Hypnotherapy experiences?

[Rachael200694]

Hiya

I've had an eating disorder from the age of around 3 and was wondering if hypnotherapy might be quite useful for me!
I have had Selective Eating Disorder (look it up if interested) for 17 years now.
A simple explanation is like when a child is "fussy" with food. SED is common amongst toddlers who normally grow out of it before 8 years old and is more common in boys, so I'm an odd one!

I get an adrenaline rush and start to panic when asked to try food, it's like a food phobia.
I eat the same three meals every day and it wears me down emotionally. It's quite embarrassing and stressful and I can't eat out with friends a lot of the time!

"SED combines a highly restricted diet combined with an unwillingness to try new foods. In some extreme cases it can even be limited not only to specific food types, but specific brands too. Common in toddlers, it can persist into childhood, adolescence and adulthood. Part phobia and part addiction, SED has serious implications for the future health of sufferers, not to mention psychological symptoms including worry, depression and significant social impairment." - best description I could find, it's kind of hard for some people to understand, I get a lot of hassle over it!!

Has anyone had hypnotherapy before for any phobias? Or even for weight loss?
As much info about it as possible would be great as I'm hoping this could help me along my way to being a normal eater!!

Anyone?

Don't want you to go unanswered.

TBH I think this is one of those 'suck it and see' things.

It really does work or some people but not others. I've known people get over fear of flying etc with just 1 session, exam nerves etc etc.

You've nothing to lose by trying ( except money) so why not give it a go!

Have you thought about CBT as well? Similar process of dealing with phobias and behaviour.

Thank you very much for getting back to me!

I think I will give it a try, it could help me a lot with my first few steps I'm hoping.

I started CBT last summer but fell pregnant after a few months. I decided to post pone it until after as the smells of a lot of food started to really turn my stomach so I didn't think it would do me much good!!

I think a few sessions of hypnotherapy along side the CBT might actually make it a lot easier to deal with!

I had hypnosis to stop biting my nails. It was a childhood habit that stuck and so was almost 30 years of it. It was pretty bad, to the point where I would bite the nail and some of the surrounding skin until they bleed, almost daily. After trying everything out there I decided to try hypnosis. It was brilliant and the best money I have ever spent on myself.

The hypnotherapist I used was very good and honest. She said that most people need between 3 and 6 sessions and I thought I'd need at least 6 as I also wanted to sort out some left over issues I had from when I suffered from depression. It is intense and you are fully conscious the whole time so you remember everything. I had three sessions and it was £60 a session.

You do have to be open minded to trying it and allowing yourself to open up for it to work. I had a cd with relaxation exercises I had to do daily between each session so it will require a bit of commitment from you but definitely worth a try. You have nothing to lose.

I had 7 sessions to help with anxiety about my chronic illness- personally it didn't work for me because I just couldn't let myself 'go' and become relaxed, no matter how much the therapist tried!

I know several people it has helped though so if you want to give it a go then I think you should; like cravingcake says you have nothing to lose and it might just be the start of the changes you want Good luck!

Brilliant to hear a story of it working, especially after something that had been going on a very long time! I will definitely give it a go.

I think even if it was able to just help me start to learn to try new foods and take the edge off my fear it'd be worth every penny.

My little boy will be my motivation, as I'm passionate about him eating well when he gets older. It'd make me extremely proud to be able to eat the same meals as my family and feel less of an outcast!

I believe most hypnotherapists will offer an initial consultation at a reduced cost which will give you some insight and allow them to assess how many sessions it would take to help. It will also allow you to make a judgement as to whether or not you can work with the therapist.

As up thread, you need to be open minded and maybe undertake some exercises between sessions.

I have finished a course of 3 not so long ago...best money I have spent.

Thank you all for your advice it is much appreciated!
From what reading I've done it seems people tend to have between 1-6 sessions. Do they tend to be weekly or will it vary?
I feel I will be able to relax and focus to get the best results I can. It's something I seriously want to change about myself and would be willing to work hard between sessions to try get maximum results.

May I ask what it was you were treated for?

A phobia.

I had my sessions weekly.

I was really suprised as to how easily I 'went under' as I ordinarily like to be in control.

Good look.

My first 2 sessions were a week apart. The 3rd was 2 weeks after as we did a lot of work during the 2nd session and it gave me time to process things. It may vary depending on the style of your therapist.

The exercises I had between each session was a CD of my therapist doing a 20 minute relaxation exercise which was to prepare myself so that the second session was straight into dealing with the issues rather than trying to relax and go 'under'. It was a slightly different exercise between the 2nd and 3rd session. I still have my CD and use it occasionally just to relax when things get on top of me.