It is no secrets that hypnotherapy has been used as an effective technique to alleviate stress, anxiety , and depression since decades. A lot of psychologists use hypnotherapy as an important part of their therapy to treat emotional and mental challenges. However, you need not have to fix an appointment to reap the benefits of hypnotherapy as self-hypnosis is not only effective but also extremely easy and anyone with little practice and instruction will be able to include this as a part of their daily lives.

First off, hypnosis is so much more than the dramatized let’s-swing-a-pendulum-and-get-into-the-criminal’s-mind approach that is portrayed on TV. Even though the concept is still misunderstood, the present notion is being weakened as more and more people adopt hypnotherapy to deal with stress and anxiety . And since the technique has proven to benefit thousands of people, it is fast becoming popular.

How does hypnotherapy work with stress anyway?

Mainly the feeling of stress is connected entirely with the brain. Palpitation, sweaty palms, and tightening of the chest are an indication that the brain is going into overdrive. Hypnotherapy for stress works at the very core of the problems; by calming the brain and bringing it into a tranquil relaxed state.

One of the easiest de-stressing techniques is to take deep breaths. Deep breathing calms the mind and you immediately feel the tightening of the chest going away and your heart rate slowing down.

Additionally, regular practice of hypnotherapy also helps to create various lifestyle changes. Working as a preventive and curative measure for stress and anxiety , hypnotherapy put the reign of control in your hands and you can easily control your emotions and your brain’s reaction to a stressful situation.

In fact the therapeutic benefit of hypnotherapy, by working directly with the mind, also helps to reduce chronic pain significantly. Since pain is a sensory input where the signal of pain is sent to the brain and the output comes from the limbic system, which is the site for emotional synthesis, hypnotherapy can reduce pain by working on the brain. From burn victims to women in labor, hypnotherapy can drastically reduce pain and increase a feeling of comfort in adverse situations.

This inexpensive method is also an excellent cure for insomnia and other sleep related problems.

Easy Self-Hypnosis Techniques

The basis of every self-hypnosis technique is to get your mind to rest so that you can then hypnotize it to create awareness or a lifestyle change. The purpose here is to get your subconscious mind in focus as we consciously use only 10% of our brain and the rest is subconscious mind, which is why whether you want to repeat a positive affirmation or attract wellness , your subconscious mind plays the most important role.

Your environment matters a lot; always choose a calm and serene place where you will not be disturbed or distracted. Plug in your headphones and play a soothing music or natural sounds- like that of rainwater, the calm of the night, swinging of pendulum- on a very low decibel. No matter whatever sound or music you choose to listen to, make sure it is tuned on a very low level.

Switch off all means of communication and try to just be by yourself. After you are comfortable and in your zone, you can start with the self-hypnosis technique.

Start with lying down or sitting in a relaxed state. Just let your mind relax by breathing deeply and focusing on each breath. Additionally, you can also chant affirmations to yourself such as ‘With each breath I become more and more relaxed’ ‘I can feel my body relaxing and my muscles are becoming laden with the feeling of relaxation ’. Repeating these affirmations will send a signal to your brain and will force your subconscious mind to believe the affirmations to be true.

Now imagine a beautiful valley with bustling flowers and flying birds, imagine how beautiful it is and how calm you feel at the moment. Tell yourself ‘I can feel all my problems disappearing’ ‘I feel free’. Keep that picture in your mind and focus on your breathing.

During this time a lot of thoughts will invade your mind, tell yourself ‘My thoughts are like leaves falling on water, I am a mere observer of my thoughts’. Don’t let these random thoughts get you out of that zone, if you start to feel charged by any thought start focusing on your breath again and breathe deeply. You can also chant the original affirmation that you began with ‘I feel relaxed’ ‘With each breath I can feel waves of relaxation burst from the tip of my head to the toe’ ‘I’m at the most relaxed state’.Slowly come out of your hypnosis and keep a steady pace of breath.

Some people listen to self-hypnosis audios that are available on the web. These are the same with someone else instructing your body to relax. These audios are best suited for beginner or those who find it difficult o meditate or stay seated at one position.

Self-hypnosis has immense benefits and can help in dealing with a lot of physiological and psychological problems. Adopting this as a habit will help you to maintain a healthy lifestyle.

Author's Bio: 

My name is Mulyadi Kurnia. I am a practitioner of meditation and yoga and has been experiencing the benefits of the practices. Having gone through the periods of stress and anxiety myself, I know first hand of how unpleasant this experience could be. Through this article, I intend to share my knowledge and experience on stress-related and wellness topics.

I have recently created an e-book "5 Key Tips to be a Happier You". You can get this book and latest update by visiting http://www.stopstressandanxiety.com .