hypnosis?

[dj]

anyone try some form of professional or not hypnosis?

[annie]

As I had stupidly returned to eating my trigger foods I started picking again so I took the plunge a few weeks ago and made an appointment for hypnosis by a psychologist (I'd never spoken about my condition to anyone prior).
Surprisingly I found talking about it easy. She asked many questions about the events that surrounded the start of my condition and asked if I had tried to replace the behaviour with something else which I had tried and failed.
Anyway, she talked me into a relaxed state and spoke affirmations about stopping the picking which was recorded for me to keep and gave me a contact number to call her if I needed to at a later stage.
Unfortunately the effect if any lasted only a few days and I have played the tape since while going off to sleep but to no avail. I haven't bothered to call her as I can't see how she could be of further help. The end result has affirmed my belief that this is a biological problem rather than an emotional one. I've just got to stay away from my trigger foods as this seems my most effective treatment (cola,caffeine,chocolate,popcorn).

[anon,irresp.]

annie, i just saw your post, how are you doing?

how much did it cost? do u have any contact info? i might try it. i hope its not too expensive. i saw on tv it helped this guy lose weight.

did u actually get hypnotized? can a tape hypnotzy u? its doubtful.

[jez13]

I have been working with a therapist using hypnosis. We've only had a few sessions and, like annie, the effect only lasted a few days....it was a few days without even the urge to pick...and for me a few days is impressive. I think it will take time, and i wouldn't expect one session to cure me...it has taken years to get me here, so it should take a while to get me past it..

i am very hopeful about hypnosis.

[annie]

I haven't tried hypnosis since my last post. It cost me $120 but I got $65 back from my health insurer. I'm reluctant to try it again.
My picking stops if I stay away from my trigger foods but I really do crave them and treat myself if I go to the cinema and regret it later!
I'm in Australia and found the psychologist's advertisement in the phone book under "Hypnosis". I think it's worth considering if you are desperate.
During the session I felt aware and relaxed but it was only when the psychologist was talked me back out of that relaxed state that I noticed I felt like my body was kind of limp (that might have also been from keeping still for an hour).
I'm sure the tape is having no effect on me now.
I'm optimistic about my skin looking better lately and love reading everyone's ideas on this site. I wonder if anyone else is having success in modifying their diet?

[scarface]

Annie, how did you change your diet?

I've done hypnosis off and on for a while, and it does help calm me temporarily so that I pick less, but I have to keep it up or the effects wear off pretty quickly. It's probably not a cure, but I'd recommend it as part of an overall treatment plan.

[Diane]

About hypnosis, I studied this several few years ago in the USA. Didn't go on to acquire professional qualifications, but it's something I may do later. One thing I learned was that all hypnosis is self-hypnosis - it is YOU who determines the outcome. You don't relinquish control to the therapist. He/she won't be able to make you do something you don't really want to do (eg, stage hypnotism where people take their clothes off, etc), and by the same token the hypnosis won't have much effect if you're not really committed to changing whatever you have problem with. For example, some cigarette smokers turn to hypnosis but then will soon tell you it hasn't worked, simply because they actually enjoy smoking and deep down don't really want to quit. What the therapist does is to facilitate your reaching a relaxed state, one in which you're suggestible.
Anyway, in the first instance I would recommend anyone interested to first check out the library or bookstores and read up a little about self-hypnosis, and/or contact your own doctor or national associations of hypnotherapists, who can give you a listing of qualified hypnotherapists.
There's nothing to stop you recording your own self-help tapes - just take a suitbable text from one of the books. In fact, this is likely to be even better than listening to someone else's voice.
A hypnotherapist friend of mine has helped hundreds of people achieve positive results.
By the way, I've come to this site because I've been a compulsive skin picker for years. No longer bite my nails, but I do pick the skin around my cuticles. The serious problem though is that I pick around my eyebrows - break the skin when I'm plucking, cause a scab and then pick. Not going out to work at present, so I'm staying at home and have put a couple of sticking plasters over the affected areas. It'll only take a day or two to heal.
Why haven't I used hypnosis? Afraid I've been very depressed for the past few years, and as such I haven't been "organised" enough to get out my books and help myself.

[Elsie]

Diane, thanks for the post. I found it very helpful. I wanted to ask, is it accurate to say that the more often you practice, the more effective it is? For instance, if I asked my counselor to help me once a week, regular, I assume that would be better than just once in a while?

Hope this makes sense!

Thanks again,

Elsie

[Diane]

Hi Elsie. I'm pleased you found that helpful. As I said, I didn't follow through in my own studies, so I can't reply based on experience.
However, I do think it's all a combination of how deeply rooted the problem is; how good a rapport you have with your counselor or therapist - meaning you have total trust and can feel relaxed with him/her, don't have any reason to dislike them, etc; how committed you are to resolving the problem; how suggestible you are - which just means you have a good imagination and can really imagine, really visualize yourself, being rid of the problem.
I can't help being a bit cynical, so if I were going to a hypnotherapist myself and they told me I would need, say, a dozen sessions - which would cost a fortune - I would run a mile.
If they do their job right and I'm totally committed and expect good results, I don't think it should take more than the initial session and then possibly a follow-up a week or so later. In the meantime, I would listen to a tape recording of the first session a few times to reinforce the given suggestions.

[Elsie]

hmm.....very interesting.

Thanks again!