnosing AS is that it can affect people differently and is often mixed with other mental health problems meaning two people with AS can have apparently completely different problems.
'The characteristics of Asperger syndrome vary from one person to another, but in order for a diagnosis to be made, a person will usually be assessed as having had persistent difficulties with social communication and social interaction and restricted and repetitive patterns of behaviours, activities or interests since early childhood, to the extent that these “limit and impair everyday functioning”.'
As of September 2018 the causes of AS remain unclear despite major studies aiming to determine several hypotheses, such as the MMR vaccination being a potential cause. AS is thought to be genetic.
There is no perfect treatment for AS and rather a body of different coping strategies to aid the core symptoms of low level communication skills, obsessive/repetitive routines and physical clumsiness, with the accepted view being the earlier intervention the better in children.
https://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/all-disorders/asperger-syndrome-information-page
'An effective treatment program builds on the child’s interests, offers a predictable schedule, teaches tasks as a series of simple steps, actively engages the child’s attention in highly structured activities, and provides regular reinforcement of behaviour. It may include social skills training, cognitive behavioural therapy, medication for co-existing conditions, and other measures.'
Children and adults can function normally with AS if treated effectively, though social/communicative situations may persist in being challenging scenarios. For this reason it is suggested that those with AS receive continuing support to maintain independent lifestyles.
Sunday, 19 August 2018
Free Online Therapy
In my line of work I frequently come across people who claim they would love to take up therapy of some kind, but don't have the time or the money to pursue such action.
'What could be more important than improving psychological health?' I hear you say, but it's not that simple. Families, bills, addictions, debts, education costs - and probably a host of other things all come before taking a roll of the dice upon a therapy that may or may not work. Perhaps the mental block of 'I cannot be cured anyway' is the most telling factor; of course a self-defeating prophecy.
Theoretically then, in a society where therapy was completely free and flexible, accessible at any time; what would it change?
Would it attract droves of people into therapy? Would more severe mental health conditions be averted if they were caught and treated at an early stage? Would millions be saved in industry through less sick days being taken and hence loss of personnel?
The real life experiment is well underway in the UK, with those exact same goals in mind.
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/07/24/health/england-mental-health-treatment-therapy.html
I think its a brilliant idea, although still far from the 'utopia' of perfect therapy. There are still teething problems such as waiting times, while technology can certainly be used for the better in future practice. All the same its a huge step in the right direction for mental health. Just making mental health issues an acceptable and approachable subject is a big step, as bottling things up inside is never a good recipe for long term health.
If you don't live in the UK or a country providing such service, what then? Free online therapies can be found, mainly in the form of forums/chat rooms focused on different mental health themes. Seeing a therapist in person is rare to find, as therapists will expect to be paid for their time other than in exceptional circumstances. The online community is different however and the links below are just the tip of the iceberg of what can be found.
http://www.healthfulchat.org/mental-health-chat-rooms.html
https://www.mind.org.uk/information-support/tips-for-everyday-living/online-safety-and-support/finding-support/#.W3kvQuhKjIU
https://mashable.com/2014/05/01/get-help-anonymously/?europe=true#d1Ox.ouQ2mqP
https://freeonlinetherapy.org/free-online-therapy-guide/
Sharing feelings is therapeutic. Friends and family who listen can be wonderful therapists. Paying huge sums for a highly qualified therapist does not guarantee they are the best person for you. An issue with free therapies can be people working unlicensed/untrained - so always check the validity of any organisation/individual before proceeding.
'What could be more important than improving psychological health?' I hear you say, but it's not that simple. Families, bills, addictions, debts, education costs - and probably a host of other things all come before taking a roll of the dice upon a therapy that may or may not work. Perhaps the mental block of 'I cannot be cured anyway' is the most telling factor; of course a self-defeating prophecy.
Theoretically then, in a society where therapy was completely free and flexible, accessible at any time; what would it change?
Would it attract droves of people into therapy? Would more severe mental health conditions be averted if they were caught and treated at an early stage? Would millions be saved in industry through less sick days being taken and hence loss of personnel?
The real life experiment is well underway in the UK, with those exact same goals in mind.
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/07/24/health/england-mental-health-treatment-therapy.html
I think its a brilliant idea, although still far from the 'utopia' of perfect therapy. There are still teething problems such as waiting times, while technology can certainly be used for the better in future practice. All the same its a huge step in the right direction for mental health. Just making mental health issues an acceptable and approachable subject is a big step, as bottling things up inside is never a good recipe for long term health.
