Hypnotism - does it work?

I had one session of hypnotherapy (qualified practitioner) and it cured me absolutely and entirely of wanting to smoke. I had smoked 30 cigarettes a day, didn't really want to stop but knew I had to for the sake of my health. The session was about 10 years ago, lasted about an hour and a quarter and was entirely straightforward. The practitioner talked to me for about 20 minutes about why I smoked, why I wanted to stop etc, then he started his process of talking me down into a state of semi-meditation. That part of the session felt like it lasted about 5 minutes, was actually about 45, but was all very peaceful and unthreatening. That was it - I went back to a household of smokers and have never once since then, hand on heart, felt the urge to light a cigarette

Hello DanniRae I was hypnotised April 1980 never smoked since. I have tried it various times since to help me stop over eating with not so much success. Find a good one and relax, it should help. Good luck.

I would really love to be hypnotised, but on the two occasions I've tried it, it just didn't happen. I just couldn't switch my mind off and was far too aware of everything going on. Can I get hypnotism to treat my inability to be hypnotised??!

EFT (Emotional Freedom Technique) works. It's easy to learn (plenty of videos on YouTube plus books etc) and can be done yourself, costs nothing, and used on a huge variety of things. I am currently using it to rid myself of my spider phobia before the next spider season as I really suffered last September.

Hypnotists are like any profession. There’s ok ones and really excellent ones. If the first person you try doesn’t work for you, it’s worth trying someone else.
After all, when eating out you know that some chefs will cook fairly tasty food and a few will truly amaze your tastebuds.
Sounds like your GP needed more training BlueBelle?
My husband is a great hypnotist and even hypnotised himself when he had a tooth extracted so he didn’t need any anaesthetic and there was minimal bleeding. His dentist was amazed.

Two sessions did nothing to help my sleep problem.

I had smoked since aged 19yrs and always said I enjoyed smoking. I had never tried to give up then, when aged 60, with smoking banned nearly everywhere and fed up with smelly hair & clothes, I booked a hypnotherapist locally. I gave myself 2 months to get used to the fact, walked into the room a non-smoker and walked out an hour or so later a non-smoker. I remember nothing about it, the best money I have ever spent!

Hi Hillie - In the absence of any therapy to help with your optician issues (because you don't have the time) I would tell the optician of your problem with the glaucoma test and ask if you can miss it out. Just focus on getting the eye test for your new glasses and imagine how pleased you will be when it is all over and you can see again!!
Good Luck x

Worked for me. I had rewind therapy because of PTSD which involved hypnotism. I was very sceptical at first but the tipping point for me came when my therapist said I could smell lavender.., I did... which was really strange as I have no sense of smell! Obviously that was a small part of it but from there I trusted and really relaxed into it. Certainly would recommend a go.

My aunt and I found hypnotism worked for us for a short time when we went for dieting help; it wasn't that we were hypnotised as both of us weren't (we don't think!) but were determined we wouldn't waste the money.

My friend is a qualified hypnotherapist and has huge successes.

Mind you she failed with OH and smoking!

I had hypnosis last year as I have a dog phobia. I had about 4 sessions. It hasn’t cured me but helped me cope better with some dogs but not the bigger excitable ones. Give it a go

Mrs Eggy, what a great story!

Hilly , did you know that they have another test for glaucoma that is not the dreaded puff of air? I don't know if all opticians do the alternative test, mine doesn't do the puff of air any more.

Musicelf so good to read your post I was feeling a total freak as everyone else sounded so successful
Craicon I m sure there was nothing wrong with the doctors training I have tried using tapes myself and tried meditation but my mind will never be still for more than two seconds

Has anyone ever had hypnotherapy for weight loss? I have put on almost 8kg since early retirement in mid July. I know too mush snacking and eating lovely lunches out but if I thought it would work I would have some. In mean while I have new gym membership and will try to cut out some unnecessary calories.

It certainly can't do any harm to try; works for some people, definitely - you may well find that it is the answer to your individual issue. I can't afford to try it, much though I would wish to, so have tried self-hypnosis, sometimes more successfully than others.

Sadly my husband tried this to give up smoking - for him it didn’t work st all but I have know people that it did work for.

All I can say is give it a go

Hillie I didn't go to the optician for 40 years after an optician kept me in a dark room for well over an hour touching me inappropriately. I was forced into going recently when I had black squares in my right eye. I burst into tears with the young male optician who kept the light on, just dimmed it a little. The puffa thing was OK. All of it was OK. They thought something was wrong at the back of my eye and sent me to A&E eye hospital where after more tests, all was well. The good bit as they can find other problems with an eye test which can then be dealt with so I will go to my next check up. I do have a dentist phobia so will look into hypnotism.

BlueBelle I'm with you on this one - I too was desperate and my GP had a hypnotherapist working in the surgery so I was very, very keen to go and be hypnotised - in my case I was suffering the trauma of having had to euthanize my pet labrador - my very best friend of all time - and I couldn't come to terms with the loss - maybe I should have gone to bereavement counselling but basically I thought hypnosis would allow me get through the mental block and at least be able to dream of him which I couldn't do - I put complete trust in the therapist, I took my own blanket so I could keep warm during the process and not be distracted by cold, but I never even felt 'floaty' - I concluded that it was nothing but Emperor's New Clothes, but clearly from other responses it works well with some people. Maybe it's for dealing with fears rather than for a return to happiness, but then again, I would call that Cognitive Behavioural Therapy and you don't have to be 'put under' for that to work. Hope you find some solution though.

With so many apparently positive results, I wonder why hypnosis isn't more widely used?
Back in the '80s, when I was working as an Ed. Psych. we were offered training in hypnotism, but only one of us (from 8) accepted the offer. Not me btw.
I think most people fear losing control of what's going on in their minds.

Has anyone used hypnosis to help with weight loss?

One session helped me over my fear of being a passenger in a car. My sister also found it worked for her fear of mice in her house. The effect wore off for me evenytually, but not for a long time.

I thought I would be too strong minded for it to work but was pleasantly surprised.

I am bowled over by the efficacy of hypnosis. I have gone from terror at the shortest flight to spending 13 hours flying back from Singapore without a hint of a problem, I slept on the plane which would have been impossible before and was not remotely bothered by turbulence.

I have read that hypnosis doesn't work on a small number of people and I think it's important to find someone who is properly qualified and who you like and trust.