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Hypnosis: an additional technique for weightloss
 Hypnosis
is a natural state where the subconscious (creative) mind can be accessed. Since
this is where a person's memories, beliefs, and habits are stored, having access
to them means that they can also be modified for the person's benefit.
Hypnosis has been used as an alternative treatment in medical institutions to
manage everything from pain to smoking to weight loss.
Generally, the hypnotic state is defined as a
state of focused concentration -- a condition akin to being so absorbed in a
good book that the outside world seems to fade away, said Guy Montgomery,
president of the Society of Psychological Hypnosis, a division of American
Psychological Association. It's during this state that patients become more open
to suggestion. The idea is to access the subconscious mind to modify behavior
in a positive way, which the conscious
resists.
 Women
experience being hypnotized in different ways. While some women have the feeling
of falling asleep, others remain completely conscious and aware of every word
said around them. "Some will tell you that their mind went blank, others have
flashbacks from childhood, "Some will feel their feet numb, and others will feel
a sense of heaviness or lightness in some parts of the body or in its whole."
How the person feels while being hypnotized usually has no relation to the level
of relaxation.
According to a hypno-therapist,
a person becomes
overweight
because of a set of unhealthy habits that she cannot change consciously. A
person who suffers from being overweight simply has some non-useful beliefs
about food and
nutrition.
If the client can change the set of beliefs that made her overweight in the
first place, then it's easier to change the unhealthy everyday habits that go
with it.
Whether hypnosis will bring results varies from
person to person as in any other treatment. Studies showing
weight loss as a result
of hypnosis alone are few in number and suffer from methodological problems.
When combined with a behavioral
weight
management
program,
hypnosis has been shown to be an effective treatment for low to moderate amounts
of weight loss.
Advantages
-
It's non-invasive; when done under the
supervision of a qualified hypnotherapist, it's also safe.
-
There's no one-fits-all solution. Sessions can
be adapted to the needs of every patient.
-
It's often successful where conventional
treatments have failed.
-
Contrary to popular "miracle cures,"
Hypnotherapy does not promise a magic answer to weight loss. Hypnotherapy
helps the patient deal with the reasons she's
overweight, but the actual
work has to be done by the patient.
-
Hypnotherapy promotes
lifestyle changes. If the person doesn't change the beliefs that make him
or her overindulge and doesn't learn to put long-term wellness above immediate
satisfaction, any change in weight brought in by
dieting is not likely to be permanent. Hypnotherapy deals with the core,
the actual processes the mind goes through, and therefore it stays for life.
Disadvantages
-
Because there is no statutory regulation of the
profession, there's always the risk of running into somebody who lacks the
right training.
-
Hypnotherapy is not recommended for people with
post-traumatic stress, epilepsy, and serious psychological disorders (such as
split personality, borderline psychosis, and
depression).
-
The process takes work. Many patients undergo
hypnotherapy in the hopes of finding a miracle cure and get disappointed when
the therapist mentions
diet and
exercise.
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