Has anyone tried Hypnosis?

[Papa Coco]

Has anyone ever tried hypnosis in dealing with C-PTSD?

Last week I made a comment to my therapist, "If I thought hypnosis worked, I'd pay anything to get hypnotized so that barking dogs no longer bother me."  I thought it was a joke, but my therapist asked if I was serious. He gave me the name of a hypnotist in Seattle who works with trauma.

Having been duped into spending tens of thousands of dollars on every type of medication, treatment, therapy, etc, and still being trapped in this trauma-response that I live in, I'm apprehensive about calling her.

If I could get help via hypnotherapy, I would want to find myself no longer over-eating, no longer isolating, no longer angry at neighbors for being insensitive jerk wads, no longer bound to this depression / anxiety / depression / anxiety cycle that I live in, no longer torturing myself with shame and regret for every word I've ever spoken.

But if others have tried it, and found it to be unhelpful, I'd like to save my money and time and not bother. But if people HAVE tried it, and it HAS been helpful, then I'll probably do it. I'm sure it's a lot less expensive, and less time consuming than my monthly Ketamine Infusions.

Any thoughts? Anyone? Is hypnotherapy a cure or a snake oil?

[Snowdrop]

I've never been to see a hypnotist, but I find hypnosis tracks helpful. Maybe you could try some and see how you get on?

Paul McKenna made some available for free on his YouTube channel at the start of the pandemic: https://youtube.com/@impaulmckenna. Go to the Videos section and scroll down to about 3 years ago and you should find them.

[Papa Coco]

Thank you Snowdrop,

I'll take a look.

Meanwhile I found a hypnotist who lives in my city, and who advertises as being helpful with PTSD and depression/anxiety. She offered a free 30-minute ZOOM call to discuss whether she thinks she can help me or not. Meanwhile I'll check out the YouTube videos you've pointed me toward.

I had a thought just a few minutes ago: I go in for Ketamine Infusions about every 6 weeks or so. Ketamine opens the mind for up to 48 hours. But my infusions are just infusions. No therapist on staff. So I'm thinking about MAYBE giving Hypnosis the best possible chance for success, by scheduling a session the day after every Ketamine Infusion.... Maybe I can hedge my bets that way. Make sure it gets the best possible environment for success.

My free consultation is at noon tomorrow on Zoom. I'll post here what I find out after that session.

[dollyvee]

My second t did some form of hypnosis I think, more along the lines of self hypnosis I'm guessing, not the put you out wake up as a dog kind. I feel like my internal anxiety was on the high side and didn't feel like I could calm it down enough for it to take effect? I'm not sure though, this was quite a while ago.

One thing I did find helpful was EMDR with my current t. It's hard to say that there was an immediate effect but I think over time it allowed me to have more distance with the anxiety/anxious stuff when it came/comes up. We haven't done it for a couple years. I think it brings up stuff and then perhaps I need to work out intellectually what is going on? That's just my experience.

There are "psychedelic" counsellors too I believe who help you prepare for the experience, setting intentions etc and then work with you again in that immediate window after the experience where new neural patterns etc take root.

[blue_sky]

Hi Papa Coco I've heard about hypnosis treatments too and I'm keen to know more. Could you give us and update on what happened?

[DD]

I found hypnosis tracks also very useful. Not done with a therapist in the room but via a course on rapid transformation hypnosis. For me it broke through my self-disgust and I was able to accept myself as being lovable and enough. I still struggle with it, but the situation is far improved to when I barely felt human.

[Kizzie]

I'd also be interested in hearing if you ever went to a T and had hypnosis Papa Coco.  I too am tired of dealing with all the clag I feel and if it were helpful I'd give it a try. 

[Papa Coco]

The hypnotherapist that I'm seeing is also very spiritual. I hesitate to say too much about what's working because it tends to be a little on the metaphysical side. It's working. It's not crystals and chants, but it's about awareness of all that's happening in my eternal soul and my human brain/body at the same time. She's encouraged me to read (I'm listening to the audio version) of The Seat of the Soul by Gary Zukav. The book was a favorite of Oprah Winfree and Maya Angelou, and has truly resonated with me, and I am responding. Between the hypnotherapy and the metaphysical ways of using meditation and daily writing, I'm truly finding more control over my C-PTSD symptoms. Am I cured? Certainly not. But I'm getting much better at identifying subtle triggers and reactions as they occur. I'm gaining a bit more courage and confidence as I navigate life with improved control.

It's working very well, but I'm just nervous about talking in too much detail about spiritual truths on the forum for fear of breaking the no religion and no politics rules of most forums.

In a nutshell, I do not identify as a Christian, or any other religious term. But I have a strong prayer life, and a sure belief in my connection with other souls in this world and the next. I see miracles happening almost daily. I pray often.

My hypnotherapist shares my same spiritual practices, so we are getting along well, and through our work together I'm making positive headway in my ability to handle this life with my Trauma.

If anyone truly wants to know more, we should probably find out where on the forum we're allowed to talk openly about spiritual things.

[Kizzie]

Glad to hear the hypnosis is going well for you. I love that you are willing to give different treatment options a try.  It takes courage (and sadly, as you say often lots of $$) 

Just wanted to say that talking about spirituality is fine by me as long as like religion it's only about how it helps/ hinders you with CPTSD. IMO CPTSD is all about the ramifications of others trying to bend/crush our spirit so it actually is a topic that runs through a lot of what we talk about here, even if we don't name it as such. So, post away   

 

[StartingHealing]

Papa Coco

You seem to share a lot of the same concepts that I have.  I would like to engage in a conversation with you concerning the spiritual aspects.

I have been hypnotized before and I have found it to be very helpful.