 | | | Subject: Self-hypnosis
Posted Mar 18, 2003 by  Beatrice
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 | | An anaesthetist taught me some self-hypnosis techniques when I was pregnant, and I still use them when I want to tune out from reality.
1. Choose a picture in your mind of somewhere that you feel secure and safe (mine's a little cottage with a garden). Visualise as much detail of smell, colour etc as you can.
2. It should have steps leading down to it.
3. Focus on your "third eye". Close your eyelids and strain your eyeballs upwards as if trying to see a spot between you eyebrows. Then relax. Imagine all the muscles in your eye relaxing. Spread that relaxation out across your face, feeling a slight heat sensation.
4. Push the relaxation down your neck, shoulders, arms etc until you've done your whole body. Concentrate on the heat and heaviness you feel.
5. Now in your mind descend those steps to your secure place. Take a deep breath at each "step" down.
You are now in a quasi "hypnotised" state. Things you are told in this state you will be more inclined to believe.
I use it at the dentist!
Other good stress-busters:
 exercise - running, kick-boxing, cycling, walking
writing - put down on paper the things that are troubling you. Force the ideas into a poetic format if you can (I write sonnets as therapy)
do something creative - play music, draw, knit or sew
indulge - a glass of wine, some chocolate, ice cream
talk - that's what friends (and h2g2) are for!
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| | | Subject: Self-hypnosis
Posted Mar 19, 2003 by mindmagic
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 | | That's an excellent introduction to self-hypnosis, incorporating a number of standard techniques. The stairs can also start in your safe place, and they can go either up or down. Sounds can also be brought in.
It's a good idea to give yourself the suggestion that you can immediately return to a full waking state if necessary - if the phone rings or the baby cries, for example. Otherwise, you should bring yourself out progressively, by going back along the staircase (up or down) to where you started, giving yourself suggestions that you will awaken fully refreshed as though you've had a good night's sleep.
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| | | Subject: Self-hypnosis
Posted Mar 24, 2003 by Beatrice
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| | Just thought of another technique:
remember St Francis of Assissi's (sp?) prayer:
grant me the courage to change the things I can
the grace to accept the things I cannot
and the wisdom to know the difference!
(Not sure if that last bit was his or not!)
For example - my luggage went missing on a plane journey last week. I could have jumped up and down and swore and smoked and shouted at the wee man on the baggage claim desk....but would that have helped my luggage to appear?
No.
So I just accepted his expert opinion that the bags would arrive that night, and they would send them to my hotel. Which they did.
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| | | Subject: Self-hypnosis
Posted Apr 5, 2003 by BigEric
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| | Thank you both. I think what you have written is brilliant and truly inspirational. I have some experience of stress and what it can do if uncontrolled. I ended up forced into ill-health early retirement (at 45!!!) because of chronic/acute anxiety and the toll it exerts on your health.
But after a lot of problems I am at least functioning again. I found self-hypnosis techniques very helpful.
I found it hard to "let myself go" as fully as I might, for fear I wouldn't be able to come back. So I tape recorded my voice as a guide. I then knew that someone I trusted (me!) would not only take me down but also bring me back.
The Dentists, Angioplasty.... any situation that previously would have scared me witless..... well they've all become more manageable, thanks to this life-saver.
Thanks again for your precis and recap of the techniques.
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