Advantages and disadvantages of hypnotherapy

Whether you are trying to quit bad habits, like drinking excessive alcohol, or smoking or increase motivation at work, hypnotherapy is an essential and powerful tool used to make such long-term changes.

Hypnotherapy involves the use of hypnosis techniques and effects to get the desired result. It allows the patient to relax deeply by entering a state of trance, which features a deep state of focus and attention to the present moment.

Contrary to popular belief, hypnosis does not take away control from the patient. Actually, it is a way of taking back control from stressful situations in life that may impact an individual negatively.

The aspects of hypnosis make a lot of excellent promises, and many people claim to have overcome detrimental issues in their life as a result of hypnosis. But what are the advantages and disadvantages of hypnotic techniques?

Advantages of hypnotherapy

Hypnotherapy is a modern and safe mode of psychological treatment that involves entering into an induced trance-like state of extreme focus and suggestion.

It is preferable to approach a trained hypnotherapist for the best-desired results. Contrary to many myths and misconceptions, hypnotherapy is not brainwashing or mind-control.

A hypnotherapist cannot make the patient do what he does not want to do or act out of his character and altogether remove the memory of the encounter from the patient’s mind.

A hypnosis session involves using a wide variety of verbal repetitive exercises and visualizations to help bring the patient into a state of immense focus and suggestibility.

Although many people describe a hypnosis session as a sleep-like state, it actually puts the subject in a state of heightened attention. You will always have control of your mind during the session.

Anything that is said to you contrary to your normal behavior and beliefs will quickly oust you out of the trance-like state and back to your conscious mind.

Hypnosis mutes out the ‘nagging inner voice’ in your head that usually fills people with self-doubt and negativity. It reduces the subconscious mind’s influence in your decision making, allowing you to make more confident power moves in your life.

There are many advantages to using hypnotherapy as a therapeutic tool. They include:

1. Resolves important and detrimental physical and emotional issues

One of the primary reasons why hypnotherapy is becoming more and more popular in the medical field is that this method of treatment is very safe and effective in solving deep-rooted issues and phobias.

If you are dealing with specific phobias or personal life issues, like bad habits that are difficult to quit, that consequently affect your daily life, hypnotherapy is a viable alternative treatment.

Generally, significant behavioral changes first manifest in the unconscious mind before the conscious mind begins to act on them. Hypnotherapy directly influences your subconscious mind, making direct changes to your core beliefs and behaviors.

Instead of relying on sheer willpower, you can effectively modify your life for the better by using hypnotherapy.

2. Cost-effective psychological treatment

The cost of a single hypnotherapy session is quite low when compared to other therapeutic treatments, especially if you are attending a traveling seminar, or working with an established hypnotherapist.

Often, you only require about 4-6 sessions for a complete and long-lasting hypnotherapeutic effect. This inexpensive and relatively simple psychological treatment leaves you permanent changes and without any withdrawal symptoms.

3. Caters to your specific needs

Everyone approaches hypnosis for various reasons. Depending on your desired results, an ethical and professional clinical hypnotherapist customizes your treatment to meet your personal needs.

Your therapist designs each hypnotherapy session, allowing for an individualized approach to tackling your issues. As a matter of fact, many people prefer hypnotherapy because it is person-centered, unlike the traditional forms of medical treatment.

4. The American Medical Association approves it

In 1958, the American Medical Association officially approved hypnotherapy as a therapeutic procedure for treating specific illnesses when performed by qualified health care practitioners.

Many experts in the medical field agree that hypnosis is a powerful and effective therapeutic technique that aids in the treatment of various illnesses and conditions, including pain, anxiety, depression, mood disorders, headaches, and irritable bowel syndrome.

Similarly, several other medical associations in the world approve of hypnotherapy as an orthodox mode of treatment in medicine. The British Medical Association was one of the first organizations to adopt hypnosis as a method of treatment in 1892.

Other organizations that approve of hypnotherapy include the American Psychological Association, and the British Psychological Society, among many others.

5. Activates deep relaxation

Hypnotherapy makes use of intense concentration, guided relaxation methods, and focused attention to achieve an increased state of awareness, usually referred to as a trance.

The individual’s attention is quite heightened during the process that he/she blocks or ignores anything that is going on in his/her immediate environment.

While the patient is in this state of trance, it triggers a relaxation response in the body. In turn, the human body exhibits a slower heart rate, reduced sympathetic nervous system activity, and ultimately decreased blood pressure to accelerate the healing process.

As a result, the patient comes out of the hypnosis session feeling empowered in their life functions and gaining back power and control of their life and relationships.

Disadvantages of hypnotherapy

Just like any other ordinary life process, hypnotherapy has both benefits and drawbacks. The disadvantages are usually blown out of proportion due to the many myths and misconceptions that exist about hypnotherapy.

Let us discuss the actual disadvantages of hypnotherapy.

1. Not everyone is susceptible to hypnotherapy

For hypnosis to work, the patient has to be willing to go through the process. The responsibility of the hypnotherapist is only to guide you through the process to achieve your desired results.

You are personally responsible for the participation and cooperation involved in making hypnosis effective. As such, some people cannot experience hypnosis because they lack the ‘hypnotizability’ factor.

If you are part of this small group of people, then hypnotherapy is not the proper type of treatment for you.

4. One session is not enough

Hypnotherapy sessions require more than one session to achieve long-term relief to obtain the results you want. Basically, it takes about 4-6 sessions for a non-complicated issue to be dealt with, depending on the client’s cooperation and availability.

The repetitive nature of the sessions leads to the driving up of your costs, which may make this type of treatment expensive.

5. Finding a qualified hypnotherapist may prove challenging

The field of hypnotherapy consists of various professionals who vary in their experience and expertise. As a result, it may prove to be challenging to find a hypnotherapist with adequate training and experience to cater to your needs.

A productive hypnosis session requires the patient and hypnotherapist to build a connection before beginning the session.

Some patients find it more challenging to open up to strangers; thus, the challenge of finding a skilled hypnotherapist with whom you are comfortable to share with your deepest thoughts and memories.

Conclusion

Hypnotherapy is an ideal method of treatment if you are looking to transform your life into a healthier lifestyle and break bad habits.

This alternative means of treatment allows individuals to live positive and impactful lives and quit bad habits like smoking and overeating. Hypnotherapy has also proven to help with adequate pain control, like that experienced when giving birth.

However, it is also crucial to find a hypnotherapist who can customize a treatment most suitable to you and your specific needs. It is also vital to check the educational and professional background of your preferred hypnotherapist to ensure they know exactly what they are doing.

But one thing is for sure, the advantages of hypnotherapy as a safe and efficient mode of therapeutic treatment outweigh its drawbacks, making it a viable solution for anyone looking to transform their lives.