Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is one of the most topical issues in the sphere of healthcare today. As a result, over the years of research, many therapy solutions have been developed in order to address the condition. Hypnotherapy is one of the practices which are rarely discussed in relation to PTSD, yet, as studies demonstrate, it can be a viable choice in certain circumstances. Thus, it becomes important to analyze the potential of hypnotherapy to be an effective modality for the treatment of PTSD and for reducing the condition’s symptoms.
The Basics of PTSD and Mainstream Treatment Options
First, it is important to present information about PTSD as well as the existing methods of treatment. Post-traumatic stress disorder refers to a behavioral disorder which occurs as a result of being subject to a shocking event or situation. PTSD entails a variety of symptoms, the most severe among which include constant reminders about the traumatic event through flashbacks, altered anxiety, mood changes, despair, and bursts of anger (Tull, 2020). One of the PTSD treatments is Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) which involves changing the patient’s perception of the traumatic experience to make them face and accept it.
Hypnotherapy
It is also essential to describe hypnotherapy in more detail and identify its main benefits. Hypnotherapy refers to the practice of utilizing hypnosis as a means of treatment of various conditions and their symptoms. The hypnotherapy sessions involve inducing a person into a hypnotic state while retaining awareness which enables the patient to focus on their experiences (Tull, 2020). Hypnotherapy has many use cases, yet primarily it is utilized for the purpose of reducing anxiety, controlling pain, and coping with difficult emotions.
Hypnotherapy Treatment for PTSD
Hypnotherapy has been found to be an effective solution in cases involving PTSD. For instance, hypnotherapy can be used in clinical practice to achieve relaxation, identify triggers, and embrace aversion therapy. It involves three stages of memory regression, reframing memories and anchoring resource states enabling patients to re-enact traumatic events and handle them while possessing the abilities which they did not have during the trauma. Specifically, while in the state of trance, the patient may experience their triggering stimuli and attempt to safely devise new reactions to them, thus reducing the severity of adverse reactions. There are studies showing that hypnotherapy was effective in decreasing PTSD symptoms in women who were subject to rape and children who witnessed terrorist attacks (Lemig, 2022). Thus, hypnotherapy is an effective tool for overcoming PTSD, which has been extensively tested in different situations.
Conclusion
PTSD is a serious condition with severe symptoms which can be addressed through the use of hypnotherapy. Specifically, the hypnotherapy practice can be used to enable the patient to access their traumatic memory and reframe their perception of the events. By entering the state of trance, the person affected by PTSD can gain the resources and abilities necessary for facing traumatic events once again and thus reduce their symptoms.
References
Lemig, C. (2022). Hypnosis for PTSD: How it works, effectiveness, and example. Choosing Therapy.
Tull, M. (2020). Hypnotherapy for PTSD. VerywellMind.