There is a treatment method called hypnotherapy. It is effective for irritable bowel syndrome, excess weight, sleep disorders, anxiety, mild to moderate depression, phobias, post-traumatic stress disorder, pain control during surgery and dental procedures. But how does hypnosis work?
Hypnosis, in simple terms, is a procedure that helps people imagine various experiences that seem very realistic.
Little is known about brain activity during hypnosis. However, research shows that people with this condition experience decreased activity in areas of the brain associated with self-referential thoughts and daydreaming, as well as increased connections between parts associated with attention and action. This means that people under hypnosis are in a state where they suppress internal thoughts and other distractions.
So what makes people susceptible to hypnosis? It is actually impossible to force someone to be hypnotized. In this procedure, the desire to participate, a positive attitude, motivation, expectations are extremely important, as is the ability to discard the fact that the situation is imaginary. It’s like when you become completely immersed in a performance, forgetting that you are in the theater.
The relationship with the therapist also plays a decisive role in the effectiveness of hypnosis. If you don’t want to interact with him or you think hypnosis won’t work, then it won’t.
All people react differently to suggestion. There is scientific evidence showing that women are slightly more amenable to hypnotic suggestions than men, and that hypnotizability peaks in late childhood and early adolescence.
In terms of neurobiology, hypnosis affects our self-control functions. It changes how our brain tracks its actions. Therefore, when the hypnotist asks you to raise your hand, it will still be your action, even if it seems to you that it is rising on its own.
The goal of hypnotherapy is to bring about changes in negative emotions, perceptions and actions. Hypnosis can also be used as a preparation for or replacement for exposure therapy. This is a way to treat phobias or anxiety.
There are also self-hypnosis techniques. For example, you can learn to induce a state of relaxation associated with some kind of gesture. Such suggestions reduce anxiety by activating the parasympathetic nervous system. She starts working when we are resting.
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