Hypnotherapy

Yes, and yes. I was taught how to self-hypnotise by a fully qualified professional, and used it to overcome dentist phobia.

I tried it a couple of years ago to (hopefully) help me through a very stressful time. I only went once as I came out feeling more stressed than when I went in! So no, it wasn't of help to me .

I’m thinking of going to help with my insomnia. I have the associated difficulties too such as day time sleepiness, nightmares, sleep paralysis, hypnogogic sleep starts. It is ruining my life and has been ongoing for years. Maybe hypnosis might help?

Yes, if I ever have trouble falling asleep (which, I’ll be honest, is vanishingly rare), self hypnosis gets me to sleep within a few minutes.

Yes I have, but it didn’t really help me. Like you boheminan I found it stressed me out big time. Recently I’ve been practising 4-7-8 breathing which I find really relaxing.

Yes....I tried it for my fear of flying and it worked!

Has anyone used it to stop smoking?

I spent thousands on it trying to overcome my fear of flying, to no avail. I'm very easily hypnotised but it made no difference to the problem I went with.

I used it for fear of flying, just three sessions and it worked like magic. I think there is research showing that some people can be hypnotised and some can't. Probably it also depends on the skill of the therapist. There is some scientific validation for hypnotism, it was all the rage at the point when they invented a safe anaesthetic so hypnotism got relegated to the alternative!

sallywally1 I have suffered from insomnia for 20+ years. Very severely and pre retirement would often go to work not having had any sleep at all.
My GP only offered sleeping pills none of which were of any benefit. Recently I paid privately to have an overnight sleep test done and I was found to have moderate sleep apnea. I was averaging 20 apneas per hour and 152 mini apneas per hour. A cpap was prescribed. In 20+ years none of the doctors in my practice suggested a sleep test.
I tell you this because it may be worth your while having a sleep test done. I paid because the NHS waiting time is 3 years.

Hetty58 yes about 15 years ago my boss asked if I wanted to go to a stop smoking hypnotherapy evening ..we went but I was very very sceptical.
Anyway from the moment I walked out of the room I never had another cigarette again and it was the best thing I ever did! It did not work for my friend though.

It really depends on the practitioner, some are better than others - check qualifications. I had Positive Solution therapy combined with hypnosis which worked for me, but I it took me a while to find the right therapist.

Yes and Yes. Dental phobia overcome, amazing

Yes, twice. First time to stop smoking after 18 years. The practitioner chatted to me afterwards and as he was chatting offered me a cigarette. I said no thanks, I don't smoke! Second time was after a horrible driving test examiner made me so nervous, I went on to fail three times. My driving was fine but I went to pieces on each test. After hypnotherapy I passed confidently two weeks later. Definitely worked for me but I'm not sure it works for everyone.

I tried it years ago for anxiety problems and found the sessions very relaxing but not sure how much it really helped me. I found acupuncture brilliant

Like Bohemian I tried it once, total disaster. Supposed to help with panic attacks but caused me to have one during the session. The poor lady running it was mortified, didn’t know what to do. Not her fault but I didn’t go again.

I went to two different people , cost me a fortune and didn’t work with either of them. With the first one I felt that I really was hypnotised, but it didn’t work. The second lady told me that I was being difficult and thought that my problem stemmed from my parents!
Unfortunately it was my last session with her or I would have left and not gone back.
DH has also been but it didn’t work for him either.

Hetty58 Yes, I tried it to stop smoking, and unfortunately it didn't work. Willpower did!

Yes and it did the job. I couldn't swim and wanted to for holidays to warmer climes. I had a terrible fear of water. I worked with someone whose partner included hypnotherapy in his treatment if necessary. I went along for about 6 months and then took swimming lessons. I now am confident in a pool. Taught me self hypnosis too which is useful for stress.

I tried it a dozen years ago, had one session (about 90 minutes) with a qualified practitioner, at what seemed the exorbitant price of £120 but I walked out of that session a non-smoker and have never considered since having a cigarette, even if I’m with smokers. Absolute best thing ever. I was a little ambivalent about the therapy before I went - on one level I was sure I would be wasting my money! I paid for my daughter to have the same and it didn’t work for her 100% but somehow it increased her control of the situation and over the subsequent years she sometimes just smoked socially and sometimes not at all (and hasn’t for some years now). However, a colleague was so impressed she went to the same practitioner and had zero success.

Yes it helped enormously with anxiety and depression. Never wentback on medication. I use the techniques she taught me to get through difficult times.

Even if it doesn’t totally work for you it’s a really great way of relaxing.

I've spent a small fortune, hypnotherapists, different therapists, problem being my bird phobia. No it hasn't worked, a problem that blights my life. Every day.
It does seem to work for some, unfortunately there is no 'try before you buy'.

Not Hypnosis but I have had Neuro Linguistic Therapy, You do not ' go under' & are fully aware the whole time & it was brilliant.
Now I just LOVE spiders & will swim in deep water although I am not a strong swimmer!
A friend of mine is not scared of wasps now having had it..