Mental health and hypnosis

Hypnosis for mental health

Mental health, how often do we address our mental health? In recent years we have realised how important it is to look after ourselves to ensure good health and longevity. There are gyms on every high street where you can go to maintain your fitness regardless of your abilities. They have optional classes running if you prefer the company and motivation of others in a group setting. Many personal trainers will tailor a fitness regime to meet your needs at a time that suits you. There is a wide array of clothing and other apparel to ensure comfort and style for all your sporting activities. The industry itself turns over billions of pounds every year.

The beauty industry too has experienced a massive surge. It offers all kinds of treatments, from lotions and potions to surgical enhancements. The reason is simply to make you look good and feel better. Many people spend thousands of pounds to maintain or improve their looks and body image.

The diet industry introduces new fad diets every year. Despite many ultimately failing, customers keep coming back year after year for more in their quest to lose weight and look good. Even the established diet companies that have been around a long time rely on return customers who often fall off the bandwagon at some point. The main reason is that most diet plans are unsustainable long term.

Making changes

For many of the above challenges, willpower wanes after a short time. In addition, motivation also weakens. Hypnosis can help you maintain that motivation to keep fit.  It is done by establishing new behaviours that will serve you well. It will also help you not only to continue with your fitness programme but also to get you to enjoy it. Hypnotherapy is also a very successful method in helping you to get rid of excess weight. Therefore being able to keep it off, and maintain a more healthy lifestyle.

So we have established how important it is to look good physically. Yet, often we do not give our mental health a second thought. When we feel down, we brush it aside without analysing why we feel like that. Moreover,  we don’t think about what we could do to make a positive change. Recently social media has been trying to increase awareness and get rid of the stigma surrounding mental health issues. However, there is still a very long way to go.

The stigma

Many people are too embarrassed to admit they are feeling down or that their mood is low. That is because they fear being ridiculed and accused of feeling sorry for themselves. Perhaps, they are too afraid to ask for time off work in case their employer either doesn’t believe them or indeed sees them as a liability. Few people will reveal their true mental health status when applying for a job. This happens because they are afraid it will deter employers from giving them a start.

The majority of us will experience poor mental health at some point in our lives. This might be the result of a bad experience or trauma of a loved one or ourself. For others, low mood caused by anxieties, stress, or depression can be a reoccurring issue and, left unaddressed long term, can have an impact on their physical health too.

Dealing with the emotional pain

Too many people, especially young men, ignore the warning signs they may be experiencing. They allow their mood to drop so low they can see no way out. Ultimately they end up taking their lives, leaving behind distraught families who had no idea they were in so much emotional pain.

When someone is in physical pain, they seek help and pain relief. The more pain they experience the greater is the pain relief that they seek. However, those suffering from emotional pain tend to shut themselves off from others. Also, they are less likely to seek help as their suffering increases.

Traditionally, those who did seek help were often referred to psychiatrists and offered talking therapies that could last for years, as they were expected to talk through their issues and relive them. Hypnotherapy can help by bypassing the conscious mind and, through guided relaxation, eliminate the negative thoughts and altering the process to accept more positive suggestions, thus increasing your mental well-being. Often, the behaviours we use to protect ourselves and think are shielding us from further harm are actually what keeps us in the same loop spiralling downwards. These could include drinking alcohol or taking drugs to ‘forget’ your problems. These only work short term, and eventually add to the very problem you are trying to resolve.

Hypnotherapy and the process

The hypnotherapist can help you replace that inner voice that is filling your head with self-doubt and fear with positive thoughts and actions. He or she will guide your thoughts to a time you felt good about yourself and anchor that feeling to replace the negative emotions you may have been feeling for too long. This process may take several visits, but you should begin to feel an improvement immediately. For many people, they report back that they had a great sleep that first night, after suffering from many wakeful nights previously.

As mental health awareness thankfully increases, unfortunately, referral lists increase too, and there can be delays in being seen by the appropriate professional. Do your research and find a good hypnotherapist who can address any issues you have and improve your mental well-being today.

“The ability to be in the present moment is a major component of mental wellness” – Abraham Maslow