Hypnosis/self-hypnosis

[angel2write]

Has anybody tried it? Do you have anything to say for or against it?

Most importantly, does anyone know a reason why trying self-hypnosis would be especially dangerous for someone with PTSD? Or is it essentially, like, a laid-back version of EMDR, or a slightly more intense version of meditation?

I'm just curious.

 

[Hashi]

Hi angel2write,

If you search on hypnotherapy posted by Hashi you can see previous posts I've made in threads about hypnosis/hypnotherapy.

You say you're just curious. I'm not sure if it's something you're wondering about out of interest, or you're actually considering it. I'm also not sure what you would mean by self-hypnosis (eg for general beliefs? to change behaviour? for calming? for working on a particular symptom or memory?)

I hope you don't mind me saying this, but I'm confused by how casual your questions seem to be. I wouldn't recommend hypnotherapy at all for someone with PTSD. However, if you're considering it I'd research it and think about it very seriously. It's not an easy alternative to other approaches, but very deep work which is potentially confusing, misleading, destabilising or retraumatising.

(I'm not against working with the subconscious - I do this. I don't do it with hypnotherspy though.)

Best wishes,

Hashi

 

[piratelady]

I've downloaded different Podcasts to help with my symptoms of PTSD - like insomnia and anxiety. When I search for them on iTunes I will sometimes see podcasts that are for hypnosis. Is that what you mean by self-hypnosis? I've never tried them personally, just seen them.

 

[Hashi]

piratelady, I think that's a really good example. An audio to help you relax... what could go wrong?

If you have PTSD quite a lot could go wrong because you might be finding it hard to relax for a reason, and the reason could be that your subconscious is working hard to protect you from memories and feelings that you don't have the resources to handle yet. If you simply try to remove the tension without a full understanding and very careful approach, then relaxing could allow all sorts of things to surface that you're not equipped to deal with.

Or things could surface that you interpret as memories but they aren't literal - especially since the subconscious talks with symbols, patterns and archetypes.

You might also be susceptible to suggestion - your own or another person's.

Honestly, I don't think it's something to mess with.

 

[Abstract]

I agree with Hashi.

 

[VDWngr1355]

I've had hypnotherapy sessions to treat the different symptoms cause by the PTSD. It works to help relieve the stress, the obsessive thinking, it's helped to lessen the dissociation, and eliminated a lot of my sleep issues.

However, it has no cured the PTSD itself and I am still doing CBT therapy for the PTSD.

I do have a self-guided hypothesis cd at home too that is based on anxiety and fear, and it does help to calm me.

I've never done EMDR so I can't relate to what that is like. If you can be hypnotized overall it is very relaxing and feels like a deep sleep.

Negative effects--after the 2nd hypnotherapy session I had the therapist addressed the obsessive thinking about the traumas. For two days after the session I literally had no thoughts about the trauma at all. Then while at work all of a sudden I had a huge flooding of all the memories. It was very overwhelming and the obsessive thinking came back. A week later when I had my next hypnotherapy session we addressed the thinking again and I really haven't been flooded with memories and I don't obsess over the traumas any more either. So, I guess stuff like that could happen.

After a hypnotherapy session by brain would literally feel like it is burning and it would stay like that for a day and a half. So, that is kind of odd.

I wouldn't be scarred to at least try hypnotherapy to lessen some of the PTSD symptoms (not all) but in the long-run it isn't going to cure/reduce the PTSD that is what CBT has been proven to do.

 

[VDWngr1355]

Also, make sure the hypnotherapist you work with is also a psychologist and hopefully specialized in trauma therapy. I wouldn't want to work with a hypnotherapist who doesn't understand trauma.

 

[angel2write]

I kind of wondered if it might act like a time bomb and set something off, which is why I asked.

I was thinking of using hypnosis for something unrelated to PTSD, like stopping smoking. But wondered if there was potential that it could backfire in some unexpected way. Which a couple people seem to be saying it could be.

I don't think I'd want to try using it to work directly on trauma memories. My brain is scrambled enough already. The law of unintended consequences would surely bite you in the behind with that one.

But if you stayed away from trauma issues and used it to change habits, like stopping smoking or weight loss, or even relaxation to improve your sleep... do you think it might be safe?

 

[VDWngr1355]

Well, no one can give you a probable...but as long as the changing habits don't relate or remind you of your traumas you should be good.

If you go through with it still find a hypnotherapist/psychologist specialized working with PTSD patients even though you won't be addressing the trauma issues because they'll still know how to work with you better and how to phrase things.

Here is a link to a forum that deals with hypnotherapy and a lot of hypnotherapist answer people's questions on there.....you might want to try posting on their and see what advice or response you get...

http://www.hypnothoughts.com/


Here is another link to a recent discussion on the forum about pain and & PTSD...

http://

 

[angel2write]

Thanks, VDW.

 

[Britt.f7]

I know I had a therapist attempted to hypnotize me, but I don't think I was because I knew everything she was saying and doing throughout the whole thing.

My grandma did it to stop smoking and it seemed to work.

I've tried relaxation tapes, yoga, tai chi, massages, but I can not let my mind go. It is too hard to relax. The minute it realizes that is what I am trying to do it becomes way alert. Not sure if this makes any sense. My breathing does not slow down. I just don't think I'm comfortable with any of it.

I really think it is awesome when people can do any of this.

 

[angel2write]

Well, I have heard that people with PTSD are particularly difficult to hypnotize. Maybe all that hypervigilance stuff? I don't know if I could do it with someone else. But I was thinking about making my own relaxation tapes on a hand-held tape recorder. Make recordings with lots of stuff like feeling very safe and visualizing my safe spot (that we used in EMDR) and stuff like that.

It's hard for me to see how that would be dangerous. It might not help much, but I don't think I'm going to screw myself up trying it at least. And I keep thinking maybe it would be a way to lower my anxiety levels some.