Community Chat

[pegsue]

YES!  About 30 years ago when I was about 21-22 and just got married.  I suffered from panic/anxiety attacks quite frequently-it had gotten to be pretty bad...and I was so young and just starting a new life....I did not want to be like this and did not want to take medication. At the time I worked for a group of docs and had one of them refer me to someone to get hypnotized-I was afraid of getting a quack so I felt better if they referred me.  I went twice and I am so glad I went. 

Now, you have to absolutely be open to it, you have to want it to work and I was all about it!  He was a psychologist or psychiatrist and tape recorded on cassettes both of my sessions for me to bring home and to play them every now and then to strengthen the affect, or if I felt anxious.  I still have them and play them every now and again but it has been several years since I've needed to.  I still have them every now and again but I am much better.

[Bri21]

No.  I have no desire to be hypnotized either 

[RainCityWoman]

I've never been hypnotized, but a dear friend of mine recently lost 50 pounds through hypnosis and counseling. The organization that handles it, works with underlying factors and hypnosis to modify behavior. I also know someone who gave birth under hypnosis.

[Moonchilde]

I second the idea that meditation, guided imagery, etc are all forms of hypnosis, and effective as such. Years ago, I used to listen to subliminal relaxation and anti-anxiety tapes and some were very effective.

As a matter of fact, once a new device I have preordered is manufactured (I support on Kickstarter) I plan to use the apps they have planned for it, or separately purchased subliminal apps, again for several things.

If anyone is curious as to what I'm talking about, google Kokoon dot io. They hope it will be ready early summer. I funded a year ago, that's how exacting they're being about the manufacturing standards!

[Lindsays Grandma]

Yes, I had pain in the back of my right leg which doctors were not able to determine the cause and a trained doctor hypnotized me suggesting my right leg feels the same as my left leg.  It worked and he taught me to hypnotize myself suggesting the same thought but after a few times I became nervous, actually more afraid I wouldn't come out of it which later I was told I would have.  It would not have been a smart habit to get into because I would be masking a physical condition that required medical attention.  It was however a good thing to do periodically when the pain on a given day was more uncomfortble than on another day.

There was another incident prior to the above...a friend of mine owned a restaurant which my then husband  and I frequented often and sometimes we would stay until closing with other friends.  One such night there was a customer there who claimed to be able to hypnotize people and as the conversation went around and around I found myself agreeing to be hypnotized.

That was in the early sixties when I was still smoking and he suggested he could make me not want to smoke and by golly he did.  He told me that I would light a cigarette, take a drag and it would taste so bad that I would immediately put it out.  He also told me I would remember everything.  Well I lit the cigarette and it had such a horrible taste that I immediately put it out just like he said I would.

I agreed to one more...the resturant had a bar at which we were all sitting and at the end of it was a jukebox.  He suggested I would pick up a quarter and walk toward the juke box but when I would get to end of the bar my feet would be stuck on the floor and I would not be able to get to the juke box.  It worked like a charm.  I stood there and no matter how hard I tried I could not pick up my feet to go anywhere.

As I mentioned above I was told I would remember everything.  It was interesting to say the least but under different circumstances it could have been dangerous.  In this case it was not.

[CANDLEQUEEN]

I personally have not been, but I do know several women who wanted to quit smoking that went through it, and several of them did quit smoking, some went right back to it.........I do think a lot of it is in the thinking and how badly you want it whatever it is.....

[Karie2022]

I went to a hypnotist recently for weight loss...she couldn't hypnotize me, but I went along with it..don't know why...I guess I felt bad for her as she was trying real hard 

[Stormygirl]

I tried hypnosis twice but both times I wasnt able to be hypnotized. I wish it had worked so maybe some day I will try again? I wonder if there are folks who cannot be hypnotized or was I not open to it at the time. Interesting as I really need a safe form of additional pain management.

[Moonchilde]

@Stormygirl, there are certainly people who can't be hypnotized - but there are also people doing the hypnotizing who have varying degrees of expertise.

You might try seeking out an MD or someone who has had extensive training in hypnosis, with a lot of experience in hypnotizing a variety of people. It's possible an "expert" could do it. Worth a try, maybe.

[Stormygirl]

@Moonchilde indeed is worth another try and am motivated to give it another shot. Had an EMG last week and OMG the pain is aweful now. The diagnosis was devastating and scarey Severe polynueropathy and causalgia. I think they swatted a hornets nest and the hornets are stinging me. I think maybe hypnosis would be a safe and good adjunct to the spinal morphine pump I already have implanted (and had troubles with this year) I would try about anything right now for one nights painless rest I copied the website you posted earier. Is it something alternative treatment for anxiety? Of course pain illness goes hand in hand with anxiety and I could use some help in that area.