How to quit smoking or lose weight? "In hypnosis we can work with unwanted habits that we cannot consciously break," explains the hypnotherapist
You don't have to believe in hypnosis for it to work on you. It works with the subconscious mind
You come into the hypnotherapist's office, where you lie down on the couch and fall asleep to the monotonous chanting of "your eyelids are slipping, they're getting heavier and heavier...". When you wake up, you don't know anything that's happened. And it doesn't matter if you screamed in anger, revealed the code to the safe where you have stored your million-dollar inheritance, or described how you became a victim of a crime... This is exactly what movie scenes dedicated to hypnosis look like. Because of them, most of us have very distorted ideas of what hypnosis looks like and how we can actually use it to our advantage.
Hypnosis is a specific state of mind that everyone experiences in a mild form. For example, when we are driving a car and are completely absorbed in thoughts of something else and suddenly notice that we are a few miles away without remembering the road. Research has confirmed that under hypnosis, a person is in an altered state of consciousness. He or she can detach from external reality and experience dual perception: both fully concentrating on a particular thought and at the same time, for example, going back in memory.
"Hypnotherapy acts directly on the subconscious mind, causing calming and overall relaxation. Thus, it reduces stress both internal and external. In hypnosis, we work with undesirable habits that we are aware of but cannot break with our conscious mind," explains Jan Šverma, chairman of the Czech Association of Hypnotherapists. The subconscious mind does not distinguish what is good and bad for us, it works automatically on the basis of experienced events. And thanks to this, the hypnotherapist can work with it.
And so the range of hypnotherapists is really wide. In addition to stress relief and calming, hypnosis is said to be useful for smoking cessation, weight loss, sleep disorders or overcoming various phobias. Jan Šverma recommends that you choose carefully who you entrust your care to. It should always be a certified hypnotherapist and there should be a mutual sympathy between you. And how does hypnotherapy work?
"During the first session, we will discuss what is bothering the client, what their problem is, or what they want to change in their life for their benefit. We will then explain what hypnotherapy is and how it works, as there are many preconceptions and myths around hypnosis, and agree on the way forward. In a room called the hypnotarium the client will make themselves as comfortable as they are comfortable, in a relaxed state I will set the subconscious mind to start working in their favour and get used to my voice, this will also establish the client's hypnobility. In the next session I will prepare specific hypnotic suggestions for the subconscious (suggestions), tailored to the client so that they have the strongest possible effect on him," describes Šverma.
Will it really work? And what if I don't wake up?
According to Šverma,hypnotherapy is suitable for everyone. In the hands of a qualified therapist, it is a safe method that carries no risks. The fear that you may not wake up is one of the myths that hypnotherapists debunk. "I've heard exactly that many times. So I tell people: you are not asleep, you are in a deep state of relaxation. It's an altered state of consciousness. It's a pleasant, blissful state. In all the time I've been practicing, I've never had a client who was uncomfortable. On the contrary. Most say: I didn't want to go back!", adds Šverma.
But psychologist Iva Hadj Mousa warns, "Hypnosis is definitely not for everyone. More sensitive people or people with rich imaginations may be more prone to deeper immersion in hypnosis, which can lead to dissociative states in some cases. Also, those with anxiety disorders may respond to hypnosis in different ways. For some, this method can cause unpleasant feelings of loss of control. This can be particularly problematic for those with anxiety disorders, who may react unpredictably to hypnosis - for some it will bring relief, while for others it will cause uncomfortable feelings." Iva Hadj Moussa therefore recommends choosing only experienced professionals who can detect whether undergoing hypnosis would be more harmful than helpful.
Once I undergo hypnosis, will I get rid of stress or stop smoking?
Can it really be that simple? Undergo one hypnotherapy session and the stress is gone, or any of the habits, fears or worries? "Hypnosis is a scientifically based method and in recent years has become an increasingly popular method and complement to psychotherapy, both because of its gentleness and the speed of the results," says Jan Šverma. He adds that hypnosis actually helps with a wide range of problems such as stress, sleep disorders, personal and professional burnout, addictions, bad habits or relationship problems. But that doesn't mean we can rely on it completely and trust that it will solve everything.
"I would rather recommend seeing hypnosis as an adjunct to therapy. It can be a useful way to relieve stress and achieve inner balance, but I don't consider it to be a salutary solution to all problems. It is a means of deep relaxation, helping to work with unconscious patterns of behaviour. If a person is struggling with deeper emotional or psychological difficulties, it is also important to focus on working with the causes of these conditions, not just on removing their manifestations," summarises Iva Hadj Moussa.
So yes, hypnosis can indeed be one means of achieving the desired inner balance, but certainly not the only one. Interest in hypnosis has been on the rise in recent years. Hectic and uncertain times are becoming more and more of a psychological burden, and Jan Šverma points out that young people under the age of thirty are a particularly vulnerable group.
