To consider hypnotherapy for my daughter

[jonesmum]

Does anyone have any experiences - good or bad. Really welcome your views.

Long story cut short, she is aged 22, has suffered chronic pain for 12 years. (with top hospital for treatment but took long time to be diagnosed)

Her health has had massive implications over the years including home schooling, losing friends, no boyfriends etc.

2019 was a good year as she started a new treatment. Still in pain but she could do more so Uni life was starting to get easier, still pacing (and not your typical student) but had managed a couple of socials and actually keeping up with the work.

Early Jan 2020, she took a tablet for something unrelated and it created a massive allergic reaction. She was on her own for an hour waiting for an ambulance. This is turn triggered an anxiety over eating anything - medication, drinks or food. She was starting to recover and we then all went into COVID lockdown- which meant hospital was scary so her mind told her the safest way is to not eat in case she is allergic.

She has done amazingly and managed to eat some new foods over the last few months. Still on a restricted diet. She has had CBT sessions which were great but I feel may have run their course.

She is buying new food she wants, and desperately wants her pain medication as life is tough without it. Logic absolutely has come back and she knows she will be fine as she is not allergic, but she is still struggling for that final bit - actually eating new food/taking medication.

It's like she can't get her mind over that last hurdle and is very frustrated with herself.

I am really worried about setting her on a path that is not proven with hynotherapy but do wonder if it may help? We've also had some poor experiences finding a good CBT counsellor but luckily she is switched on and changed. But how would we know if a hypnotherapist is any good or qualified?

If anyone has any experience or knowledge in this area I would be interested to hear.

Go via the professional bodies (CNHC
Etc) then they will be trained and insured. References are best and they will specialise in specific areas. Don’t block book sessions as it’s impossible to know how many sessions she will need.

It’s not a magic wand - it just helps you manage the symptoms. She will need to do daily practice. It sounds as if food management is the thing she has latched onto to have some control in her life. Obviously the fear of another allergic reaction is there, even though on a conscious level she knows that she can avoid the triggers and what to do if she feels a reaction coming on.

Speak to any practitioner first - get a feeling for them. Ask for a trial session to see if there is chemistry/trust there.

I had my 1st session last Monday for binge eating and caffine addiction. Since then Ive not had a can of coke, only 1/2 coffees in a morning and eating alot better. I've felt alot calmer emotionally since so felt it did have a positive impact and have booked again. If shes open to it will have a bigger impact and as previously said pick someone carefully.

Not hypnotherapy, but a buddhist centre for me has been hugely beneficial. You do not have to take any religion with it which greatly pleases me.
It's about forgiving yourself and letting go of anger and pain and being able to be resilient enough to get through life whatever it throws at you. Really helps. The speakers are very gentle and relatable.
I've been suffering from mental health problems ever since I can remember.
Well done to your daughter for eating new foods, that's a massive step.
I wish you well xxx

It’s worth a try.
As is acupuncture if it doesn’t work.

I chose acupuncture first for various things that western medicine tells us can’t be cured or you need pills for, as I don’t like taking medicine. It worked for me.

I tried hypnotherapy as well but didn’t find it made much difference but perhaps that’s just me!

I also had Bowen therapy. That was amazing. Truly. Like reiki only I could see more light with my eyes shut, great multi colours fireworks. Never experienced anything like it.

Something will work for her. It’s just finding it that’s the hard and expensive part !

Thank you for the helpful replies. She has had various treatments for pain including acupuncture. (Didn’t work for her for pain )

She knows this is a section of her mind stopping her logical mind so think she is open to trying this.

For example - she can eat new things easier when out in a busy place as her brain tells her someone will have medical knowledge or an eppi pen to help ( even though she knows she doesn't need one) We had to wait for 3 ambulances on 3 separate times from both her flat/home and they took a while so again her brain has made a link to it not being safe.

With uni campus shut & online study from home, and Covid, it hasn’t helped her situation.

We will start looking for someone through the professional body ( thanks for that info)

I found hypnotherapy really useful for phobia and anxiety, so would recommend - hold out for a sympathetic, non-judgmental and experienced practitioner OP. I hope it helps your DD.

Has she had allergy tests? Would that help?

