hypnosis v hypnotherapy?

[janeyo]

Needing to pick brains again

I had hypnotherapy for a phobia, didn't really work but the chap kept telling me I was really in the zone?! I just thought I was sitting there wondering what he was going to say next lol. I did feel very uncomfortable with it but that could have been just the practicioner.

Am thinking of trying hypnosis for weight loss (I have plateaued (sp?)on my own), to help with cravings.

Had anyone had hypnosis? Any good? Thanks

[Jeanied]

I had hypnosis to stop smoking and although it didn't work totally at the time, it seemed to be still there in the back of my mind when I really did stop.
Now if I could just get back in the zone again and lose a bit more weight...

[Glutton4...]

Nope. But if it works let me know!

Had several friends who've tried it to help give up Smoking. It worked each time, but only temporarily. There's a hypnotist/hypnotherapist around here (so I've been told) who gives follow-up visits for free if it hasn't worked. They do charge a fair bit though.

[janeyo]

My mum had hypnotherapy for stoping smoking and it works, she never even had a craving in 6 years. Ma-in-law saw the same chap and has had constant craving since although she did stop too.

I want hypnosis this time, but not sure if it works on you if don't react to hypnotherapy. I don't want my mind to suggest the thoughts as it has a will of its own, I want the expert to put them in my head for me

[Jeanied]

Janeyo I'm not sure of the distinction between the two. My hypnotist saw me for a few sessions and taught me to self- hypnotise to keep up the motivation. This is what I thought was hypnotherapy.
Being in a hypnotic state is not the same for everyone - some people can go with the flow a lot more than others. Some people feel it is just a relaxed state. The important part is how far you relate to your hypnotist and trust what they are suggesting for you. If you find yourself resisting what they are saying to you then they are not the right person for you.

[janeyo]

ah!
I am thinking that hypnosis is like the ones you see on the stage - ie in a sort of trance. Hypnotherapy is less deep? Maybe there is no distinction, only in my head lol.
I will go look it up some more, maybe I am unhypnotisable

[Jeanied]

Janeyo my late OH reckoned he was unhypnotisable - absolutely adamant he was - until the therapist got working on him!
Stage hypnotism is a mile away from hypnotherapy.

[Pumpkin Becki]

I've had both for my fear of the dentist.

I tried hypnosis first, but found it to be quite a 'surface' treatment. It gave me phrases to repeat to myself during any dentistry treatment - almost, something else to focus on rather than the thing happening to me. It didn't work for me.

Then several years later I tried Hypnotherapy with a Hypnotherapist who is also a Congnative and Reiki therapist. She used a combination of all three techniques with me, and we discovered that my fear of the dentist was linked to another (completely unrelated) event in my life. We got so deep into my fear and where it came from and dealt with it in various ways, that I even had Root Canal surgery, smiled at the end of it and said to my dentist 'Well, that was better than a Maths exam!'

In fairness, I suspect a lot of it is down to the quality of the therapist. I cannot fault mine, she's wonderful, and would always rate hypnotherapy above hypnosis based on my own experiences.

[annacruachan]

Perhaps I can help to clear up the muddle. I am a registered hypnotherapist, though I have not practised for a few years now.

Hypnosis is hypnosis; it can be light or deep or somewhere in between. We all experience it to some level; just think of the number of times you have been driving and suddenly realise that you have driven several miles, and through traffic lights and so on, and have no recollection of having done so. You have been in a trance state. You are in a trance state before you drop off to sleep and also when you wake naturally - not with the shrieking of the alarm clock! You are in a trance state when you are day dreaming.

A hypnotherapist is a psychotherapist who uses hypnosis as a tool to access the factors which are causing problems for the client. It is a very powerful tool and much quicker than psychotherapy.

Not everyone can be hypnotised, but in fact many people who think that they would not succumb are very suggestible. You agree to be hypnotised, usually because your problem is affecting your day to day life past the point that it is manageable. After all, you really have to be in a bad state to let someone muck about with your mind!

Using a hypnosis tape or cd can certainly help to reinforce ideas and beliefs about avoiding smoking or overeating but it is not a cure-all. If you have deep-seated beliefs about these matters that counter your current wishes they need to be brought to the surface and dealt with properly. This will only happen with the help of a qualified therapist. It is not an easy way out.

The expense needs to be set against your improved quality of life. With smoking it is easy to assess your previous expenditure on cigarettes and compare it with what your therapy has cost you. Other problems are not as easily assessed.

I hope this helps.

[Patchninja]

Can't help you with the hypnotherapy, but perhaps with weight loss. I had plateaud too and talked to the lady at the gym about what I eat and she says I wasn't eating enough or drinking enough water. So, to remedy the situation, breakfast is a banana followed by a smoothie made with I mandarin and a kiwi and a 0 % fat yoghurt.
Lunch, a HUGE plateful of crudités - beetroot, grated carrot, green salad, toms etc. No vinaigrette, but a TBLS of 3% crème fraiche mixed with loads of chives, salt and pepper. Slice of lean ham or grilled turkey steak. Another smoothie but fruit only.
Snack if needed at 4pm - yogurt or slice of wholemeal bread. I can get 15% butter here.
Dinner pretty well what you want but it must include a HUGE amount of veggies, a little lean meat and a small amount of starch.
A litre and a half of water.
And exercise. It's got me going! Good luck.