With the recent COVID-19 pandemic, the topic of how one can boost their immune system is more talked about than ever before. While I’m not a medical doctor (the idea of 14+ years of schooling wasn’t particularly appealing to me), what I can do is offer a perspective that may be new to some people: hypnotherapy as an aid to the immune system.
The mind/body connection has been studied for years, and there is a lot of evidence that supports the idea that a healthy mind facilitates a healthy body, and vice versa! This idea is intuitive in its very nature- a calm, relaxed state is more likely to result in physical health than a stressed, anxious, tense state. A good example of the mind/body connection at work is when you’re feeling anxious or fearful. These unpleasant emotions can increase blood pressure, increase respiration, cause nausea, headaches, and other unwelcome physical sensations. Migraine headaches are another example: migraines are associated with increased anxiety levels (no surprise there to any fellow migraine sufferers!) On the other, positive hand, physical relaxation and a peaceful state of mind can help reduce certain types of headaches and stomach ailments.
Hypnotherapy is a highly effective form of treatment that has shown much potential for aiding certain physical conditions, in conjunction of course with a licensed physician’s recommendation. For example, a 2018 study showed that hypnotic techniques reduced fatigue in people with multiple sclerosis (MS). In addition, a 2001 study indicated that self-hypnosis has the potential to strengthen immune function, and a 2006 study found that hypnotherapy can ease physical pain and accelerate healing. Many other studies exist supporting this general premise.
Hypnotherapy can be a powerful tool to increase physical well-being because it directly accesses the unconscious mind, the portion of the mind containing one’s positive and negative associations, automatic processes, habits, and the like. A skilled hypnotherapist can utilize many different techniques to promote physical well-being. A couple of examples of these techniques include guided visualization and age regression/hypnoanalysis, a hypnotic technique that can potentially pinpoint the origin of a physical issue and alleviate the cause.
With the uncertainty and chaos of today’s world, adjunctive techniques that promote emotional and physical well-being can benefit us all. For more information, please visit www.westsidehypnosisassociates.com.
Sending you love and light,
Simone
Simone Gordon, C.Ht.