My Hypnotherapy Experience

[mikeupnorth]

My Hypnotherapy Experience

P.S. Lush -- I wouldn't take the word of a hypnotist at a fair about whether you are hypnotizable or not. They did such a quick assessment that it's not a fair judgment of you. If you're really interested in trying it, you should see a hypnotherapist in a clinical setting and they will work with you. I think everyone is hypnotizable -- it's just that some are more susceptable than others! And in the public setting of a fair, the possibility of being on stage (literally) etc. who knows -- you just weren't hypnotizable in that setting. I don't think I would be either.

My next appointment is November 1.

Mike

[Mackeral]

My Hypnotherapy Experience

Looking forward to hearing about it Mike..

[Rach]

My Hypnotherapy Experience

Hi Mike

I started hypnotherapy two weeks ago and like you I remained seated but in a very relaxed state. My I had discussed issues in two previous sessions that my have triggered my need to accelerate my drinking, so she had some understanding of where I was coming from.

I was sceptical that I could be drawn into a state of calm/trust, but during the experience she enlightened me to the fact that I am strong, confident, intelegent and can believe in my self.

I would encourage anyone who wishes to look outside the box to find a therapist that you feel confortable with and give it a go.

Although I will continue my journey with the therapist I hope I have killed the last (pardon the pun) china man.

In the past 4 days, (no alcohol (innicially) or drugs) I have smashed my car, my poodle dog had to have his leg amputated, ( he was kicked by a horse) am now seeing a specialist for suspected breast cancer, and guess what........I am trying despartely not to drink too much.

I cant get into to see my hypnotherapist until next week so hopefully things will be rosier.

Rachxx

[Ivygoodluck]

My Hypnotherapy Experience

I love this possibility

Mike, I have been thinking about this for a while. Please keep us updated! Thanks.

Janet, that is an amazing story. I am inspired.

Ivy

[lushy]

My Hypnotherapy Experience

You are right Mike. I am going to look into it.

Rach, please keep coming around here for support. You sound like you are going through BEYOND a rough time. We are here to listen. Stay strong!!!!

[Dar]

My Hypnotherapy Experience

Gad Zucks

Hi everyone,

Haven't heard from you for a while Mike Up North. Hey Rach, I hope you will let us know about your hypnotherapy, once you finally get into sessions. I am very curious to see if we are all having much the same experiences with it. I have been sober for almost a week now, still smoking but significantly less. At first I thought it would be nice to be someone who drinks with moderation, but I don't know if I can do that without getting out of control again. At this point, not willing to test it, just glad to go to work every morning without a hangover. Toodles, and chat to you all soon.

[Ivygoodluck]

My Hypnotherapy Experience

So, Mike, how's it going? I'm dying to know if the hypnosis works!

All the best,

Ivy

[Ivygoodluck]

My Hypnotherapy Experience

Gad, did you do hypo too?

And what about Rach?

Ivy

[TracyA]

My Hypnotherapy Experience

I'm waiting with baited breath too.

[Ivygoodluck]

My Hypnotherapy Experience

How did the hypno work?

Mijke and Gad,

I'm dying to know how the hypno worked for you? Can you give us and update?

Thanks,

Ivy

[Ezra Pound Dog]

My Hypnotherapy Experience

Hey to Jerry bear,
you have to talk to your self. as if you were another person. there are lots of site on the internet , different things work for different people. you don't necessarily have to detox at your hospital. Go to Betty ford or anything like that, go tp a hypnotherapist, go to acupunture, go to AA. look at the site rational recovery. go to another town to detox, take sick leave. I went to my GP and got valium for the first few days of not drinking then went on to naltrexone, but i probably dont have the same kind of addiction that you do. but try it all, even if you have to spend your last dime. you have to change the way your brain thinks YOU have to do it. enough of the anger towards others, everyone here has gone through the same thing.
Ez

[mikeupnorth]

My Hypnotherapy Experience

Hi all,

Someone wanted to know how I found my hypnotherapist, or tips on what was important about finding one, so I thought I'd update and post something here about that.

My hypnotherapist was recommended to me by my doctor, and both are knowledgeable about alcoholism and addiction. I guess I'm lucky in that regard to be working with "specialists" so to speak. As for the therapist himself, I wasn't IMMEDIATELY drawn to him or 100% comfortable with him; I'd say it took the entire first session just to sort of break the ice. I was a little nervous the first time. But after that I have gotten progressively more comfortable with him and now I quite look forward to the visits.

