Hypnotherapy , CBT

[Marne]

Hi, has anyone had Hypnotherapy and CBT to help with anxiety and phobias?

I am starting Hypnotherapy next week and wanted to know what to expect?

How has hypnotherapy helped you?

Is it a waist of time and money?

Thanks x

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Hi Marne me again! My mum is a hypnotherapist so I am perhaps not objective but I think it is fantastic stuff. I think you have to go with an open mind and just let yourself go when you are going for a hypnotherapy session. I asked her the other day if it has ever not worked and she said 'just once'. She said she even managed to hypnotise a client's husband who happened to be in the same room. She says she's helped people with phobias with lots of success, the strangest was a man terrified of motorways. She is working on me and my sleep issues at the moment and it has helped hugely with anxiety, and she has helped me in the past with my phobia of balloons and also helped me go through labour three times with minimal pain relief (nothing and gas and air). It is very powerful. You might need 'top up' sessions in the future. I need a top up for my balloon phobia as it has got worse again recently thanks to lots of children's parties with popping balloons. I don't think it is a waste of money because if the phobia is affecting your life severely surely anything is worth a go even if it doesn't work and it is safe, it doesn't alter your body chemistry like drugs? I can't comment about CBT.

Thanks Becky - when i mention Hypnotherapy to people the think about that TV show (Paul mckenna). I feel hypnotherapy is my only option, the only problem is the cost, it will be worth every penny if it works but if it doesn't i can't really afford to waist my savings.

I'd be interested to hear how you get on. I would be very surprised if you found it didn't do anything at all and quite surprised if it only helped a little bit. I think some people do need more sessions than others depending on how deep-seeted their phobia is. There may be people who can comment here who have had phobias cured or at least significantly alleviated and / or anxiety dealt with successfully. I find the whole thing fascinating. The way my mum put it is that if you mind can create the phobia in the first place then it can sure it too. When she treated me for anxiety (related to PND) the effect was amazing. Under hypnosis she told me to put all my anxieties in a boat and watch them float away (a bit more detail than that) and it may sound a bit simple but it really worked. I felt so wonderful afterwards. Before she started treating me I was very anxious and I couldn't eat and sleep was a huge problem for me. Now the anxiety has more or less, not completely, gone. It is manageable and my sleep is getting back to normal. I've had four sessions.

That is 'cure' it not sure it!

Thanks, i will let you know how i get on, i am having 6 sessions over 6 weeks (i think), the first being on Tuesday which is for 1.5 hours. I really hope it helps if not cure my phobia, the anxiety and OCD is all linked to my phobia, if i can crack the phobia it will help me in other areas (i hope).

will be very keen to hear how you get on as i am considering the same, i have the cbt in place but hypnotherapy may also help as things have got worse recently for me and being pregnant they think i have antenatal depression now on top!

good luck next week keep us posted

I'm trying it too, starting this week, so can't tell you yet but will let you know how I get on. Would be interested to hear how your sessions go.

dd (13) has been having CBT with new therapist since Christmas for her severe OCD and it has really made a huge difference.
She is having some hypnotherapy/relaxation with her tomorrow so I shall let you know!!

Hi Marne,

I have had Hypnotherapy for anxiety in the past and I have to ay it did help me relax! I should have had 6 sessions, but I feel pregnant with DS2 and everything got put on hold. I can def say that it made a huge difference at the time, but my anxiety has been creeping back recently and I am considering going back for a few more sessions. My therapist also gave me a CD to listen to at my own leasure and advised that the more I listened to the CD the less sessions I would need!

Good luck - hope it works for you - keep us posted!! x x x

How did you get on Marne? I am not sure how much the first session helped me because I found it hard to switch off completely mentally, but I think that comes with time. It was really just an introductory session. I'm going back next week.

Hi, just a quick update.

I had my first session and like arcadia i found it hard to relax and switch off, she gave me a tape to listen to each day but i still could not switch of/relax at home. I came to the decision that hypnotherapy was not for me (maybe i should have given it more of a chance but i felt like i could be waisting my money). Luckily my therapist also does CBT and agreed to switch me to CBT, i had my first session yesterday which went well, we talked about my levels of anxiety, my life (mainly about the stress that comes with bringing up to Autistic children) and my past. I was told to make time for myself for a couple hours a week (away from the dd's and dh) which is hard but i will try. I really hope CBT is the answer to my problems but i will have to wait and see.

Marne sorry it didn't work out for you. It can take a number of sessions to have a full benefit. CBT is supposed to be very good though so hope it works out