High Stress
There is a huge amount of stress and pressure everywhere. Not just at work, on the road, but also those who are now finding themselves without work. The ripples of this type of stress extend not just internally but to our relationships and friendships as well.

There is a quote by Anthony de Mello "What you are aware of, you are in control of; what you are not aware of, is in control of you"

Often we are unaware of increasing levels of stress within us. Our bodies continue to react in the same way to the stress and so if nothing changes and we do not address our stress-levels then a build-up of tension occurs. If left unaddressed, it results in mental, emotional and physical exhaustion.

One way to help yourself release stress, tension and exhaustion is Hypnosis.

What is Hypnosis?
Hypnosis is the state of relaxation that is actually half way between being “wide-awake” and “fast asleep”. Each night in order to reach deep sleep you go through the hypnotic state, and similarly each morning you pass through the same hypnotic state to awaken.

Hypnosis has often been described as a state of intense relaxation and concentration, where the mind becomes remote and detached from everyday cares and concerns. It is a very pleasant, beneficial and enjoyable experience. Both the mind and body become quieter and slow down.

Hypnosis can assist you to improve your attitudes, your outlook on life, your general functioning, assisting you to feel better physically, mentally and emotionally. It can also help you to achieve the personal or professional goals you have set for yourself.

Myths surrounding Hypnosis
Hypnosis has had long standing associations with the weird and mysterious. Hypnosis isn’t the least bit mysterious or controlling. All hypnosis is actually self-hypnosis.

Will I lose control?  
Demonstrations on stage or on TV are for entertainment and not generally therapeutic. Despite popular belief, you are always in control of the hypnosis process. You are neither asleep nor unconscious. The focus is to empower you. You will not do anything you do not think is acceptable. You cannot be made to violate your own values or acceptable patterns of behaviour, nor disclose anything you do not wish to.

What if I can’t relax?
No-one can be hypnotized if they don’t wish to be or choose not to be. You are invited to relax and gently guided through a process. With practice, self-hypnosis and relaxation become easier and easier. The purpose of Hypnosis is to assist you to achieve the changes you wish to make, and therefore resisting the process is self-defeating.

Research
A number of studies have suggested stress can hinder the body's immune system defences. Now researchers say people may be able to fight back with the stress-relieving techniques of self-hypnosis.

In a study of medical students under exam-time stress, investigators found that those who received ''hypnotic-relaxation training'' did not show the same reduction in key immune system components that their untrained counterparts did.

Janice K. Kiecolt-Glaser and colleagues at Ohio State University in Columbus reported the findings recently in the Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology. The researchers looked at 33 medical and dental students during relatively low-stress periods and around the time of the first major exam of the term. Half of the students attended sessions where they learned to relax through self-hypnosis.

Kiecolt-Glaser's team took blood samples from all students at the start of the study and just before exams. They exposed the samples to foreign substances in order to observe the activity of T cells and other immune system defences.

The investigators found that during exam time, the self-hypnosis students launched stronger immune responses compared with students who did not learn the technique. And the more often students practised the relaxation strategy, the stronger their immune response.

In previous studies, Kiecolt-Glaser and her colleagues have found that stressful times may impair the body's wound-healing process and response to vaccination. They and other researchers have also found that relaxation techniques may combat these effects by relieving stress and boosting the immune system.

“The data from this study provide encouraging evidence that interventions may reduce the immunological dysregulation associated with acute stressors,” they write.

The authors add that some of the strongest evidence for the benefits of self-hypnosis, in particular, comes from studies of surgical patients.  This work has suggested the technique can reduce patients' pain and anxiety, shorten hospital stays and speed recovery.

“Given the substantial consequences of stress for wound repair,” the researchers conclude, “even small diminutions in stress or anxiety among surgery patients could have substantial clinical consequences.”'
SOURCE: NEW YORK (Reuters Health). Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology 2001;69.

Gain control of your health and life with the tools of Hypnosis and self-hypnosis - become free from stress and tension! Your body and mind will thank you for it!