Friday, November 29, 2013

Learn How to Hypnotize


Learn How to Hypnotize

by Steve G. Jones

As the therapy of hypnosis becomes more and more popular throughout the USA today, many Americans are interested in becoming hypnotists themselves. The first and always most recommended way to begin this process are to find an experienced hypnotist to study under. Of course this is easier said than done but if you can find a hypnotist willing to take the time to teach you their skills and the principles of hypnosis this is by far the best way to begin. They can teach you the "tricks of the trade" and do what they can to help you become a successful and effective hypnotist through their professional guidance.

Any professional hypnotist will tell you that if you have someone who wishes to be hypnotized or you have someone specific in mind, there are those out there who cannot be hypnotized. Generally these types of people are previously sceptical of hypnosis therapy and therefore their mind blocks any attempt to break through the subconscious mind. Also as someone new to the world of hypnosis it is important to understand that you cannot simply try to hypnotize someone without their knowledge or against their will. The mind is a powerful tool and as a hypnotist you will learn to use the mind in your favour.

A simple test that hypnotists have been using for centuries to see just how suggestible a patient is before the therapy begins is to have them roll their eyes as far up and down as they can. The less color you can see and the larger the white area suggests that they will be easy to hypnotize and vice a versa. The environment you choose to conduct the hypnosis therapy is essential in order to make sure everything works properly and as successfully as possible. You need to find a calm, safe and quiet atmosphere that your patients can find relaxing and inviting.

The ultimate goal when you are trying to hypnotize someone is to bring them to a superior relaxation state. This means that they are so relaxed that they no longer recognize or acknowledge their surroundings. You want their focus to be strictly on you and what you are telling them to do. If you can get a person to this state through environmental settings and your tone of voice then you are on the right track.

In order to really learn the basics of hypnosis you should consider taking seminars and training programs in order to make sure that you are on the wrong track. There are many out there today who call themselves hypnotists but do not fully have a grasp on what this age old therapy is based on, without this information successful hypnosis is nearly impossible.

Look around this website and check out our learning resources to help you develop and fully understand the basics of hypnosis. Through audio recordings and MP3 tracks you can learn what age old teachers of hypnosis have been trying to teach us for centuries. This is a small investment in order to reach new levels within our mind to accomplish much more than we could without this simple and natural therapy.

Give Birth Naturally with Hypnosis

Give Birth Naturally with Hypnosis
by Steve G. Jones

When it comes to child birth today we have spent so much time focussing on just how much pain the woman will have to endure that we no longer even consider the possibility of natural child birth. Only recently has a new form of natural child birth been introduced called hypnobirthing. This of course is the use of self hypnosis to assist in the birthing process. As you may already know when you choose to use medications during the birth in order to relieve some of the pain, what is affecting you is also affecting the baby. When you think about it in these terms you may want to consider the possibility of what hypnobirthing can do for you.

Whether you choose to utilize the powers of an epidural or a Demerol, each of these drugs can cause complications within the birth and side effects for the mother and child. This is why so many new mothers are considering the benefits of natural child birth and beginning to understand that although we have been traumatized from the media with their images of the severe pain associated with child birth it does not have to be this way. The main reasons mothers undergo a great deal of pain throughout the birthing process is because of fear and tension, this is where self hypnosis is useful.

During these moments throughout the birthing process you will want to alter your state of mind through self hypnosis in order to reduce the pain. We all expect to be attacked by radiating waves of pain that will leave us helpless and out of energy and this may be why it happens; the power of the mind can do many things. If as a new mother you can successfully utilize the principles of self hypnosis in order to take you to an altered state of mind you will be able to take this severe pain and turn it into a mere feeling of pressure as you push the baby out.

Self hypnosis relaxes your body and this type of relaxation is essential to help the muscles of the uterus push the baby out successfully. There is a great deal of talk today about going green and utilizing more natural forms of life on a daily basis and this is the best place to start. As a new mother it is no doubt scary to even consider this possibility with all you have read and heard about the birthing process. During your pregnancy if you are able to visit a hypnotist and learn about the principles of self hypnosis you will be able to tackle the birthing process head on with no fear.