It has helped me to know that my guy had his own struggle with alcohol a long time ago, so he has been through what I'm going through, and he's sober 31 years now. It helps, but that may be hard to find, so I wouldn't say it's necessary. I think one thing that's necessary is that you have to find someone you can get comfortable with and trust -- if not immediately, at least within a short period of time. If you can't get comfortable and relaxed and trust the person, you won't be able to "let go" enough for the hypno to work.

Also, I would say not to have too high an expectation of what the hypno should be or what it should feel like. Sometimes it just feels like I have sat there and listened to him with my eyes closed and I wonder if anything else has happened.... and that's ok. I just trust that it's working because the way I think about things is changing... So whatever it feels like is what it's supposed to feel like.

Anyway, good luck to you with your hypno CD's or your private hypnotherapist, or meditation or whatever you do... they are all very powerful tools to use in changing the way we think.

~ Mike

[Lashly]

My Hypnotherapy Experience

"eskalator"

Funny - "eskalator".. I thought it was just me being picky.
Yeah, I fall asleep during the tapes; my husband snores; or the dogs bark and then I feel like the 30 minutes I spend getting into the tapes are wasted.

[sami]

My Hypnotherapy Experience

My experiences with hypnotism: love it! I love the tapes....even though the speaker does have a quirky way of pronouncing escalator. (BUt don't we all have our quirky pronounciations!) I so firmly believe in the power of rewiring our brain, and that's what hypnotism does. Yes, it can feel like wasted time when something interrupts right when we are going "deeper. now deeper." My husband made the fatal error of bringing me the phone once when I had been in a really foul mood and had desperately needed my hpyno c.d.'s and was just starting to relax and feel better. I almost moved into the guest bedroom that evening. Wasn't one of my finer moments. :blush::blush: (why does it just say "blush"...I was trying to get the cute little blushing icon...i have so much to learn...about sobriety...icons, etc!) Anyway, the tapes are working great for me AND I have a story to tell on visiting a real hypnotist in person

About eight years ago (even before my drinking days) I had a horrible phobia of speaking in public. Couldn't even give my name at a tupperware party without a quivering voice and shaking neck. Then at work I won a somewhat prestigious award which required a speaking engagement. Not huge, but a short speech in front of about 250 people. Talk about panic! I was ready to quit my job and move out of state! Long story short---looked up a hypnotist in a phone book, visited him one time, explained the specific issue, including in detail how I typically reacted and how I wanted to react (the visualization of how we WANT to be). He then "hypnotized" me. No, I never really felt "hynotized." I was always fully aware of what was going on. I feel fare more "hypnotized" with the tapes in the privacy of my own home now. Anyway, he had me visualize a huge t.v. screen with a picture of me giving a speech the way I would typically react---the phobic me. Then slowly he had me visualize static moving across the screen and that image was being replaced with the confident, articulate speaker I wanted to be. That's the reader's digest version. Other than he sent me home with some affirmations that reinforced what we had done and had me meditate on them nightly for three weeks before the speaking engagement.
And, to be honest, I also asked my doctor to prescribe a beta blocker to help with the "fight or flight" syndrome. But I truly don't think that did much. I think it was re-wiring the brain.
Guess what? I was awesome! I now have a job that requires public speaking on a fairly regular basis. I'm not awesome now b/c I don't prepare as much (sigh) but at least I don't freak out.
So, there's my story. Guess it wasn't so short after all. LOL.

[rivergirl]

My Hypnotherapy Experience

Great story Sami! I am with you 100% on loving the CDs. I don't care if some words sound weird. I truly believe they are truly working for me, rewiring or reprogramming, A funny thing happened last night. Do you know how he relaxes you on one track and then say you will wake up in the count of three on the end of that track - and then you go back to relaxing on the second track in the count of 20? I fell completely asleep soon into the 1st track - but I woke wide awake suddenly and didn't know why - then I heard the CD starting on the 2nd track and knew that my brain was paying attention to the voice even though I thought I was sound asleep. I thought that was exciting -At 37 days AF and not struggling - something has to be helping me.
Rivergirl