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One of the reasons hypnosis has been proven useful for the treatment of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is because of the similarity between hypnotic phenomena and the symptoms of PTSD. The similarities include the absorption of awareness and the linking of emotional responses to outside stimuli. One can argue with some accuracy that PTSD is a form of hypnosis in that PTSD creates an effect in the same way as a post-hypnotic instruction. The difference between PTSD and hypnosis is that PTSD is highly negative and unintended while hypnosis is beneficial and consciously directed. Absorption of Awareness The trauma of an event causing PTSD has the effect of taking up all the the awareness. The trauma of the event becomes EVERYTHING the subject experiences. In psychological terms the subject becomes DISsociated from themselves and associate into the trauma.  From this one of two things can result. The first result is the fear/panic/anxiety becomes linked to specific events, situations and environments causing phobias and extreme forms of aversion. Avoidance of crowds and loud noises is an example. The second result isn't linked to anything specific and can erupt as free floating panic attacks and anxiety. Another symptom is a detachment from reality, where the subject doesn't feel connected to anything they are experiencing. Linking Strong Emotions Both PTSD and hypnosis utilize emotions to make change. PTSD associates the subject into a trauma, hypnosis works by associating the subject into an positive and resourceful emotional state. For this reason hypnosis is a very useful tool to undo traumatic stress responses created by PTSD. The hypnosis process is straightforward. The subject's attention is guided by the hypnotist, thus all that's needed is the ability to understand and follow simple instructions. Hypnosis creates a resourceful emotional state where the subject can experience events and [...]

Trying to quit smoking can be frustrating. Every time you quit you may also find a reason to start up and having that happen several times makes it very easy to start beating yourself up. After several attempts to quit you feel more frustrated and worse about yourself. I'm here to tell you IT'S NOT YOUR FAULT and beating yourself up only lessons your resolve to quit. Consider nicotine is a DRUG your brain gets very accustomed to and it can be EASY to fall back into the addictive habit. This is by intentional design of the tobacco industry. They want you to stay addicted to maintain their profits. The tobacco industry use a mind control tactic used by the worst of humanity: human traffickers. They will frustrate and punish every attempt to leave until their victims surrender to the horrible life of a literal slave. Big Tobacco wants you to become a slave to their product. Big Tobacco knows the best way to keep you addicted is to make sure you repeatedly fail to quit smoking until you give up and give in to the cigarette. After a while you become so depressed and frustrated you will surrender to them and agree to your enslavement. It's devious, it's insidious and it's intentional. Don't beat yourself up at your frustrated efforts to quit smoking. Instead get angry and direct that anger at Big Tobacco. Direct your anger at smoking and away from yourself. Getting angry is a much healthier response. I once spoke with a former smoker who told me what got him to quit smoking permanently. As a smoker he had a very contentious relationship with someone who constantly attacked and berated him and lived by a set of ethics he found objectionable and offencive. Like him this other [...]

How To Fix Anxiety And Depression Hypnosis has proven to be positive resource for anxiety and depression.  Here are some other very useful things you can do on your own that can help. There are many forms of anxiety and depression, and every person experiences these feelings at some point in their life. When these feelings become persistent, draining and crippling, however, it can feel like you are spiraling out of control in a very dark tunnel and all the exits are blocked. Overcoming anxiety and depression is possible. These conditions are manageable with the proper education and resources. Though there is no cure-all solution or magic juice to make your symptoms disappear, taking the appropriate steps towards recovery can place you on your journey to living the healthier andhappier life that you deserve. These twenty useful tips can help you work, though, manage, and relieve your symptoms of anxiety and depression. If you are starting your journey towards recovery, then these steps will provide a valuable base of information for you launch off of. Just being a bitmore positive can have an impact on your mind. If you have been struggling to manage your anxiety or depression for far too long, then do not feel discouraged and never resist the urge to seek help if life becomes too overwhelming. Give Yourself a Break! Inadequate sleeping patterns are the most widely researched phenomenon in regards to depression and anxiety. Franzen and Buysse’s 2011 research discovered that over 90% of those struggling with depression also complain of sleep problems. Additionally, insomnia is considered a significant risk factor for eventually developing depression in otherwise healthy adults. The National Institute of Mental Health agrees that more research is needed, but there is mounting evidence that preventing sleep disturbances can also prevent depression, anxiety, [...]