Hypnosis classes, audio tapes and professional teachers are out there today waiting to teach you the skills you need to handle the pain of child birth and allow you to be present during the birth. So many mothers are thankful they took the drugs for the pain but they regret not really being present during the birth and this is something you can avoid. You and your child will be able to go through the birthing process without feeling groggy and as the mother you will not have to push for the delivery to be a success your uterus muscles can do the work for you once they are relaxed.

Look around the website to see what we have to offer in regards to self hypnosis. Make sure to give yourself enough time to learn the principles before your pregnancy comes to an end so you can be confident in your new found skills.

History of Hypnosis

History of Hypnosis
by Steve G. Jones

Before the 15th century our ancestors believed that any form of disease or ailment was a punishment sent down from the gods. Whether we are discussing the Greeks, Egyptians or Babylonians, their beliefs were the same in this aspect of life; this is where hypnosis came to be. Hypnosis is named after the Greek word for sleep, hypos. Although it is important to note here that hypnosis is very different from sleep. In the past different cultures and area of the world referred to the healing process of hypnosis by different names and used it differently. Some cultures used the beating of drums and chanting in order to seduce the mind into a higher state of consciousness but today it is much different.

Dr. Franz Anton Mesmer was one of the first physicians from Switzerland to become famous based on his use and understanding of hypnosis and how to use it beneficially. His work began in the 1700s and he was more than likely the first hypnotist to be revealed to the world although the medical community of the time would not acknowledge his work or his progress. From here the progressions of this new age form of healing continued to progress through different predecessors and aspiring hypnotists throughout the world. As you can imagine a great deal of controversy surrounds the history of hypnosis because of its complete opposite beliefs and teachings of what the up and coming Western medicine was trying to convey.

Historians today argue that the origins of hypnosis must have come from the Hindus of ancient India because of the sleep temples that can be found throughout the country and their recorded history. People of this culture who were taken sick were brought to these sleep temples to be cured by hypnotic suggestion. Today it is widely understood and believed that hypnosis is quite different than sleep but it is hard to believe just what a great understanding our ancestors did have on the concept of hypnosis at the time.

Today we have evolved this concept into something that many people can understand and use on a daily basis without the use of a sleep temple. Although there is still a great deal of controversy surrounding the topic of hypnosis today people have a more open mind to accept these types of new ideas. Alternative forms of medicine and healing treatments are becoming to come back into the picture today. When Western medicine was introduced to the world it did not take long for the natural way of healing to disappear into history but today we are again beginning to realize its true potential.

Hypnosis is simply another form of natural healing whether you choose to use it throughout your day to help control your stress, anger or anxiety or it is needed to help with pain control and more serious aspects of life its uses are unlimited. BetterLivingwithHypnosis.com is one of the best hypnosis companies that can be found online today. Here you can find audio sessions and teachings that can help anyone take the processes of our ancestors and utilize it daily to help improve the quality of your life.

Discover what hypnosis can do for you; after all it has been used for centuries for healing and so much more!

Build Self Confidence with Hypnosis

Build Self Confidence with Hypnosis

Self confidence is something millions of Americans struggle with today, whether they have reached a level to admit it to themselves yet or not. These types of problems can deeply affect a person's day to day lives in more ways than one. Without proper levels of self esteem and confidence you may be living a more restricted type of life than what was meant for you. Often times the lack of confidence may lead you to avoid certain activities, situations and social events that could enrich your life if you were to take part in them regularly. Life is all about new experiences and adventures of many different kinds and hypnosis can help boost your confidence and esteem to help you enjoy life the way you were meant to.

