Hypnotherapy for Pain Relief: Effects of The Mind-Body Connection Pain is something no one wants to have to deal with on a daily basis. Unfortunately, there are those who suffer from such conditions as fibromyalgia and multiple sclerosis, among others. Such conditions are often a source of chronic pain, which, at worst, can interfere with daily life. Sometimes, the pain is manageable, though it can be tiring dealing with it. Other times, however, it can be unbearable. Studies have shown, though, that pain and stress are, in fact, linked – stress can make pain worse, and feeling intense pain can cause stress. For therapists who assist people in coping with their pain-causing diseases, the link between mind and body is clear. What the mind perceives as pain translates into the physical; meaning, if the mind doesn't see a stimulus as painful, the body doesn't feel it as painful. Given that, certain treatment methods such as meditation, relaxation therapy, and hypnotherapy can help make chronic pain easier to deal with. However, since hypnotherapy contains elements of meditation and relaxation, a larger number of people tend to turn to it for relief. Hypnotherapy for Pain Relief Hypnotherapy to help treat chronic pain is fundamentally no different from, say, hypnotherapy for weight loss. The practitioner guides the patient into a state where they are completely relaxed and let go of all distracting thoughts; at the same time, they're still aware of what's going on. The subconscious mind is engaged during hypnotherapy, and it's this part of the mind that typically affects habitual actions, like moving away from a dangerous-looking dog. You don't have to think about it – you just do it. In the same way, you don't consciously think if something is painful or not; you 'know', immediately, that you feel pain. There are several ways hypnotherapy works to relieve pain. The first one is through the person learning to simply accept the pain and not focus on it. If one concentrates on the aches one feels, it just makes things worse. Therefore, not concentrating only on that sensation will make it seemingly disappear; it's still there, but you're not acknowledging it. Another way hypnotherapy helps is through relaxation, with the practitioner guiding the patient through relaxing one muscle group after another. They may also guide the person in using body awareness and visual imagery to 'transport' themselves to a place that is relaxing. The practitioner may then make suggestions that will, in effect, have the person strive for the feelings of peace, contentment, and being pain-free whenever in a stressful situation. This way, both the stress and the pain caused by stress can be avoided, eventually. With muscles less tense as well, there are less chances of additional painful sensations. Another benefit that could add to the ease of dealing with chronic pain is the addressing of insomnia, whether the person was already suffering from it in some form, or it's still a possibility. Sleep is the best way for the body to repair itself, so the more time one spends sleeping, the more time the body has to stave off possible causes of pain, apart from the already-present condition. That's not to say hypnotherapy is all benefits and no risks. Those who suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), for instance, may find themselves worse off, psychologically. Those with borderline personality disorder, and those susceptible to false memories also should steer clear.
It's obvious, though, that the risks don't come from the method itself, but from existing psychological conditions. That's why though the general advice is to seek help only from license practitioners of hypnotherapy Adelaide, who are trained in spotting the signs of these conditions. All the same, hypnotherapy itself is a very effective method for pain relief – it just works. OFFPAGE – Krista Rei R. Lantion – 30 July 2015 Main keywords; hypnotherapy for weight loss hypnotherapy Adelaide