There are only three things in life that are certain: death, taxes, and stress. Although that might not be exactly how the saying goes, the truth behind it is probably getting you to think about relieving stress. Stress is a common occurrence just about everyone faces and it manifests in various ways. There’s good stress which is the type of overwhelming excitement you feel when awaiting something like the birth of a baby or a promotion. Good stress is temporary. There is also bad stress, which is when stress is long term, and as a result, the challenges it presents seem to have no relief. For some people, the effects of bad stress can be life-threatening.
About forty-three percent of adults struggle with adverse symptoms of stress. Ailments caused by stress include headaches, heart problems, asthma, skin conditions, high blood pressure, arthritis, anxiety and depression. The CDC and OSHA even classifies stress as a hazard to the workplace, reporting that it costs the American workforce industry over $150 billion a year. When left untreated, chronic stress can result in emotional disorders.
Fortunately, there a many ways to treat stress. The Wellness Institute identifies three traditional ways to treat chronic stress and anxiety:
1. Medication- Medication is offered to patients struggling with anxiety.
2. Talk Therapy- Some people find that describing their anxiety to a counselor is an effective way to treat chronic stress.
3. Ignore It-It’s not uncommon for people to ignore the symptoms of chronic stress for years before seeking help.
These approaches to stress are not one-size-fits-all solutions. You may have tried one, two, or even three of these approaches to no avail. If that is the case, it may be time to consider hypnotherapy.
Hypnotherapy Find the Root Cause of Stress
When hypnotherapy is effective, the hypnotherapist can quickly find the underlying source of the client’s anxiety. A hypnotherapist will begin with the client visualizing a triggering situation or event in their life. This might include something that makes the client anxious like public speaking, or having to talk their boss.
As the client is describing the event, the hypnotherapist will ask questions including what the client is feeling and where in the body are those feelings emerging. Oftentimes, by locating the feelings, patients will begin to feel the stress leave their body. Once the client is fully in a hypnotic state, they are asked to regress to one of the first times they remember having similar feelings of anxiety. By allowing the patient to regress, hypnotherapists are able to access the subconscious mind thereby finding the missing piece of the puzzle.
Your mind tells your body how to respond to triggers, so changing the way your mind interprets those triggers is key to treating chronic stress with hypnosis. A hypnotherapist will make those alterations in the subconscious. Once those changes are made, you can stay calm when faced with situations that would normally cause distress.
Try it at Home
You can also bring hypnotherapeutic principles home with you. To reduce the negative effects of stress, practice affirmations or mantras several times a week. Find a quiet space, get comfortable, and begin to recite your affirmations as you begin to relax. To reach a deep relaxation, add slow and steady breaths to this activity. Imagery is powerful, especially in hypnosis. Focus on a tense muscle group and imagine the stress leaving your body. After several minutes of focused relaxation, you can say you practiced self-hypnosis, congratulations!
Stress is common, but it does not need to control your life. For everything you need to know about relieving stress, contact Ava Evans.
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