Some of the situations and emotions you may have passed on in the past may include:

- Dating
- Fear of commitment
- Fear of rejection
- Social phobia
- Nervous in interview situations
- Fear of public speaking

Although some of these situations are common for many people, the root of this fear is always self confidence and self esteem issues. Everyone has the abilities to perform these tasks but the main problem is that you are often not confident enough to implement these skills to see results you really want. The most common form of hypnosis in order to boost your confidence levels and make you into a person who thrives off their skills and talents instead of fearing them is of course hypnosis tapes and MP3s.

BetterLivingwithHypnosis.com is one of the most popular websites online today which offers successful confidence building audio sessions to help you take your fears and put them behind you for good. The problem with self confidence and self esteem is that often times your subconscious mind holds so many beliefs and factors regarding yourself that it can be hard to break them in order to change your entire way of thinking, permanently. By choosing to listen to these audio tapes, any time of day you have a chance you are actively taking control of your problems and slowly changing them for the better.

The core of your inner strength has always been your subconscious mind and hypnosis is the only successful method to reach this area of the brain and quite literally change the way it thinks and sees you as a person. With this change in place, it is more than possible to experience higher levels of confidence that can allow you to go after that dream job, ask that man/woman out on a date and do all the things you have dreamt of doing without a single spec of fear!

The Truth About Hypnosis

The Truth About Hypnosis
by Steve G. Jones

Hypnosis is a form of healing and alternative remedy that our society has turned into the art of entertainment instead of using it for its true powers and abilities. Today, more and more people are beginning to learn that hypnosis is more than a nightly stage show, but something that can quite literally change their lives. Hypnosis can be done alone or you can choose to work with a hypnotist during your first few sessions in order to learn the principles to get started. This is an art that can be used in hundreds of different ways throughout your life and best of all you can use it anytime throughout the day, whenever you need it.

Let's go through some of the benefits of hypnosis:

� Relieve stress and anxiety
� Help you quit smoking or another addiction
� Create a better nights sleep
� Reduce the amount of pain in your life (chronic or not)
� Provide you with a general sense of well being
� Create a new level of energy in your day
� Eliminate negative feelings or phobias

This is nothing less than an introduction to what hypnosis can do for your life when used correctly on a regular and constant basis. Now, just as with anything on the market today, although the art of hypnosis is anything but new, to our society it is new. This means that you will find people who claim to be hypnotists who are not and hypnotist tapes and programs that are not legitimate. As a beginner in the world of hypnosis it can be hard to tell the difference between a scam and the real thing but as you begin to learn the principles for yourself from one source or another you will be able to spot these scams a mile away!

BetterLivingwithHypnosis.com is one company online you can be sure offers top of the line and legitimate products to help you reap the benefits of hypnosis without paying for a professional hypnotist. From this website you will find a large variety of products such as how to use hypnosis to achieve wealth, stop gambling, lose weight, gain motivation and confidence, control spending habits, boost your immune system and so much more. These can be purchased through MP3s or CDs and are a great tool for anyone looking to change their life naturally and permanently. Check out www.betterlivingwithhypnosis.com today and begin your new, healthy lifestyle. 

Alternative to Chronic Pain Management

Alternative to Chronic Pain Management

                                                                                                                   by Steve G. Jones

Millions of people throughout the USA suffer from chronic pain in one form or another that cannot be treated and is hard to maintain. Whether you are suffering from a severe form of arthritis or simply pain that cannot be explained or defined, hypnosis is quickly becoming an effective alternative to treat this type of non-stop pain. Although for many people, hypnosis is something they have never even considered. The longer you continue to suffer the more likely you are going to try something different, something you may have never tried before. 

Learning how to use the power of hypnosis properly can greatly relieve your pain and help you control it on a more subconscious level. Anyone with chronic pain already knows that doctors generally focus on the external form of healing when in reality the problem can be handled from within your subconscious more effectively. This form of clinical hypnosis is becoming more and more popular which makes it easier to find and utilize than ever before. So many people only think of entertainment when they hear the term hypnosis that they do not even realize what hypnosis can really do. 

