Autumn blues?

A client emailed me recently via the Hypnotherapy Directory, seeking help and support and it was a cry from the heart. This was her plea: “I do not know where to start! I would really be grateful for your support and to chat to you about how I feel. I am worried all the time as the news is so bleak!”

This type of cry for help is becoming more common as we are all faced with the escalating costs of living, energy price rises, economic turmoil due to falling wages leading to increasing strikes, continued war between Russia and Ukraine, and global warming and climate disasters. Unsurprisingly, many of us are feeling stressed! 

Stress has been linked to a variety of health problems and can be physical, mental or emotional. It can be short-term or long-term. The body’s response to perceived stress is termed the ‘fight or flight response’. This is managed by hormones secreted by the adrenal glands.

The adrenal glands can deal with short-term demands but if the stress is ongoing and persistent this puts a severe strain on the body and can lead to adrenal overload which can affect sleep patterns and emotional stability. 

Our own lives have been turned upside down in the aftermath of the covid pandemic. In this context, it's difficult to keep a sense of balance emotionally and mentally, but help is available.

Do not let stress get the better of you!

It is important that you are armed with the best defence to help support a healthy stress response. How you manage the stress in your life can determine the impact it will have on you.

Stress management tools can help to prevent a downward spiral.

Hypnosis is increasingly being used in mainstream medicine to treat a wide range of conditions from anxiety disorders to chronic pain. Research evidence shows that it can help to improve a wide variety of chronic conditions and offers more relief than physical therapy and cognitive behavioural therapy alone (re: ‘The Healing Power of Your Mind', New Scientist 9/11/2019).

Anxiety disorders are some of the most impairing conditions and the effect of hypnosis in reducing anxiety has been found in evidence-based research. The results are impressive with an improvement of 84% in participants suffering from anxiety compared with patients who did not receive hypnosis.

A study in 2003 found a significant improvement in 74% of patients receiving hypnosis in contrast with 27% of untreated patients. This is a significant success rate and hypnosis is not just for pain and anxiety it is increasingly popular as a way of helping people to learn new behaviours or kick old unhealthy habits.

In hypnosis, breathing rates, heart rate, blood pressure, and stress hormones are all slowed down with the suggestions given by the therapist to the subconscious mind. This altered state of deep relaxation helps you to connect with your subconscious mind. When you are relaxed it is possible to effect changes in your life. 

Hypnotherapy is the doorway for positive transformation in your emotions and reduction in stress levels even in a time of uncertainty!