You can upgrade your computer, your smart phone, your car or get a job promotion. In fact you can upgrade about any material thing you own.  How would you upgrade yourself? Your upgrade has to be based in reality, so no growing wings nor being able to breathe unassisted under water. The upgrades you choose for yourself have to be specific, measurable and attainable. They could be improvement of your habits and lifestyle, a skill, or your character. All-in-all your upgrades are about being a better you, kinder, healthier, more productive with fewer problems, less fears, anxieties, neurosis. One way to start is to pick someone you admire. This could be someone you know personally, but it could also be a imaginary person with all the traits, virtues and attributes you look up to. Ask yourself the following questions: How would this person live? How would this person deal with the problems I face? How would this person keep their focus amid all of life's chaos? Would they have a schedule they would keep to? What would be the healthy habits they would practice? The more clearly you can imagine this ideal person dealing well with your problems the faster you can begin practicing these changes. Make a list of all the upgrades you want to make for your life. What are they for you? Quit smoking? Exercise? Meditate? Get up earlier? Should the ideal behavior be far from your current situation, start small. Don't overwhelm yourself by trying to make a complete overhaul of your life. Pick one thing to focus on. Celebrate your successes and ask what you learned from every time you fell short. There's no failure, only feedback. Most people get caught in the trap of wanting to upgrade too much too quickly. Instead think of [...]

Life is full of little annoyances – like when the person in front of you in line won’t stop gabbing, or when the waiter mixes up your order. Sometimes, it can be more serious, like when a client is yelling at you because they’re having a bad day. The point is that there are many events in life that we respond to by feeling frustrated. It’s normal to feel annoyance from time to time. But it’s not normal to find yourself fuming over the smallest little thing that goes wrong or to feel angry all the time. There are two ways to be happy in life 1) have people treat you the way you want (not likely) 2) Decide to respond to the people and the world in a better way. Yes, you can be the person who either reacts to events and situations or you can have a set of "first principles" to guide you no matter what sort of chaos happens around you.  Start by deciding what kind of person do you want to be seen as by yourself and others. Do you want to be the person you would look up to with admiration or the person who looks back on your actions with regret and embarrassment?  The next step is to practice being that person. That is not to say it will be easy. In fact expect it to be hard by going over in your mind the most difficult situations you can imagine in the most dignified and resourceful ways. Practice feeling frustrated or angry and calming your self. Rehearse responding to criticism know how the other person feels (even if they are wrong). Understand, your automatic emotional responses happen outside of your conscious control, but if you have set guidelines for your behavior you [...]

You don't have to wait until New Years to start getting a good start of healthy living. It's very common to gain about one to two pounds during the holidays. Even though this doesn’t sound dramatic, it adds up over the years. The good news is there are ways to avoid holiday weight gain. Tip #1: Don’t Avoid Meals Saving your appetite for a big holiday party or feast? Don’t. Skipping meals during the day may result in overeating. It is especially important to have breakfast, as research shows that those who eat this important morning meal tend to consume fewer calories throughout the day. Include lots of fiber by eating fruits, vegetables and whole grains. Fiber-rich foods are high in volume and will satisfy hunger, but are lower in calories. Tip #2: Keep Portions Small Holiday meals tend to be large, buffet-style and include second and third helpings. While one might not eat an entire cake, a common mistake is eating large portions of foods that are perceived as healthy. It's important to include nutrient-rich foods in your diet, but also remember that these foods have calories as well and should be eaten in moderation. Using this approach at the holiday dinner table will allow you to maintain a healthful eating plan — one that can also include dessert. Tip #3: Have a Strategy to Avoid Overeating — and Use It! There are many strategies to help you avoid overeating. Using a smaller plate, for instance, allows you to put less food on your plate and encourages proper portion sizes. Also, start by filling your plate with vegetables and salad before going to the entrees and desserts. Eating a salad before your meal can help you eat fewer calories overall. Eat slowly and savor every bite, and before you [...]