One of the biggest problems with pain management today is that after a certain period of time the pain killers and prescription drugs stop working because your body becomes too used to them and then you are back where you started. Hypnosis works in a much different way. Hypnosis when used to relief chronic pain like this actually stops the brain from reacting to pain signals, stopping the problem right at the source. Pain killers only mask the problem and are not a lifetime fix by any means. 

You may be surprised just how easy it is to learn how to hypnotize yourself and utilize these principles on a day-to-day basis to eliminate pain before and immediately when it starts. For many people the best way to learn these principles is to visit a clinical hypnotist and allow them to teach you the main principles and help you learn how to put them into action as well. Living with pain is not something that you are meant to do, take control and get away from prescription medications and use the alternative healing method that lasts forever. 

It can be hard to believe just how much influence our subconscious can play on our physical attributes and strengths but this is generally the source of all sorts of different types of physical and emotional pains. Hypnosis takes your mind and makes it susceptible to any type of suggestion, including the suggestion that the body feels no pain. Your subconscious mind is where everything stems from and if it is full of negative thoughts and thoughts regarding how you feel, just as pain, than any other form of therapy is only going to be a temporary fix. 

Whether you choose to listen to hypnosis tapes and scripts or visit a clinical hypnotist within your area, you may feel like you are stepping out of your realm of understanding but this new healing alternative is offering pain relief for thousands of Americans just like you! 

Hypnosis & Medical Conditions by Steve G. Jones

Did you know that hypnosis has been shown in many studies to help prevent and eliminate a number of different medical conditions? In the past hypnosis was only thought of as trickery used for entertainment, more recently it has been used to help people quit smoking and relieve stress but many have not begun to understand how hypnosis can also help prevent and eliminate medical conditions that can affect your health. Hypnotists from around the world believe that the key to healing faster and more effectively is self empowerment combined with the release of fear and denial that may be holding you back. 

As someone suffering from diabetes, asthma, heart disease, arthritis or any other type of medical condition that you will have to maintain for the rest of your life, you may not realize you are harbouring feelings of denial or resentment and these negative feelings can contribute greatly to the pain you feel and how well you are able to handle your condition. The two most common problems with medical conditions are that the patient chooses to obsess over complications and exaggerate their condition or they choose to pretend there is nothing wrong with them at all. These are actions and emotions that will only create a more serious condition in the long run.

Hypnosis can help these chronic medical conditions by encouraging patients to make lifestyle changes that include eating a healthier diet and exercising more regularly. Although this may seem insignificant for someone suffering from Parkinson's, you will be quite amazed just how much a healthy lifestyle can do for you and your medical conditions. From here the most important step of hypnosis and medical conditions is the ability to help a patient step away from what they have believed or pictured about themselves in the past and create a new image within their mind.

This new and positive and even healthy image can help eliminate excess pain that your mind may have been focusing on and help you focus on what is important in life; living. It can be so easy to become depressed and even angry when you are diagnosed with a long term medical condition and you may not realize it but these negative feelings are constantly residing in your subconscious and bringing down your level of health that much further. 

Learning how to control your own mind with a professional hypnotist and self-hypnosis can really help you see how negative thinking has been impacting your life. For most people, you can admit that you imagine often images the worst case scenario instead of picturing positive thoughts and images. Hypnosis can help eliminate this type of thinking and alleviate the excess pain it can create through the power of your mind. 

No matter what your current medical condition is, it is more than likely that you too are using your mental thoughts and ideas negatively to create a chronic condition that does not have to be. Allow yourself to heal through positive thinking and the control over your mind that you have never had before. Hypnosis can be successful for anyone who learns how to utilize the principles on a day-to-day basis for best results. 

Research Shows Effectiveness of Hypnosis


The effectiveness of hypnosis is often questioned because the cause of hypnotic phenomenon is not yet known. Research has been conducted on hypnosis for hundreds of years. Thousands of studies have been performed, yet the origination of hypnosis has not yet been realized. The Mayo Clinic has found hypnosis to be very effective and beneficial with a variety of disorders. Hypnosis does not always work the same way for everyone, but its effectiveness cannot be denied.

