Has anyone tried hypnotherapy?

[VeganLiz]

I am considering trying hypnotherapy as part of my next attempt (yet another attempt) to cut out sugar especially choclate and ice cream. I really need to for health reasons.

Has anyone tried it at all? Did it work? Does anyone know any good hypnotherapists in Sussex area (preferably around Brighton)?

Thanks for your help....

Liz

p.s. eyeing up green and blacks choccie as we speak.....

[Gorilla]

i tried hypnotherapy for depression but i found it made me worse. i was spending a lot of money on something that didn't seem to be getting me anywhere, and was actually casuing me more problems.

however that's not to say it might not be useful for giving something up, i have heard it can help people give up smoking etc. i just don't have experience with that type of hypnotherapy.

there are so many hypnotherapists and alternative practitioners, it's hard to know who you can trust...

[Grace xo]

I've heard that hyponotherapy works brilliantly for some people but not very well at all for others. I have never tried it myself but I know people who hae to try and give up smoking and they said it worked really well and they havent smoked since. I guess it just depends on who you go to.

[DancingWillow]

Hey VeganLiz,

Hypnotherapy is actually one of the things that I find absolutely fascinating. I have tried it for anxiety/stress reduction and had wonderful results. Your experience with hypnotherapy (especially your first) would depend in large part on how good the hypnotherapist is. One of my pet peeves is actually hypnotherapists who say that someone is "not hypnotizable" or something to that effect. Pretty much everyone can be hypnotized and have a positive and beneficial experience if the hypnotherapists is skilled enough to adjust the style to the person, rather than expect the person to respond to the hypnotherapists's style. Every person is different and unfortunately many hypnotherapists use the same uniform style with every person they see.

Personally, I prefer to go to someone who is a psychologist in addition to a hypnotherapist, rather than someone who is only a hypnotherapist, because they have more experience and knowledge about how the mind works. Sadly, someone can get certified to be a hypnotherapist with only a day or two of training. I think that lack of experience and training is part of the reason why some people have ineffective experiences with hypnotherapy. That being said, there are some very good hypnotherapists who are not psychologists, but have gone to a very long and comprehensive training to be hypnotherapists.

Here are my recommendations:
-look for someone who is a psychologist and hypnotherapist
-I would look for someone training in Ericksonian hypnotherapy and/or NLP (Neuro-Linguistic Programming)...the reason is that Ericksonian hypnotherapy and NLP are more flexible in technique based on the person.
-ask people you know if they can recommend someone
-call hypnotherapists in the area and ask them about their training (how long, etc) and how many years of experience they have

I would encourage you to go with an open mind. As long as you have an experienced and flexible hypnotherapists, you will have a great experience.

I'll try to look up some info for you specifically in the UK and West Sussex

[DancingWillow]

i tried hypnotherapy for depression but i found it made me worse. i was spending a lot of money on something that didn't seem to be getting me anywhere, and was actually casuing me more problems.

however that's not to say it might not be useful for giving something up, i have heard it can help people give up smoking etc. i just don't have experience with that type of hypnotherapy.

there are so many hypnotherapists and alternative practitioners, it's hard to know who you can trust...

Sounds like you may have been unlucky to land on an inexperienced hypnotherapist, Gorilla.

[Gorilla]

i don't think she was inexperienced, i looked long and hard before settling on the hypnotherapist i thought would be the most reliable. i just don't believe hypnotherapy would have helped in my case.

i'll probably never know because i can't afford to try anyone else.

[John]

I figure I should offer the opposing view. There is no such thing as hypnosis. It is a scam.

http://www.skepdic.com/hypnosis.html

[mophoto]

thanks for the tips dancingwillow
i have often thought that i would be unhypnotisable (and maybe they could work on my spelling ) but i would really like to try it for quitting smoking (i am out of options). like acupuncture, i think it is all about one's mindset

[Daffy]

I've tried it with a hynotherapist, but got only minor results. The best result I got was from a generic self-hypnosis CD! I used to pop the headphones on and doze off. Didn't even have to listen (supposedly my sub-conscious mind did all the listening, bless its little cotton socks).

I ordered two more however, mysteriously, NONE of my CD players will play them. I've tried them on other people's players and they work, so it's not the CDs...but mine refuses to play them. I took this as a sign that I'm just not meant to be "Moving On" at this point, and thus must continue to wallow in self-loathing and continue my bad habits...*lol*

[Seaside]

Some of these tapes sound more like subliminal suggestion than hynotherapy. I used to work for a hypnotherapist, and she used both. Hypnosis may be iffy, but subliminal suggestion is most certainly very effective, and you do not need to be in an altered state for it to affect you.

[Vagetarian]

I would try fasting first. It cures almost any food addiction, at least for me. Fast once a week for 24 to 36 hours. Drink only water. Your first meal off the fast should consist of raw green veges, with no dressing. Avoid starches or heavy proteins when first coming off. Do that for 4 to 5 weeks in a row. The first fast is the hardest, then it gets easier. If you can do that and really try to avoid sweets for the first couple weeks, the addiction and cravings will be gone. If you are diabetic I would not try it without talking to a doctor. But in general, fasting is a very helpful way to "correct" your body's addictions, at least in my experience. Best of all, it's free and actually saves you money.