Does the word 'hypnosis' makes you think of a mustachioed villain swinging a clock-watch back and forth? Or someone making an utter fool of themselves at a stage show? This popular misconception of hypnosis as a mechanism where the hypnotist somehow completely removes the control of an individual is both untrue and unfair.
Hypnosis actually increases our ability to control our own behaviour by helping us access a 'trance' state through proven techniques. And no, being in a trance state does not mean you become a glassy-eyed zombie! We frequently enter a level of trance state without any help at all – when we daydream, or read a good book or paint a picture – anything that narrows our attention down to that task alone.
Hypnosis can also complement our bodies' natural rhythms. Did you know that your body naturally needs to go into 'right-brain'(creative) mode about once every 90-120 minutes? Hectic schedules mean we often make ourselves remain analytical (in left-brain mode) all day, overriding our bodies' needs and causing adrenaline build-up to put a huge strain on our immune system, with inevitably destructive results.
But trying to relax when you have a hundred different thoughts zipping around your head can seem impossible. Hypnosis can help enormously, both by giving you a focus to control your attention, and by bringing you into a trance state that encourages the necessary right-brain activity.
The great news is that it's no longer necessary to go and see a hypnotist every time you need help coping with stress and anxieties. A good cassette or CD from a reputable organization will give you a portable self-hypnosis tool that you can use whenever, and as often as you need to.
I decided to put all this theory to the test. Lately, general overload had brought me to a point where I was unable to retain a single thread of thought for more than several seconds, and kept finding myself standing in rooms with no idea why I was there.
To be honest, I thought that I would sit with my headphones on, irritated, drumming my fingers, and then switch the darn thing off after five minutes. But I was wrong! Vocal pitch is an obvious, yet very effective tool in hypnosis. The change from a normal, conversational tone to deeper, softer levels quickly helped me go into a relaxed state, as did the use of appropriate relaxation-related words. Focusing on the words completely took my attention, and within minutes I was a dozy little ball of contentment. The next thing I was aware of was the speaker bringing their voice back up to a normal tone and speed again, successfully bringing me back into an alert state without a sudden shock. I realized that although the relaxation session had only lasted about 16 minutes, somewhere within that time, despite all the traffic in my head, I had gone to sleep. Gosh.
You can use self-hypnosis products whenever you feel tired or anxious, or can't concentrate, but obviously never use them at a time when you need to maintain concentration, such as driving. Find somewhere you can be undisturbed for about 20 minutes. Simply curl up, switch on, and... relaaaaax.
Siobhan was using a self-hypnosis tape from Uncommon Knowledge Ltd. For further information contact the website