The Mayo Clinic defines hypnosis as being an altered state of consciousness. There are many changes that occur while a person is in a trance-like state. A person is able to focus their attention in a more direct way while under hypnosis. People are also more open to suggestion, which often helps people make changes in their thought process and in their actions. While in a hypnotic state, people tend to be less critical and more believing. The Mayo Clinic believes that the purpose of hypnosis is a therapeutic technique to help you understand and gain more control over your behavior, actions, emotions, or physical well-being.

Researchers and doctors at the Mayo Clinic are not sure how exactly hypnosis works, but current research points to a mind-body connection through nerves, hormones, and chemicals in the brain and body. Hypnosis is best used in conjunction with other forms of therapy. The Mayo Clinic lists the following benefits of hypnosis: changing negative habits (stop-smoking), reduce stress and anxiety, control pain, relieve irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), lower blood pressure, reduce frequency and intensity of migraines, treat asthma, and heal skin disorders.

The Mayo Clinic also puts many hypnosis myths to rest. Many people think that under hypnosis, they will have no free will. This is untrue; under hypnosis people have a heightened state of concentration, but they are in complete control. Another myth is that a hypnotherapist can control people under hypnosis. The truth is that a hypnotherapist serves as a guide and cannot make anyone do something that they do not want to do. It is also not true that people can become hypnotized without consent. Hypnosis involves a person`s willingness to participate (Goal Oriented Hypnotherapy).

The Mayo Clinic is a one of the leaders in research in the medical field. Their research of hypnotherapy is evidence-based (Hypnosis). They are a reputable source of information on the topic of hypnotherapy and medicine.

Sources

About Mayo Clinic. Mayo Clinic. Retrieved on September 14, 2009: http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/AboutThisSi...

Hypnosis. Mayo Clinic. Retrieved on September 14, 2009: http://www.mayoclinic.org/hypnosis/

Hypnosis: An altered state of consciousness. Goal Oriented Hypnotherapy. Retrieved on September 14, 2009: http://www.gohypnotherapy.com/hypnosis-infor...

About the author

Steve G. Jones, Ed.S. has been practicing hypnotherapy since the 1980s. He is the author of 22 books on Hypnotherapy. Steve is a member of the National Guild of Hypnotists, American Board of Hypnotherapy, president of the American Alliance of Hypnotists, on the board of directors of the Los Angeles chapter of the American Lung Association, and director of the Steve G. Jones School of Clinical Hypnotherapy.
Steve G. Jones, Ed.S. is a board certified Clinical Hypnotherapist. He has a bachelor's degree in psychology from the University of Florida (1994), a master's degree in education from Armstrong Atlantic State University (2007), and is currently working on a doctorate in education, Ed.D., at Georgia Southern University. 

Use Hypnosis to Research Creativity and Imagination



Creativity is defined as the ability to transcend traditional ideas, rules, patterns, relationships, or the like, and to create meaningful new ideas, forms, methods, interpretations, etc. Creativity is easy to define, but researchers often question how it can be measured and how people have different aptitudes for creativity. Hypnosis aides in the research of creativity, and it also allows psychologists to study the relationship between creativity and hypnotizability.

It is thought that hypnosis aides in the research of creativity. The state of hypnosis creates an altered state of consciousness; this makes hypnosis a good tool to use in the research of creative states and fantasy proneness. It is thought that hypnosis may lead to a breakthrough in understanding the origin of creative inspiration.

Bowers and van der Meulen (1970) performed a study involving 30 highly suggestible people and 30 participants who were not as suggestible. The study involved many tests of creative functioning including creative tasks, inkblots, and association tests. The results of the study showed that those who were more highly hypnotizable performed better in the creative tests. The study also concluded that women were more creative than men.

