The Healing Point Wellness Center

Have you ever been totally absorbed while reading a book or cooking or watching a movie? Did you zone out to the point where you didn't notice what else was going on around you? If so, you have experienced a type of trancelike state or focused attention that's similar to what happens to you during hypnosis.Although its medical uses aren't entirely understood, hypnosis, when provided by a certified hypnotist, appears to help with a variety of health conditions. These range from helping to control pain, easing the symptoms of asthma, and breaking of habits.

What is hypnosis?
Hypnosis, which is sometimes referred to as hypnotherapy or hypnotic suggestion, is an altered state of consciousness. This state of consciousness is generally artificially induced and is different from your everyday awareness. When you're under hypnosis:

      - Your attention is more focused.      - You're more responsive to suggestions.      - You're more open and less critical or disbelieving.

The purpose of hypnosis as a therapeutic technique is to help you understand and gain more control over your behavior, emotions or physical well-being. It's not clear how hypnosis works. However, it appears to affect how your brain communicates with your body through nerve impulses, hormones and body chemicals such as neuropeptides. Hypnotherapists say that hypnosis creates a state of deep relaxation and quiets the mind. When you're hypnotized, you can concentrate intensely on a specific thought, memory, feeling or sensation while blocking out distractions. You're more open than usual to suggestions, and this can be used to improve your health and well-being.

The goal of the program is to teach the client the skills to use self-hypnosis to better their life. Typically a client will see the hpnotist no more than six sessions for weight loss, and three sessions for other conditions. Every client does differ.

Who is hypnosis for?
Hypnosis has the potential to help relieve the symptoms of a wide variety of illnesses and conditions. It can be used independently or along with other treatments. For example, it's one of several relaxation methods for treating chronic pain that has been approved by an independent panel convened by the National Institutes of Health.

According to preliminary studies, hypnosis can be used to:

     - Treat pain during childbirth and reduce labor time
     - Control bleeding and pain during dental and surgical procedures
     - Relieve cramping and other symptoms associated with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)
     - Reduce blood pressure and regulate blood flow
     - Enhance the body's immune system and ability to fight infection
     - Control nausea and vomiting caused by chemotherapy
     - Reduce the intensity or frequency of migraine headaches in children and teenagers
     - Treat and ease the symptoms of asthma
     - Hasten the healing of some skin diseases
     - Improve psoriasis and atopic dermatitis
     - Change negative behaviors, such as smoking, bedwetting and overeating
     - Reduce fear, stress and anxiety
     - Eliminate or decrease the intensity of phobias

Although hypnosis may have the potential to help with a wide variety of conditions, it's not a magic bullet. It's typically used as one part of a broader plan rather than as a stand-alone. Like any other, it can be very helpful to some people and fail with others. It seems to work best when you're highly motivated and your hypnotist is well trained and understands your particular problem.