Hypnotherapy CD Question...

[Allycat659]

Hi all:

I recently ordered the whole "kit and caboodle" (book, CD's, all of the supplements) and listened to two of the CD's a few days ago. I haven't really started the program yet but plan on starting it this week. Anyway, I have always doubted the use of hypnosis and have considered myself "unhypnotisable" (if that's even a word!). When I was listening to the CD's, my mind kept wandering, and I kept thinking "geez, what does he mean go deeper? I'm not going anywhere!". Has anyone else had problems in this regard? Does it get "easier" after you've done it a few times? I really don't feel like I got anything out of either of the CD's because I couldn't just let go and I kept thinking about other things or I thought about the fact that it wasnt working. Any suggestions...?

Thanks so much!

[CS04]

Hypnotherapy CD Question...

Hi Allycat,
I wasn't able to "go deeper" either. A few times I did feel really relaxed, though, and a sense that I'm trying to do somethingright/take steps in the right direction. Many here have said similar things about the CDs; a few really like them. It is hard to let go, and I think timing is a big part of it -- don't do them when you know you have something to do immediately afterward, because then it is harder to concentrate. Perhaps also the routine of doing them fo 21-30 days might improve things; I did them off and on for about a month but not as consistently as I probably should have. I wouldn't worry that you aren't "getting it" though, unless I just didn't get it either!

[Allycat659]

Hypnotherapy CD Question...

Well drats...I just don't think I'll be able to quit drinking so much by just reading the book and taking the supplements. I was really hoping the hypnotherapy CD's would be the "magic secret" and that they'd work for me (in spite of the fact that I don't think I can be hynotised...). I was so encouraged when I read the first pages of the book where RJ and her friend both had such dramatic results after just ONE DAY of the CD's...Maybe I'll try again tonight once my kids have gone to bed. Another problem I had was that I kept getting interrupted by one of my cats meowing... )

Thanks for the reply!

[CS04]

Hypnotherapy CD Question...

I felt the same way, and was hoping for the magic change that RJ and Brenda seemed to undergo. Everyone here keps telling me that it is not any of those external things, but must come from within. The rest are all tools to get there. I am sorry if I am not offering much support here, but I do think that supps and new means of relaxation (other than AL) are at least healthier options. That said, I'm still struggling...... Trying the CDs in the evening might be a better option -- less distraction.

[Thankful]

Hypnotherapy CD Question...

Welcome Alleycat! Boy, you are serious with this routine! Good for you! A couple of things I want to mention to you.

Please don't underestimate the power that the book and supplements can have. Many people here have had success with these. Remember to incorporate a little bit of light exercise too. Even if it just walk in the morning or evening (whenever you can fit it in).

As far as the CDs go, I don't use the ones to quit drinking. I have the ones to motivate exercise. But I think the basics are similar in what I have heard others say about them. I too had trouble "getting deeper" in the beginning. What help me was not concentrating on my body or mind going deeper, but actually visualizing the process. I had to laugh when he says visualize that you are going down a flight of stairs, because I my head I would picture this and I was "visualizing" that I was at the end of the stairs long before he wanted me to be!! lol
But I was prepared for that the next time and simply visualized longer steps. I also see my elevator going below ground (going deeper) then still going down into the core of the earth (going deeper). However, when the doors open it opens to this underground grotto so to speak. (Stop laughing) hehehehe. Anyway, this grotto leads me out to the beautiful ocean sounds and the infamous hammock.

This may sound a but silly, but it has helped me. I believe the key to the hypnosis is the visions that you project. Don't over think the process. And you must not allow any interruptions.

My only problem is that I get too relaxed and I fall asleep and that I don't listen to them often enough! lol

Hope this helps. Best of luck to you.

Love, Me
:l

[Evie.Lou]

Hypnotherapy CD Question...

It is a matter of training your mind...Just like running a mental marathon...I teach a simple,effective meditation tool.First start rocking your body and focus your attention on your breath.close your eyes and imagine that you have a blackboard in front of you.write the number 1 on the blackboard with one hand and erase it with the other.keep going on to number 2 erase,3 erase until your mind wonders.....then STOP...What number did you get too???Maybe 6...Start over at number 1...As you practice you will be training your brain...Tapes are pretty useless unless you can focus...this teaches you to focus your mind...

[mwo2]

Hypnotherapy CD Question...

Thankful, LOL
I wasn't done deciding what my stairs looked like! Should I be on outside stairs, inside ones, maybe like Carol Burnett doing Scarlett O'Hara. Or back to outside like a medival castle. Anyway I just chose my house stairs and they were not near long enough, so I just kept going down the same one. My elevator is glass, my beach/island is more like a movie set. But my cloud oh it is pink and blue and so soft and safe.

I do like the CDs, I was hypnod along time ago on a stage(that was interesting. I also did alot of body/mind awareness in college when I was modern dancing. So I may be pre-disposed to it.

To you Alleycat659 I would say just keep listening to them( at least for a little while) and maybe your subconscious will take over for you. I didn't think I was hypnod when I was on stage and I was. It really is something that you do not think is happpening or real when you are there. Try no to get frustrated if your mind wanders, just go back to listening.

Even if you never actually get hypnod at least it is time that you spent with yourself, by yourself, doing something for yourself and I think we all need to be doing alot more of that!!

[river0123]

Hypnotherapy CD Question...