Another study was conducted to study the relationship between hypnosis and creativity. Hypnosis was used to measure the degree of effortless response to tasks involving creativity. The study consisted of students and writers who were asked to write while in a hypnotic state. The researcher also looked at the various creative styles of the participants. The results showed that more creativity was at its highest when there was no interference between associations and problem solving (Bowers, 1979).

Lynn and Rhue (1988) screened 6,000 students to find 780 participants in their study. They were divided into three groups based on their fantasy proneness. They were then compared based on measures of hypnotizability, imagination, waking suggestibility, hallucinatory ability, creativity, psychopathology, and childhood experiences. The researchers found that there was less of a link between fantasy proneness and hypnotizability than originally thought. This means that even those who are not creative are likely to respond positively to hypnosis. It was also found that those who were more prone to fantasy and creativity were not necessarily highly suggestible under hypnosis.

Although these studies differ in making a connection between suggestibility and creativity, all of the studies have made interesting conclusions involving creativity and hypnosis. The state of hypnosis allows researchers to study creativity in a non-invasive and natural way. More research should be conducted to learn more about creativity and imagination.

Sources

Bowers, K.S. & van der Meulen, S.J. (1970). Effect of hypnotic susceptibility on creativity test performance. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 14(3), 247-256.

Bowers, P. (1979). Hypnosis and creativity: The search for the missing link. Journal of Abnormal Psychology, 88(5), 564-572.

Lynn, S.J. & Rhue, J.W. (1988). Fantasy proneness: Hypnosis, developmental antecedents, and psychopathology. American Psychologist, 43(1), 35-44.

About the author

Steve G. Jones, Ed.S. has been practicing hypnotherapy since the 1980s. He is the author of 22 books on Hypnotherapy. Steve is a member of the National Guild of Hypnotists, American Board of Hypnotherapy, president of the American Alliance of Hypnotists, on the board of directors of the Los Angeles chapter of the American Lung Association, and director of the Steve G. Jones School of Clinical Hypnotherapy.
Steve G. Jones, Ed.S. is a board certified Clinical Hypnotherapist. He has a bachelor's degree in psychology from the University of Florida (1994), a master's degree in education from Armstrong Atlantic State University (2007), and is currently working on a doctorate in education, Ed.D., at Georgia Southern University. 

Hypnosis Benefits Migraines

A migraine is a debilitating form of a headache. Many people suffer from migraines. Various triggers can produce the onset of a migraine. However, reducing the likelihood of a migraine occurring and getting rid of one once it occurs, can be challenging. Studies have been conducted showing that hypnotherapy can be quite beneficial to the migraine sufferer. In many studies, hypnosis has been shown to be more beneficial than medications.

Common triggers of migraines include hormonal changes, stress, food, changes in sleep patterns, medications, and changes in the surrounding environment. Symptoms of migraines vary from person to person, but many people report moderate to severe pain that pulsates, worsens with physical activity and interferes with day-to-day activity, nausea, vomiting, sensitivity to light and/or sound, and sometimes experiencing auras. A migraine can last for 4 to 72 hours, but frequency varies greatly.

One study compared the effect of hypnotherapy versus the prescription medication prochlorperazine (Stemetil). The study consisted of 47 participants who reported feedback every month for a year. They reported number of attacks per month, severity of attacks, and complete remission. Results of the study showed that those who received hypnotherapy reported far fewer migraine attacks compared to those who received medication. Out of 23 participants who received hypnotherapy, 10 of them ceased to experience migraines. Out of the 24 participants who used medication, 3 of them ceased to experience migraines.

Another study reported the benefits of behavioral therapy. These approaches include relaxation, biofeedback, cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), and hypnosis. Hypnosis can help migraine sufferers avoid triggers such as controlling stress and avoiding certain foods.

Two hypnotherapy techniques used in treating migraines include the hand warming and glove anesthesia. These techniques put migraine sufferers in control of their pain by helping them transfer warmth or numbness to their head where their head hurts. These techniques were shown to be more beneficial than simple relaxation exercises. This study concluded that medication is ineffective in treating chronic migraines and supports psychological treatment because there are no side effects.

