Can I hypnotise myself?

The power of self-hypnosis

I was talking to someone about how effective self-hypnosis is this weekend at an event. They stopped me and said “I didn’t even know that was possible”.  It hadn’t even occurred to me that people are unaware that they can hypnotise themselves. But it's a fantastic act of self-care. When you have a million and one other things to do, effective tools to enhance well-being can be daunting and downright annoying.  If you are like me, you may be fed up with hollow phrases on social media saying “self-care matters” or “make sure you fit in one act of self-care a day”.

I want to know what I can do and that it works. I love practical, simple and fun.

In the work that I do teaching someone self-hypnosis is a crucial pillar of change - it may take the form of simple techniques that I give you to help deepen the change that we are creating, or, if you are seasoned in hypnosis, you may come to me for the sole purpose of learning self-hypnosis.

Self-hypnosis can help you connect with your inner wisdom, intuition and healthy guidance.  Bringing what you want, into alignment with your actions.

What is self-hypnosis?

Self-hypnosis is what it says on the tin. It’s you, hypnotising yourself.

You can learn to take yourself into hypnosis, a naturally occurring state of mind, using imagery, and suggestion to achieve your goals. If like me, you want to go to the gym consistency,  there are specific self-hypnosis tools that you can use to help create for this like rehearsal imagery (much like elite sports people use). Simone Biles the Olympic gymnast talked about using this type of imagery, and Coco Goff the tennis player, also used visualisation all the time of her being on the centre court at the US Open. 

Can I really hypnotise myself?

Yes, you absolutely can hypnotise yourself! And it’s super simple. All you have to do is  create a calm environment, follow a series of steps, to enter a state of focused attention, followed by regular practice.

Practical Tips for Beginners 

Start Small: Begin with short, 5-10 minute sessions and gradually extend the time as you become more comfortable, and used, to using self-hypnosis

Consistency is Key: Practise self-hypnosis regularly for the best results. Repetition helps reinforce positive changes in your subconscious.

Use Guided Resources: If you're new to it, consider using guided audio sessions or see a therapist until you feel comfortable navigating the process independently.

How to Do Self-Hypnosis: 7 steps to self-hypnosis

1. Find a Quiet Space: Where you won’t be disturbed. This could be a bedroom, a quiet corner of your living space, or a tranquil spot in your garden.
2. Get Comfortable: Sit or lie down in a position that supports your body fully. Close your eyes and take deep, calming breaths to centre yourself.
3. Anchor that state: Have some music or sounds nearby that become your “hypnosis music”. Each time you put it on, it’s a signal to your mind to go into hypnosis.
4. Induction: I prefer an eye fixation method for self-hypnosis thought some prefer progressive muscle relaxation. Focus on a point above your eye line until your eyelids get heavy then let them close. Open your eyes and fix them on the point again for just second and then close them again.  if you print off the image of the circle at the top you can stick this on the wall and use it. 
5. Focus on Your Breathing: Maintain a steady rhythm of deep breathing with the words “each breath takes me deeper into relaxed hypnosis”.
6. Imagine and Suggest: Now, bring your imagery skills into play. Imagine the situation if everything went how you want it to go and repeat positive affirmations such as, “I am confident and at peace” or “I trust my body’s natural healing abilities.” If can be helpful to have this is in your mind before you start. You can learn some very cool imagery techniques with a hypnotherapist that you can use again and again.
7. Gradual Return: After 15-20 minutes, bring yourself back to full awareness by counting from 1 to 5 and gently opening your eyes, feeling refreshed and energised. You can also set a timer on your phone with a specific alert tone which becomes your “back to the room” indication.

 Rest assured – you will always be able to bring yourself up out of hypnosis. Any news reports of people being “stuck in hypnosis” are publicity stunts!  

How Can Self-Hypnosis Help You?

 Let’s look at some of the ways that self-hypnosis can help you connect with and achieve some of your goals.

1. Self-Hypnosis for Weight-Loss

Self-hypnosis for weight-loss is all about changing underlying habits and attitudes towards food. It can help you to stop snacking, and choose more healthy options. It can even give you confidence about going out and exercising.  A 2018 study in the International Journal of Clinical and Experimental Hypnosis showed that participants who incorporated self-hypnosis into their weight-loss routine experienced better long-term outcomes compared to those who did not.

2. Hypnobirthing

Hypnobirthing is probably one of the most well-known forms of self-hypnosis, helping to reduce pain, fear and anxiety as well as increasing the capacity to stay focused - ask the questions that matter. A study published in the British Medical Journal found that women who used hypnobirthing reported lower pain scores and a shorter labour.

3. Pain Management and self-hypnosis

Some people worry that we are reducing pain to a dismissive “it’s all in the mind”  mentality….but it is more complex than that. Self-hypnosis can help you to manage pain by altering the way the brain perceives it. Studies show reduced reliance on medication and better sleep.

4. Managing Menopause Symptoms

I feel as if I’m on journey to educate around this as hypnosis is the last thing people might consider for hot flushes, night sweats, insomnia or anxiety. Yet we know from several studies that women who regularly used self-hypnosis experienced fewer hot flushes and better sleep quality. You can learn how use self-hypnosis for menopause on my course.

Citations

1.University of Manchester. "Stress Management through Self-Hypnosis." 2020.

2.International Journal of Clinical and Experimental Hypnosis. "Self-Hypnosis in Weight 3.Management: A Randomised Study." 2018.

4.British Medical Journal. "Outcomes of Hypnobirthing Techniques in Labour." 2016.

5.European Journal of Pain. "Self-Hypnosis as a Pain Management Strategy: A Clinical Review." 2017.

6.Journal of Obstetric, Gynaecologic & Neonatal Nursing. "Self-Hypnosis for Hot Flushes and Sleep Improvement during Menopause." 2019.

https://www.adam-eason.com/self-hypnosis-and-time-distortion/