Fear of Flying is one of the more common irrational fears. One reason is that there are many aspects to flying that are potentially psychologically disturbing. For example, being restricted in a small space for a long time without any possibility of changing your situation can be very uncomfortable for many people. In addition, there is a small but real danger to flying; you are high up in the air moving at great speeds. For many the most anxiety generating aspect of flying is that you are totally dependent on the judgment and actions of total strangers for your safety. As you see, fear of flying can combine elements of other phobias and fears, such as fear of confining spaces and fear of heights. It also includes elements of fear of loss of control, and anxiety about some possible future catastrophic and even fatal, event. Another influence that helps create fear of flying is the media. Through catastrophic depictions in movies and on television, individuals are vicariously experience the most frightening of flying situations. All of which cannot but reinforce and intensify all the aspects of flying that might lead one to develop such a fear of flying that they can no longer tolerate getting on a plane. The Irrational Nature of Fear of Flying Thousands of planes all over the world, regularly, safely complete their trips each and every day. It is thus readily apparent that while some apprehension is reasonable, it would be irrational and unreasonable to let the hazards of flying prevent you from taking advantage of one of the most wonderful amenities of modern life, being able to quickly travel to other places with great speed. I know most of you would consider a person who avoids going riding in car because of the danger involved, to be excessively [...]

Want to reduce Stress? Listen to this song. We all need control over stress no matter how well we pull ourselves together. According to Dr. David Lewis-Hodgson of Mindlab International, which conducted the research, the top song produced a greater state of relaxation than any other music tested to date. In fact, listening to that one song — “Weightless” — resulted in a striking 65 percent reduction in participants’ overall anxiety, and a 35 percent reduction in their usual physiological resting rates. Of the top track, Dr. David Lewis-Hodgson said, “‘Weightless’ was so effective, many volunteers became drowsy and it would advise against driving while listening to the song because it could be dangerous.” So, don’t drive while listening to these, but do take advantage of them: “We Can Fly,” by Rue du Soleil (Café Del Mar) “Canzonetta Sull’aria,” by Mozart “Someone Like You,” by Adele “Pure Shores,” by All Saints “Please Don’t Go,” by Barcelona “Strawberry Swing,” by Coldplay “Watermark,” by Enya “Mellomaniac (Chill Out Mix),” by DJ Shah “Electra,” by Airstream “Weightless,” by Marconi Union There’s also a free 10-hour version of “Weightless” available if you want a longer listening experience. Book an appointment with New Hampshire Hypnosis by calling (603)589-8033 or do it online in the form below.

We make hundreds, maybe even thousands, of decisions every day. Our everyday decisions affect our accomplishments, our relationships, and our general well being. Given their recurrence and significance, how can we make better decisions all the more often? One way is to consistently ask questions that lead to better decisions, let me demonstrate…. 1. Would this decision improve the lives of others? Overlooking the effect of our decisions on others goes against our best interest. Why? Since mutual relationships and concern are a key part of achievement and prosperity. Thus, a decision to help other people, to offer thanks, or to cultivate social association, is usually a good one. Likewise, we benefit from thinking about the effect that our decisions have upon others in a range of ways. 2. Does this decision lined up with my long-term objectives? What’s most important to you? What is going to be most instrumental to your success? If you haven’t done so already, consider recording your answer to that question and referring to it regularly. A fierce effort over time to our outcomes is basic to accomplishing anything of meaning. When making a decision, consider if it is serving your main objectives and goals in some effective way. 3. How might I move to the best decisions? It’s January (for example) and you’ve chosen that for the rest of the year you will eat healthier. Think of it as done! …right??? Alright, perhaps not exactly yet. To nudge your impulsive self to act consistently with that ideal outcome, appropriate cues can help. For example, placing healthy foods within easy view and easy reach, while doing the opposite for unhealthy foods, may help you to make progress toward your goal. What can you do to help yourself make healthier decisions. I find that good decisions [...]