If you don't live in the UK or a country providing such service, what then? Free online therapies can be found, mainly in the form of forums/chat rooms focused on different mental health themes. Seeing a therapist in person is rare to find, as therapists will expect to be paid for their time other than in exceptional circumstances. The online community is different however and the links below are just the tip of the iceberg of what can be found.
http://www.healthfulchat.org/mental-health-chat-rooms.html
https://www.mind.org.uk/information-support/tips-for-everyday-living/online-safety-and-support/finding-support/#.W3kvQuhKjIU
https://mashable.com/2014/05/01/get-help-anonymously/?europe=true#d1Ox.ouQ2mqP
https://freeonlinetherapy.org/free-online-therapy-guide/
Sharing feelings is therapeutic. Friends and family who listen can be wonderful therapists. Paying huge sums for a highly qualified therapist does not guarantee they are the best person for you. An issue with free therapies can be people working unlicensed/untrained - so always check the validity of any organisation/individual before proceeding.
Monday, 6 August 2018
The Social Problems of Social Media
The MSN 'Loneliness Campaign' in the UK recently ran an interesting article about the social media paradox; essentially that social media sets out to be 'social' but actually leads to increased loneliness due to users spending more time in the virtual word of screens and smartphones as oppose to 'real' face to face interactions with friends. The above links provide the full articles.
Personally speaking I have certainly dabbled with social media, but since becoming a father I found I could no longer justify the time I was spending mindlessly surfing through pictures of dinner plates, taken by people I barely know. Thus the Twitter and Facebook addiction went four years ago, and I have no intention of going back!
Another thing I don't like about social media, and the internet in general, that is not mentioned in the article, is the general nasty attitude you find everywhere, like looking under rocks for worms (no offence to the worm intended there). From forums, youtube comments or live chat formats almost across the board - one and all seem to fall foul of argumentative, aggressive and abusive dialect between users. Why is that? https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/the-psychology-of-internet-rage-2018051713852 comments on several themes.
I have heard the term 'keyboard warrior' be used to describe those whom fall into such category; the idea that sitting anonymously behind a keyboard people will say things they would never dare to in a face to face situation. Perhaps the anonymity aspect is key here, and of course that there is absolutely no consequence to actions. You can call someone any range of names then log off in full knowledge you could never be caught or traced.
Maybe its something linked to the reasons we can become animals behind the wheel, cursing streams of abuse in the safety of our vehicle that we (most of us at least) would not do in a pedestrian situation. https://www.osv.ltd.uk/road-rage/ says that there is limited ways to express our feelings to other road users in a car which then leads to frustrated gestures that can quickly escalate into rage... can the same be said of non-verbal communications in social media?
In previous years I have gotten into trivial arguments with people online which I admit got me quite annoyed. I wasted precious moments of my life thinking of clever ways to win a petty debate, one that had no end until one party gave up and 'walked away.' Such scenarios are easy to find online, as are torrents of abuse. It cant all just be bored teenagers can it?
Is such phenomena a healthy release valve of inner frustrations? Or do they foster negative personality disorders and consequently make them worse?
One study https://www.standard.co.uk/lifestyle/health/posting-lots-of-photos-on-instagram-could-be-a-sign-of-depression-a3606616.html find the link between what photos are posted on social media and depression. I'm sure we all know someone who goes to great pains to illustrate their lives as overly happy, adventurous, exciting places through the photos they continue to post, only to meet them in person and think quite the opposite. Is it over simplified to think that some people use such photo posting techniques to compensate for feeling of inadequacy? I don't think it is.
Like medicines, martial arts and a plethora of other things, I suppose the internet is a wonderful tool when used correctly but when used incorrectly then it can be something negative, in worst cases dangerous. I chose to use social media sparingly and not rely on virtual relationships as I value face to face interactions as healthier and more enjoyable.
Personally speaking I have certainly dabbled with social media, but since becoming a father I found I could no longer justify the time I was spending mindlessly surfing through pictures of dinner plates, taken by people I barely know. Thus the Twitter and Facebook addiction went four years ago, and I have no intention of going back!
