Hypnotherapy
Hypnosis or hypnotherapy -- uses guided relaxation, intense concentration, and focused attention to achieve a heightened state of awareness that is sometimes called a trance. The person's attention is so focused while in this state that anything going on around the person is temporarily blocked out or ignored. In this naturally occurring state, a person may focus his or her attention -- with the help of a trained therapist -- on specific thoughts or tasks.
A person who is hypnotized displays certain unusual characteristics and propensities, compared with a non-hypnotized subject, most notably hyper-suggestibility, which some authorities have considered a sine qua non of hypnosis.
The hypnotic state allows a person to be more open to discussion and suggestion. It can improve the success of other treatments for many conditions, including:
1.Phobias, fears, and anxiety
2.Sleep disorders
3.Depression
4.Stress
5.Post-trauma anxiety
6.Grief and loss
Hypnosis also might be used to help with pain control and to overcome habits, such as smoking or overeating. It also might be helpful for people whose symptoms are severe or who need crisis management.
Hypnotism was originally used to treat the condition known in the Victorian era as hysteria.Modern hypnotherapy is widely accepted for the treatment of anxiety, subclinical depression, and certain habit disorders, as well as in the treatment of conditions such as insomnia and addiction.
Hypnotherapy has long been used in relation to childbirth. It is sometimes used during pregnancy to prepare a mother for birth, and during childbirth to reduce anxiety, discomfort and pain.