These studies show that hypnotherapy and natural methods of treating migraine headaches are more effective than using medication. The fact that hypnosis has no side effects and many prescription medications have many side effects makes hypnotherapy a more natural and safe approach to treating migraines. In addition to no side effects, many studies have shown that the effects of hypnosis are more lasting and beneficial compared to the use of medication.

Sources

Anderson, J.A., Basker, M.A., & Dalton, R. (1975). Migraine and hypnotherapy. International Journal of Clinical and Experimental Hypnosis, 23(1), 48-58.

Heap, M. (1988). Hypnosis: current clinical, experimental and forensic practices. Taylor & Francis.

Sandor, P.S. & Afra, J. (2007). Nonpharmacologic treatment of migraine. Current Pain and Headache Reports, 9(3), 202-205.

About the author

Steve G. Jones, Ed.S. has been practicing hypnotherapy since the 1980s. He is the author of 22 books on Hypnotherapy. Steve is a member of the National Guild of Hypnotists, American Board of Hypnotherapy, president of the American Alliance of Hypnotists, on the board of directors of the Los Angeles chapter of the American Lung Association, and director of the Steve G. Jones School of Clinical Hypnotherapy.
Steve G. Jones, Ed.S. is a board certified Clinical Hypnotherapist. He has a bachelor's degree in psychology from the University of Florida (1994), a master's degree in education from Armstrong Atlantic State University (2007), and is currently working on a doctorate in education, Ed.D., at Georgia Southern University. 

Hypnosis helps cancer patients by allowing the use of local anesthesia -- and may prevent metastasis


Professor Fabienne Roelants and Dr. Christine Watremez, from the Department of Anesthesiology at the Cliniques Universitaires St. Luc, UCL, in Brussels, Belgium, found, that by using a combination of hypnosis and local anesthesia (LA) for certain types of surgery, patients can avoid general anesthesia. That, the scientists said in a media statement, can aid the healing process, reduce drug use, shorten time spent in the hospital -- and it could help cancer patients avoid cancer recurrence and the spread of cancer (metastasis), too.

The research team studied the impact of using LA and hypnosis in certain kinds of breast cancer surgery and in thyroidectomy (removal of all or part of the thyroid gland). "In all of these procedures local anesthesia is feasible but not, on its own, sufficient to ensure patient comfort," Professor Roelants explained in the press statement.

So what makes local anesthesia work well enough to use for these operations? Adding hypnosis.

For the first study, 18 women out of 78 had hypnosis for a variety of breast cancer surgical procedures including partial mastectomy, sentinel node biopsy (examination of lymph nodes likely to become cancerous from metastasis) and axillary dissection (opening the armpit to examine or remove some or all of the lymph nodes). The remaining women in the group had general anesthesia for the same surgical procedures.

The results showed that the patients who were hypnotized spent a few minutes more in the operating room but their post-operation opioid drug use was greatly reduced. What's more, they recovered more quickly from their surgery and spent less time in the hospital.

The scientists also compared the outcomes of thyroid surgery in 18 patients who had a combination of LA and hypnosis with outcomes of 36 people who underwent surgery with general anesthesia. In order to decrease the invasiveness of the procedure, both groups had the same type of video-assisted thyroidectomy. The outcome was the same as in the breast cancer surgery -- once again, drug use, recovery and hospital stay times were greatly reduced among the patients in the LA/hypnosis group.

"In addition to reducing drug use and hospital stay time, being able to avoid general anesthesia in breast cancer surgery is important because we know that local anesthesia can block the body's stress response to surgery and could therefore reduce the possible spread of metastases," Professor Roelants stated.

"There is still a lot of debate around the exact mechanism that allows hypnosis to reduce pain perception," Professor Roelants said in the media statement. "But what it absolutely clear is that it does so. The result is that one third of thyroidectomies and a quarter of all breast cancer surgery carried out at the UCL hospital are performed under local anesthetic with the patient under hypnosis."