I’ve just started looking into hypnotherapy for anxiety so following with interest.

I have to say no.

I had a very bad experience, i won’t go into it too much but basically the hypnotherapist believed in ‘regression therapy’ and made someone close to me ‘re live’ trauma that had happened them as a child.
The result was that person ended up sectioned because they couldn’t cope with the memories brought back up.

At no point did the hypnotherapist acknowledge how ill they were making this person.
Instead they got very aggressive and nasty.

I can’t remember the body, but this ‘therapist’ was registered.

I used to have a fear of down escalators, completely irrational for me. I would freeze at the top. I struggled with the tube and it was quite restrictive so I tried hypnotherapy when I was about 17. I could use an escalator after the first session and I had one session after that. I can use them now, but I know I am still scared. I really prefer it if someone I know gets on behind me, everyone forgets though because it isn't obvious I'm scared. I would say you have to want the therapy to work for it to do so, but it sounds like your daughter does. Just know that she might remain cautious about eating but will be able to 'feel the fear and do it anyway' and because its such a frequent activity (hopefully) she might not feel the same as me. Good luck

I used hypnotherapy as i was desperate to find help for severe panic attacks. It never stopped them but it did help
Me cope immensely

Regression therapy is merely a tool - only an incredibly experienced or inexperienced therapist willies try to regress someone back to an actual traumatic event. You might use past life as a way of just making sense of current issues (a bit like dreams, a bible parable, or Aesop fable). Taking someone back to trauma is like treating a really bad phobia (so an actual phobia where you can’t breathe is you see a spider or even hear the world) - it takes time and a lot of skill.

Even basic treatment needs to be done carefully because you can’t possibly know what might set of bad feelings or even a panic attack.

I spoke to one ‘therapist’ who suggested that he could cure cancer. Anyone can set themselves uo and some therapists do seem to have a messiah complex.

@JaffaJaffJaffpussycatpuss
That sounds interesting. Please could you tell me more?

Yep. There are Buddhist centres in many areas of the UK, some a purpose built temple, some can take place in a 'community centre' (a branch of the main Kadampa centre in the centre of my city do this to make it more accessible, they use a hired room).
When someone suggested it to me initially when I was very badly suffering I palmed it off as 'woo' but I got to know more about it and begged my then very kind and compassionate housemate to tell me more about what he had been telling me before.
I love the fact that you don't have to believe in any imaginary gods or say prayers.
It's just very good common sense.
The speakers (sometimes guests or employed by the centre) can be the monks or someone that follows and is somewhat taught and has reached a good level.
What I love even more is that the speakers or nun monks (as I fondly call them) are very relatable. They talk about their mistakes and embarrassments in life whether it arguing with a difficult uncle or having a stubborn pet. They are sweet and have to be.
I pay a membership to attend but have lived in a different city and went to a different centre where I had no money and they were very happy to accept a donation of any amount if at all.
They know me well there and it comforts me.
They send me emails with kisses at the end and ask me how I'm dealing with a particular problem that I've mentioned .
They know people suffer and teach us how to forgive those that have wronged us without pretending it didn't happen or advocating bad behaviour.
Totally positive experience. They are very wholesome.

Hi Op I suffer from rumertoid Athritis so I know exactly what is like to suffer chronic pain from a health disorder such as your daughter got.
I requested to have a few hypnotherapy sessions earlier on this year, I loved have hypnotherapy sessions I wanted to stay in the hospital pool longer,It was a bit of fun too trying out different exercises in the water,because you are doing this in water it feels like a gentle exercise in a relaxed envoriment with a few others.
I am a member of a local hotel Healthspa, it feels so relaxing being in the Jucuzzi too.
My good friend also has recently said to me that she has had a one off accuppunture session,even tho it was only a one off session she could already feel the benefits of this kind of therapy and can't to go and have a another accupunture session,she highly reccomends she also suffers from Athritis too.

Hi. Op oops I ment to say my good friend said she is excited and can hardly wait, looking forward to book in another accuppunture session after latest lockdown finishes in wales.

I know a hypnotherapist who uses neuro linguistic programming NLP as a tool for people with pain, also for addictions, apparently with some success.
Hope your daughter can make some improvement. 💐