Another thing I don't like about social media, and the internet in general, that is not mentioned in the article, is the general nasty attitude you find everywhere, like looking under rocks for worms (no offence to the worm intended there). From forums, youtube comments or live chat formats almost across the board - one and all seem to fall foul of argumentative, aggressive and abusive dialect between users. Why is that? https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/the-psychology-of-internet-rage-2018051713852 comments on several themes.
I have heard the term 'keyboard warrior' be used to describe those whom fall into such category; the idea that sitting anonymously behind a keyboard people will say things they would never dare to in a face to face situation. Perhaps the anonymity aspect is key here, and of course that there is absolutely no consequence to actions. You can call someone any range of names then log off in full knowledge you could never be caught or traced.
Maybe its something linked to the reasons we can become animals behind the wheel, cursing streams of abuse in the safety of our vehicle that we (most of us at least) would not do in a pedestrian situation. https://www.osv.ltd.uk/road-rage/ says that there is limited ways to express our feelings to other road users in a car which then leads to frustrated gestures that can quickly escalate into rage... can the same be said of non-verbal communications in social media?
In previous years I have gotten into trivial arguments with people online which I admit got me quite annoyed. I wasted precious moments of my life thinking of clever ways to win a petty debate, one that had no end until one party gave up and 'walked away.' Such scenarios are easy to find online, as are torrents of abuse. It cant all just be bored teenagers can it?
Is such phenomena a healthy release valve of inner frustrations? Or do they foster negative personality disorders and consequently make them worse?
One study https://www.standard.co.uk/lifestyle/health/posting-lots-of-photos-on-instagram-could-be-a-sign-of-depression-a3606616.html find the link between what photos are posted on social media and depression. I'm sure we all know someone who goes to great pains to illustrate their lives as overly happy, adventurous, exciting places through the photos they continue to post, only to meet them in person and think quite the opposite. Is it over simplified to think that some people use such photo posting techniques to compensate for feeling of inadequacy? I don't think it is.
Like medicines, martial arts and a plethora of other things, I suppose the internet is a wonderful tool when used correctly but when used incorrectly then it can be something negative, in worst cases dangerous. I chose to use social media sparingly and not rely on virtual relationships as I value face to face interactions as healthier and more enjoyable.
Monday, 9 July 2018
What Therapist?
There is a lot of jargon amidst the world of psychology, so this article aims to clarify some of the key terms and common misunderstandings.
What is a therapist? The word therapist is defined by dictionary.com as 'a person skilled in a particular kind of therapy'.
So a therapist is non-specific, broad term that can apply to a number of different fields. You can have massage therapists, psychotherapists, sports therapists and so on.
Essentially a psychologist has earned a degree in psychology, enabling them to diagnose disorders in patients through focusing on thoughts, behaviours, feelings and emotions. Examples of psychologists include Animal, Child, Educational, Forensic Psychologists (there are many different types!)
My recent post outlining psychiatrists and what they do can be found here https://healnowtherapyhypnosis.blogspot.com/2018/06/what-is-psychiatry.html. Psychiatrists are medically trained which means they are doctors who can also prescribe medications.
A psychotherapist is someone who carries out psychological talking therapies. Often they can be referred to as a 'therapist' or 'counsellor' which can lead to some of the misunderstandings in terminology. Examples of psychotherapy include Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Psychotherapy or Humanistic therapy (there are many different types!) with the therapist trained in their specialised field.
I hope this helps!
What is a therapist? The word therapist is defined by dictionary.com as 'a person skilled in a particular kind of therapy'.
So a therapist is non-specific, broad term that can apply to a number of different fields. You can have massage therapists, psychotherapists, sports therapists and so on.
Essentially a psychologist has earned a degree in psychology, enabling them to diagnose disorders in patients through focusing on thoughts, behaviours, feelings and emotions. Examples of psychologists include Animal, Child, Educational, Forensic Psychologists (there are many different types!)
My recent post outlining psychiatrists and what they do can be found here https://healnowtherapyhypnosis.blogspot.com/2018/06/what-is-psychiatry.html. Psychiatrists are medically trained which means they are doctors who can also prescribe medications.
A psychotherapist is someone who carries out psychological talking therapies. Often they can be referred to as a 'therapist' or 'counsellor' which can lead to some of the misunderstandings in terminology. Examples of psychotherapy include Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Psychotherapy or Humanistic therapy (there are many different types!) with the therapist trained in their specialised field.
I hope this helps!
