Article appeared in Latest 7
Hypnotherapy can help you overcome anxieties and control your weight*
There are times when we can all feel stressed, anxious and unhappy. Often, it is a response to something life throws our way and is something we get over in time. Sometimes, however, the feelings linger, having an effect on our self esteem and wellbeing. Hypnotherapy and Neuro Linguistic Programming (NLP) can help you overcome your phobias and anxieties, by going to the root of the problem, and making a change for the long-term*.
When it comes to weight issues, many people who have tried dieting come to a hypnotherapist. This is because food related issues can be complicated. Drifting between different diets in a bid to find one that sticks is the norm for many of us. But if your reasons for reaching for high-sugar snacks are because you are stressed and unhappy, then hypnotherapy may be the answer. “People often overeat because they are unhappy, whether it’s in a relationship or a job,” says hypnotherapist Jonathan Conway : sometimes a weight issue can be connected with difficulties from a person’s childhood and low self esteem. Hypnotherapy can be helpful to assist a person to both visualise themselves as able to reach their target weight and also to help the person regain control over their lives*.”
Take a pause before eating to establish whether it’s an emotional hunger or a physical hunger. A person also needs to know whether they are focused on eating or distracted by another activity. If you sit eating at your desk or watching the television, you may not be aware how much you are eating. If we grab a meal on the go or eat quickly in order to dash off and do something else, we can overeat, as we are not consciously thinking about the food. Plan your meal times and eat with no distractions, taking your time to digest the food properly. Eating off a smaller plate is also recommended. As trends in dinnerware sees plates getting even bigger in size, cutting back to a tea plate size can help you to shift unwanted weight. With weight loss it is good to set a target weight that is likely to be sustained for longer.
“With regards to hypnotherapy for weight loss, it can be helpful to visualise fitting into a smaller clothes size,” Jonathan continues. “As the person begins to become slimmer this will increase self esteem and general confidence.”
Hypnotherapy can also help with anxiety and stress, which goes back to the age old ‘fight or flight’ response our bodies take on*. “It is all about degrees,” says Jonathan. “Some anxiety is fine, whereas too much can paralyse the person. It can be helpful to ‘reframe the anxiety into energy and enthusiasm. Another tactic could be to limit the anxiety to a few minutes a day and effectively ‘park it’ into this time slot.”
In order to counter anxiety it can be helpful to learn NLP anchoring techniques focussing on breathing and relaxation*. Learning and using self hypnosis can assist a person in overcoming anxiety, thus helping a person to be calm and in more control*.
