To ask if anyone has had success with hypnotherapy

[ToadyMcToadface]

I am considering trying hypnotherapy to overcome a specific anxiety issue I have.

I've tried CBT which hasn't done anything for me and I'm eager to explore other therapies before trying medication. Has anyone had any success with hypnotherapy? Particularly for anxiety issues? Or is it all a load of mumbo jumbo?

It’s amazing, really does work but only if you want it to

I had it for anxiety around a life event, and a few sessions really helped. It depends on the therapist - it’s largely unregulated (as in, it’s really easy to get qualified) so do ask for references. I actually found my recommendation through a message board related to the specific thing I was going through.

Not for anxiety, but for ARFID and it was amazing. Especially since I was harangued into going by my mother and was convinced it was a load of rubbish. To this day I'm the only person I know with the disorder that can eat mostly like a normal person, definitely give it a go.

Used it for anxiety, traumatic grief and problematic thought processes. It's been great. Hopefully going back for disordered eating and to unpack feelings around a particular event.

I used to help with my fear of flying. Wasn't convinced it would work but by that time I was willing to try anything. Although I still get a little anxious before flying I am so much better and I have now been able to fly to the US and carribean for holidays. (Not lately obviously).

Had a friend who tried it to stop them smoking. They are, unfortunately, still smoking but now don't want to eat anything sweet, so I guess it was useful in the end.

I used in for birth, and it was really great (had a lovely, comfortable home birth both times). But I also have employed the same techniques I learned in hypnotherapy during dental treatment and for flying, which I do have anxiety about. It's worked really well. I don't have to take sedatives to fly anymore. I think it's worth a shot. You do have to be willing to commit to it and practice it though, whether that is at home (your hypnotherapist may make you audio recordings to listen to) or in one-on-one sessions.

It worked for me I used it for my 5th driving test. The problem was not the driving but the crippling nerves I had during the tests. I was a lot calmer and passed on the 5th after the hypnotherapy.

Used it to stop smoking, 15 years ago. Wasn't sure if it would work but it did. No desire to smoke ever came back again, and I'd sometimes smoke 40 odd a day, especially if i was drinking. Good luck, it's got to be worth a try.

I tried it for weight loss but it didn't work for me.

I'm a trainee hypnotherapist. It is excellent for anxiety and is actually based on neuroscience. I've had excellent results for clients with anxiety and many other issues including phobias and OCD. A lot of hypnotherapists will give you an hour's free initial consultation where the science and how it works will be explained clearly. They should be registered with the National Council of Hypnotherapists.

NICE recommend hypnotherapy for IBS so if it wasn't considered safe and effective such an organisation would not recommend it. Go for it!

I used it for a fear of flying years ago. I was quite sceptical but it was amazing. The fear I always had leading up to the flights just didn't happen. I was able to fly short and long haul that year. I've flown since though, and been terrified, so it didn't last. But maybe another session would have sorted it, who knows!

I have had hypnotherapy from three different practitioners, one was rubbish, one was quite good and one was great. They aren't all created equal.

The great one really helped me with anxiety and setting healthier habits, but when my sessions ended I wasn't very good at continuing my practice and did slip back into my bad habits a bit so make sure you continue afterwards.

Longer term just understanding my brain and how it works was really helpful.

Yup. Fear of flying, definitely worked. Still don't love it but not crying in fear throughout as before.

I had a spinal tumour years ago. I had a phobia of needles and i knew I would be having quite a few inserted during treatment. I had hypnotherapy to help with this with a friend of my parents. I remember thinking throughout the sessions that this was a load of rubbish and it wouldn't work, but when the treatment started I found that I was perfectly relaxed when they came to take blood or whatever. I had also struggled to sleep because I was worrying about the tumour and I found that sorted itself out too.

I have had hypnotherapy but I found EMDR more beneficial.

Yes, I had it for IBS and it worked really well, because my IBS is mainly caused by stress and psychological stuff.