Thursday, 5 July 2018
Neurokinex Neurological Activity Based Rehabilitation
This week I paid a visit to Neurokinex Gatwick UK. Please follow the link to their web page to find out more about the unique work they are doing.
Chosen as the first international NeuroRecovery Community Fitness and Wellness Affiliate of the Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation, Neurokinex provide pioneering neurological activity based rehabilitation for various forms of paralysis, which includes the recent 'Neurokinex-Kids', a unique program especially for the rehabilitation of children.
Many clients had been told they would never be able to perform certain physical activities again, such as being able to roll over or even regain use of their legs. Through using state of the art equipment brought over from the USA the brilliant staff at Neurokinex have achieved results far beyond expectations.
Chosen as the first international NeuroRecovery Community Fitness and Wellness Affiliate of the Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation, Neurokinex provide pioneering neurological activity based rehabilitation for various forms of paralysis, which includes the recent 'Neurokinex-Kids', a unique program especially for the rehabilitation of children.
Neurokinex rehabilitation focuses upon spinal cord injury, brain injury, stroke, transverse myelitis, multiple sclerosis and other such conditions that result in neuromuscular impairment.
Unlike more traditional approaches the Neurokinex rehabilitation and wellbeing programmes target the entire nervous and musculoskeletal systems rather than only the functional areas of the body. The programmes consist of a variety of weight-bearing activities, balance and stand training, gait and locomotor training, electrical stimulation, upper and lower body ergometry, vibration therapy and strength training. Task-specific exercises are carefully devised incorporating activities with skilled trainers and specialised rehabilitative equipment.
Sunday, 1 July 2018
Hypnotherapy and How it Can Affect Your Psychological Well-Being
Hypnotherapy and How it Can Affect Your Psychological Well-Being
We all want to achieve peace of mind, and we can try to achieve this through therapy. A good therapist is able to help you feel better about yourself, teach you how to cope with difficulties you’re facing or struggling through, and/or they may help you to make a plan to achieve your goals.
There are many types of therapy out there, as people cope in different mannerisms. One form of therapy may change one client’s life, while it may be less effective to another. In this post, we’ll look at hypnotherapy, one of the more unique forms of therapy out there.
What is the Difference Between Hypnosis and Hypnotherapy?
When you think of hypnosis, you may imagine it as it’s all-too-often portrayed in media: a hypnotist putting their patient to sleep by waving a pocket watch in front of their eyes. Once the patient is asleep, they hypnotist is able to guide and control them in their trance-like state. For example, the hypnotist may tell the patient that when they wake up, they will be transformed into a chicken. Then, at the hypnotist’s prompting, the patient wakes up and clucks and starts flapping their arms.
This example is of course an exaggeration of how hypnosis works. Hypnosis is the main tool that is used in hypnotherapy. Hypnosis as it relates to hypnotherapy does involve a hypnotherapist guiding a patient into a relaxed and focused state. Once they are in the state, they may be more open to suggestion and less inhibited. For example, if the patient comes in to learn how to control their anger, the therapist may suggest anger management techniques and how to utilize them when they are in this state. The idea is that when they ‘wake up’ from this state, they will be more prone to listening to the suggestions made regarding their anger management, and will be more able to act upon those techniques.
With all that said, what can hypnotherapy do for you? Is it all that it’s cracked up to be? Can it really change your psychological well-being?
What Hypnotherapy Can Treat
Here is a small list of conditions that hypnotherapy may be able to treat.
* Fears – If you want to conquer a fear (or two) that you may have, a hypnotherapist may help you learn to calm yourself in that situation through visualization. For example, a hypnotherapist may teach you to visualize walking down a staircase to one of your favorite calm and tranquil places, and taking in the sights around you. Whenever you are faced with your fear, you can recall this visualization to help you get through your fear – perhaps if you are afraid of flying, when you are waiting for takeoff, you can work through this visualization.
* Pain – a hypnotherapist may tell you that you are less sensitive to your pain than you realize, and this can help reduce your feelings of pain.
* Insomnia – in addition to instituting a healthy sleep-hygiene routine, hypnotherapy can decrease insomnia and other sleep-related disorders, including nightmares, night terrors, and sleepwalking.
* Addiction – hypnotherapy makes the practitioner more receptive to behavior modification suggestions, so you may be able to relieve some of the symptoms of withdrawal without having to resort to medication.