"We believe that our studies have shown considerable benefits for the LA/hypnosis combination, and that such benefits are not only for patients, but also for healthcare systems. By using hypnosis combined with LA we can reduce the costs involved in longer hospital stays, remove the need for patients to use opioid drugs, and increase their overall comfort and satisfaction levels. To date there are few publications about the use of hypnosis in surgery, and we hope that, by contributing to the body of evidence on its efficacy, our research will encourage others to carry out this procedure to the advantage of all concerned," Dr. Watremez concluded.

For more information:
http://www.euroanaesthesia.org/sitecore/cont...



About the author

Sherry Baker is a widely published writer whose work has appeared in Newsweek, Health, the Atlanta Journal and Constitution, Yoga Journal, Optometry, Atlanta, Arthritis Today, Natural Healing Newsletter, OMNI, UCLA's "Healthy Years" newsletter, Mount Sinai School of Medicine's "Focus on Health Aging" newsletter, the Cleveland Clinic's "Men's Health Advisor" newsletter and many others.

Studies reveal the effectiveness of medical hypnosis



The validity of therapeutic hypnosis as a complementary modality is becoming recognized, as studies prove brainwave activity changes with hypnotic depth. As we move from the high-energy beta wave state to the slower theta waves, we experience perceptual and physiological changes; for example our eyes flutter, breathing is more rhythmic, the body is relaxed and time is distorted.

Interestingly, children and animals tend to reside in the alpha/theta waves, thus are more intuitive and emotional. According to Crawford, a prominent researcher in the hypnotic field, different parts of the brain are activated during hypnosis - some increasing from 13%-28%. Preliminary results also suggest the reward pathway in the brain involving dopamine is stimulated. In fact, research using fMRI shows that hypnosis requires more mental effort, hence individuals are in a heightened state of awareness.

The power of hypnosis coupled with suggestion changes belief systems by reframing the meaning we place on experience. William Tiller, a former Professor Emeritus at Stanford University aptly states, "What we give meaning to we become."

Studies on the effects of hypnotherapy abound, for example, those tested positive for tuberculosis using the Mantoux test method were able to inhibit the test reaction following hypnotic suggestion. Interestingly, the use of cooling images for burn victims greatly increased speed of recovery. Hypnotic suggestions given pre and post surgery reduced the need for excessive anesthesia and medication.

This clearly shows that hypnosis has a neuropsychoimmunological effect on the individual; highlighting its versatility, encompassing far more than it's traditional uses for habit management, fears and weight loss. So what allows us to delve into this part of ourselves? Consciousness is defined as awareness. How many of us are completely aware of every waking moment?

Quantum physics suggests that we are the creator of our own realities; it is our expectations and intention that creates the space around us. Indeed, William Tiller has researched the effects of intention on experimental outcome. In one study he demonstrated it was possible to repeatedly alter the acidity or alkalinity of water using intention. If this is evident with water what does this mean for the human body? We are 70% water after all!

This finding should have you on the edge of your seat, for it tells us that we are more powerful than our beliefs suggest and we significantly impact our lives and those around us. We do not live in a vacuum rather we are entangled one mind with another on a quantum level. Moreover, our emotional minds and physical bodies are tightly intertwined, thus we are co-creators not victims. Society conditions us to believe ego is our true essence.

This conditioning builds our expectations and belief system based on illusion. Consciousness is the beauty of being human. It's what gives the matter of which we are made the innate intelligence to create. Furthermore, consciousness is found in the animal, plant and microbial kingdom albeit at differing levels.

So if our cells have consciousness what information can we tap into using hypnosis? Consciousness is the energetic thread of our existence. Hypnosis therefore is the gateway to finding our authentic selves.

Sources for this article include:

http://dancesoulhypnotherapy.com

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About the author:
Mike Bundrant is co-founder of the iNLP Center and host of Mental Health Exposed, a Natural News Radio program.