Oh, I have to admit, I love my CD's. I listen to them either right before sleep when I'm really tired and drift in and out of sleep (I think my brain is still getting it), or in the middle of the night (when I wake up - as many of you know sleeping can be a problem when going AF), or very early in the AM just prior to getting up for the day. I think that is when I am most relaxed and "zoning" anyway.
I wrote on on a thread this morning that in the beginning, I was almost a little pissed at the guy talking, when he was saying I know longer crave alcohol, that alcohol is "beneath" me (I have the abstinence CD's). I was thinking "You Jerk!. I hate you!". But now I think "Yeah, I know, tell me something I don't know...". I think it's getting through, as I really do remember the affirmations throughout the day.
So...suggestion is to pick a very quiet time when you are most relaxed anyway...
I have been listening to them for three weeks now, getting a little bored with them so may order some different ones - any suggestions, anyone?
Best to all, River

[Allycat659]

Hypnotherapy CD Question...

Well thank you all for the great advice! Thankful, I can SOOOO relate about the steps the first time I listened to the tapes because I was envisioning the steps to my fave beach (had to go down the flight a few times...LOL). But when he then said I was getting on an elevator (or was it an escalator...?) I was like "what the hell...? I'm standing in the SAND watching the waves! Where am I gonna find a freaking elevator here????" :H. Anyway, I suppose now that I sort of know what he's going to tell me to do, I can work it better. We shall see...

Evielou, thank YOU for the meditation tool! I will try that but need just a TAD more info. When you say write the number and erase it with the other hand, am I to continue doing that until my mind starts to think of something else and when that happens, start over? If so, is the goal to be able to concentrate long enough to be able to "write" and "erase" the numbers for quite some time? Sorry - I'm really lame at meditation, hypnosis, etc (my mind is far too practical and logical and I just question everything...). Anyway, I GREATLY appreciate the exercise tip and once I think I know what to do, I will most certainly give it a whirl.


MWO2 - thank you for your input as well. I have to admit after the first time I listened to the CD's, while I don't think anything "sunk in" I felt really happy and positive (which I normally do anyway, but it was like an "extra" happy feeling) so perhaps, unbeknownst to myself, I am getting something out of the CD's.

River - I don't have the abs CD's, and honestly, I think I fell asleep when he got to the "affirmations" part of the CD's I do have so I don't even know what he says in mine. If he tells me alcohol is "beneath" me though, I'm sure my mind will immediately run back to this thread and I'll think of you and say "River was right - this guys an a-hole!" LOL!

Thanks again to all of you for your input!!! I shall try it again (and again, and again...) and hopefully I'll start being able to get something out of the CD's.

[Allycat659]

Hypnotherapy CD Question...

Well thank you all for the great advice! Thankful, I can SOOOO relate about the "stairs". The first time I listened to the CD I was envisioning the steps to my fave beach (had to go down the flight a few times...LOL). But when he then said I was getting on an elevator (or was it an escalator...?) I was like "what the hell...? I'm standing in the SAND watching the waves! Where am I gonna find a freaking elevator here????" :H. Anyway, I suppose now that I sort of know what he's going to tell me to do, I can work it better. We shall see...

Evielou, thank YOU for the meditation tool! I will try that but need just a TAD more info. When you say write the number and erase it with the other hand, am I to continue doing that until my mind starts to think of something else and when that happens, start over? If so, is the goal to be able to concentrate long enough to be able to "write" and "erase" the numbers for quite some time? Sorry - I'm really lame at meditation, hypnosis, etc (my mind is far too practical and logical and I just question everything...). Anyway, I GREATLY appreciate the exercise tip and once I think I know what to do, I will most certainly give it a whirl.


MWO2 - thank you for your input as well. I have to admit after the first time I listened to the CD's, while I don't think anything "sunk in" I felt really happy and positive (which I normally do anyway, but it was like an "extra" happy feeling) so perhaps, unbeknownst to me, I am getting something out of the CD's.

River - I don't have the abs CD's, and honestly, I think I fell asleep when he got to the "affirmations" part of the CD's I do have so I don't even know what he says in mine. If he tells me alcohol is "beneath" me though, I'm sure my mind will immediately run back to this thread and I'll think of you and say "River was right - this guys an a-hole!" LOL!

Thanks again to all of you for your input!!! I shall try it again (and again, and again...) and hopefully I'll start being able to get something out of the CD's.

[mwo2]

Hypnotherapy CD Question...

Allycat, The visual of you being on the beach yelling looking for an elevator, the movie in my head will keep me laughing all day. The way you wrote that for some reason played out in my head. LTIP

[Evie.Lou]

Hypnotherapy CD Question...

Your goal is to be able to focus your mind longer and longer...the writing and earsing numbers is a way for you to track your progress so you don't get discouraged.Many people think that meditation is tuning out when what it really is much more tuning in to the qiite mind...Then using tapes to reprogram your thoughts to what you want....

[vera-b]

Hypnotherapy CD Question...

Alleycat,

I tried to respond last night, but got so distracted (husband was laughing away at a South Park episode) that I took too long and got bumped off! Anyway, good for you for giving the cd's another go. I'm on the third week of listening to them, and have felt them working.

A friend of mine went for a hypnosis session and thought it just wasn't working the whole time - she was too concious. Turns out it worked fabulously and was quite comforting to her. So, when I started, I figured that what I was really doing was retraining my thinking about booze, and it was going to work even if it didn't feel like it. I did make sure I didn't miss a session, and came to truly look forward to reading posts while the subliminal cd plays through the headphones. I think the cd's work on the mind while the meds and supps work on the physical body. I needed both - had tried meds only, but found my old habits came back with a vengeance. So, stick with it. Let us know how you're doing.

V.

p.s. Isn't it a scream that we all have different ideas about those stairs! I see myself going down a curved staircase making a grand entrance at a ball, only to be told that I have to go "deeper." I never get to the party!

[SunDaisy]

Hypnotherapy CD Question...

I'm totally laughing, Allycat, because I was on that same beach looking for that freaking escalator. After a coupla weeks I found the right beach.

Who knew?

LOL

Keep on looking.... It's over here....


SunDaisy