* Emotional issues – the simple relaxation that you may feel when undergoing hypnotherapy mya help alleviate feelings of sadness, depression, anxiety, or anger.
Hypnotherapy’s effectiveness is different for everyone, but there are patients that have been able to increase their well-being and live a better life, with the help of their therapist.
Finding a Hypnotherapist Near You
If you are interested in hypnotherapy and if it could work for you, do your due diligence in researching therapists that specialize in this type of therapy. Find someone that is properly trained, and is also licensed and credentialed. Who knows – this may be the technique that works for you and changes your life!
By Marie Miguel
Biography
Marie Miguel has been a writing and research expert for nearly a decade, covering a variety of health- related topics. Currently, she is contributing to the expansion and growth of a free online mental health resource with Better Help. With an interest and dedication to addressing stigmas associated with mental health, she continues to specifically target subjects related to anxiety and depression.
We all want to achieve peace of mind, and we can try to achieve this through therapy. A good therapist is able to help you feel better about yourself, teach you how to cope with difficulties you’re facing or struggling through, and/or they may help you to make a plan to achieve your goals.
There are many types of therapy out there, as people cope in different mannerisms. One form of therapy may change one client’s life, while it may be less effective to another. In this post, we’ll look at hypnotherapy, one of the more unique forms of therapy out there.
What is the Difference Between Hypnosis and Hypnotherapy?
When you think of hypnosis, you may imagine it as it’s all-too-often portrayed in media: a hypnotist putting their patient to sleep by waving a pocket watch in front of their eyes. Once the patient is asleep, they hypnotist is able to guide and control them in their trance-like state. For example, the hypnotist may tell the patient that when they wake up, they will be transformed into a chicken. Then, at the hypnotist’s prompting, the patient wakes up and clucks and starts flapping their arms.
This example is of course an exaggeration of how hypnosis works. Hypnosis is the main tool that is used in hypnotherapy. Hypnosis as it relates to hypnotherapy does involve a hypnotherapist guiding a patient into a relaxed and focused state. Once they are in the state, they may be more open to suggestion and less inhibited. For example, if the patient comes in to learn how to control their anger, the therapist may suggest anger management techniques and how to utilize them when they are in this state. The idea is that when they ‘wake up’ from this state, they will be more prone to listening to the suggestions made regarding their anger management, and will be more able to act upon those techniques.
With all that said, what can hypnotherapy do for you? Is it all that it’s cracked up to be? Can it really change your psychological well-being?
What Hypnotherapy Can Treat
Here is a small list of conditions that hypnotherapy may be able to treat.
* Fears – If you want to conquer a fear (or two) that you may have, a hypnotherapist may help you learn to calm yourself in that situation through visualization. For example, a hypnotherapist may teach you to visualize walking down a staircase to one of your favorite calm and tranquil places, and taking in the sights around you. Whenever you are faced with your fear, you can recall this visualization to help you get through your fear – perhaps if you are afraid of flying, when you are waiting for takeoff, you can work through this visualization.
* Pain – a hypnotherapist may tell you that you are less sensitive to your pain than you realize, and this can help reduce your feelings of pain.
* Insomnia – in addition to instituting a healthy sleep-hygiene routine, hypnotherapy can decrease insomnia and other sleep-related disorders, including nightmares, night terrors, and sleepwalking.
* Addiction – hypnotherapy makes the practitioner more receptive to behavior modification suggestions, so you may be able to relieve some of the symptoms of withdrawal without having to resort to medication.
* Emotional issues – the simple relaxation that you may feel when undergoing hypnotherapy mya help alleviate feelings of sadness, depression, anxiety, or anger.
Hypnotherapy’s effectiveness is different for everyone, but there are patients that have been able to increase their well-being and live a better life, with the help of their therapist.
Finding a Hypnotherapist Near You
If you are interested in hypnotherapy and if it could work for you, do your due diligence in researching therapists that specialize in this type of therapy. Find someone that is properly trained, and is also licensed and credentialed. Who knows – this may be the technique that works for you and changes your life!
By Marie Miguel
Biography
Marie Miguel has been a writing and research expert for nearly a decade, covering a variety of health- related topics. Currently, she is contributing to the expansion and growth of a free online mental health resource with Better Help. With an interest and dedication to addressing stigmas associated with mental health, she continues to specifically target subjects related to anxiety and depression.
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