In one of the older practices of the medical field, even if it is not as widely spoken of, hypnosis has a tool has been around over two hundred years. Hypnosis began its life as a clinical tool first as a means of treating and correcting hysterical conditions of the mind, and then later progressed to serve as one of the first instances of anesthesia. Hypnosis in the medical field surged again at the turn of the century when Sigmund Freud used it as his first main tool of treatment before moving onto to the psychoanalytic methods of his famous career.
But What Will Hypnosis Do For Me?
As stated above, hypnosis has very useful functions in the fields of psychiatry and medicine. As hypnosis gains more and more backing as a safe, harmless, and comfortable alternative to the traditional treatments patients are accustomed to. There are many good reasons for seeking hypnosis as a treatment as it can help a patient through such trying times as childbirth, addiction, burn recovery, and surgeries where formal anesthesia cannot be used to full effect.
The current most widespread use of hypnosis is within the field of therapy as a tool to help speed the recovery process of a patient. Hypnosis is used to facilitate the understanding of a problem, to make a patient more receptive to the treatments being administered, to help fight back an addiction and other unfortunate habits ” “ not all of which have to be narcotic related ” “ and can help individuals overcome anxiety and fears.
Hypnosis even has applications in the field of dentistry as a means to help a patient curb their negative habits. Whether it”s being used to assist a person in ceasing to grind their teeth, or as a means to numb a patient”s oral cavity instead of anesthesia, hypnosis is a versatile tool.
What Should I Expect?
There is as yet no defined feeling for what a person should expect when they are hypnotized. There a number of separate experiences that occur in similar fashion among patients, but each individual experience is just that: an individual one. The most unique aspect that patients report on is the feeling of involuntary control of their body, which is to be expected just by the definition of hypnosis.
It is perfectly understandable to be apprehensive when approaching the subject of hypnosis as a medical treatment. After all, for many individuals the only exposure they have to the subject of hypnosis is through entertainment and the comical depiction of it as a tool to embarrass someone. Remember however that you are putting yourself into the hands of a trained medical professional, not your best friend. This person is not seeking to make you flap your arms or tell deep dark secrets, they are trying to help you overcome a serious medical problem.
Contrary to the popular portrayal in movies, being hypnotized does make you the unwilling tool of the doctor. A person under hypnosis is still cognitively aware and able to resist direct orders that they do not agree with, but it is still important to check the background of the physician you are entrusting yourself to.
Is It Safe?
There are no known repercussions of the act, as many patients report that it did in fact help them overcome their issues. There are no real worries to have, other than being able to trust yourself to the skills of your physician. But you do that already, don’t you?
