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Hypnosis
Some form of hypnosis has been used to help people overcome
fears, problem behaviors, and illnesses throughout much of
recorded history. Modern clinical hypnosis began in about
1773. Clinical hypnosis is the form of hypnosis used today
to treat psychological and physical problems, in which the
patient goes into an altered or relaxed state and is guided
by a therapist’s suggestions.
Hypnosis is a method of harnessing the power of your
subconscious mind to work for you in overcoming agoraphobia.
How well hypnotherapy works for you will depend on how
willing you are to be hypnotized and the degree to which
panic and fear are rooted in your subconscious mind.
Hypnotherapists who treat people with agoraphobia believe
that the fear finds its roots in the subconscious.
Proponents of hypnotherapy also believe the subconscious
mind has tremendous power to influence the autonomic nervous
system. They believe that if the subconscious mind perceives
danger, it sets off the "fight or flight" response. In this
context, panic disorder occurs when the subconscious mind
gets confused about when to set off the "fight or flight"
response and when not to.
The process of hypnosis resembles a very relaxed
day-dreaming or a wakeful sleep. During hypnosis, your brain
wave cycle rhythm lowers into a meditative state sometimes
called the “alpha state.” During the alpha state, electrical
impulses in your brain cycle at a rate of about ten cycles
per second. In this state, you are fully aware of the
messages and images in your subconscious mind.
When you are hypnotized, a therapist guides you through the
reprogramming of your subconscious mind while in the alpha
or meditative state. Negative subconscious thoughts and
associations are replaced with positive ones.
It is important to undergo hypnosis in a safe and
comfortable setting. Since people with agoraphobia naturally
have trouble getting to and staying relaxed in a therapist’s
office, many hypnotherapists make home visits for them,
especially those with agoraphobia.
Some people are afraid of hypnosis because they hold
misconceptions about it or don’t understand it. Here are
some answers to frequently asked questions regarding
hypnosis:
What qualifications should a professional hypnotherapist
have in order to treat agoraphobia?
To provide professional hypnosis treatment for agoraphobia,
the therapist should be a licensed psychologist or some
other form of licensed mental health care professional
(psychiatrist, social worker, or counselor). The therapist
should also have taken courses in hypnosis at the
postgraduate level and have received supervision in using
this technique. For certification in clinical hypnosis, the
American Society of Clinical Hypnosis (ASCH) has set a
minimum standard of 40 hours of formal instruction, 20 hours
of individualized supervision, and two years of independent
practice in a specialty.
How long should hypnosis treatment take?
The length of hypnotic treatment will vary with the severity
of your disorder, just like other treatments. It could take
one session or several sessions. Hypnosis is often used in
conjunction with other forms of therapy.
Will you lose consciousness during hypnosis?
No. Hypnosis is just an altered state of consciousness, but
you do not become unconscious. The hypnotic EEG pattern is
different from that of sleep. During hypnosis, you stay
aware of everything that is spoken to you.
Will you unknowingly reveal secrets about yourself while
undergoing hypnosis?
No. Patients do not start offering information about
themselves during hypnosis that they normally would not
reveal. You can talk while under hypnosis but you are
unaware of what you are saying.
Does a hypnotherapist control or exert power over the
patient?
No. You remain in control of yourself during hypnosis and
your will is not weakened by the therapist. The hypnosis
procedure is totally voluntary and you cannot be made to do
anything against your will. Only when hypnosis is done on
stage for the purposes of entertainment does the therapist
exert power over the patient. This does not happen in
professional, clinical hypnosis.
What if you have trouble coming back from the hypnotic
state?
When done professionally, you remain in control at all times
and decide when you are going to come out of the hypnotic
state.
Can you learn to hypnotize yourself?
Yes. Technically all hypnosis is self-hypnosis. The
therapist only helps guide you through the procedure. Most
therapists make tapes or CDs that you can use to hypnotize
yourself on your own.
There are many self-help programs for agoraphobia that teach
self-hypnosis (sometimes referred to as autogenic training)
that can be done at home without the guidance of a
therapist. Autogenic training involves thinking about your
body in a state of complete calm. To practice it, you lie
down in comfortable clothing, close your eyes, and spend
time focusing on imagery that makes you feel heavy and warm,
and that lowers your heart rate and slows your breathing.
How effective is hypnosis?
Although there are certainly case studies of individuals
with agoraphobia who have been helped by hypnosis and
self-hypnosis, research supporting its effectiveness is
sparse. Hypnosis is still considered by most to be an
alternative form of treatment for agoraphobia after
cognitive behavioral therapy has been tried.
Hypnosis and self-hypnosis are sometimes chosen because they
seem to offer an easy cure. The shortcoming of hypnosis is
that it deals only with the behaviors of panic disorder, and
not the cause of the behavior.
For example, an agoraphobia patient may tell the hypnotist,
“I get nervous and panic while driving in traffic.” As part
of the therapy, the hypnotist will teach the patient how to
induce a hypnotic trance to be responsive to suggestions
about feeling relaxed while driving in traffic. Hypnosis
does not address low self-esteem, feelings of vulnerability,
excessive need for control, or other anxiety-related issues.
When the goals of therapy are very specific (like trying to
stop a specific behavior), hypnosis and self-hypnosis can be
very effective for people who are receptive to it. However,
recovering from agoraphobia is more complex than just
changing behavior. You might learn how to relax while
driving in traffic, but if the underlying cause of panic is
not addressed, it will express itself in another way and you
will find yourself back in the therapist’s office trying to
hypnotize yourself to overcome a different fear.
How do you find a trained hypnotherapist?
There are two main professional organizations that can
provide you with the name of a licensed professional
hypnotherapist in your area. For more information contact:
The American Society of Clinical Hypnosis
130 E. Elm Court
Roselle, IL 60172-2000
630-980-4740
The Society for Clinical and Experimental Hypnosis
2201 Haeder Road
Pullman, WA 99163
509-332-7555
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