Harvard Medical School Psychologist: Hypnosis Effective in Treating Skin Picking, Hair Pulling

A link to some supportive literature on the benefits of Hypnotherapy in the treatment of Trichotillomania.

At Aim we use Hypnosis in the treatment of Trichotillomania because of the positive affects we see in our clients. Despite our first hand experience, it is always encouraging to see research and support from other psychotherapists on the efficacy of Hypnotherapy in the treatment of body repetitive behaviours like Trichotillomania.

"Hypnosis is very effective at reducing the stress that often triggers these problems. Also, about two thirds of people go into a spontaneous, spacey trance state when the pick or pull," noted Grossbart. "Learning to convert this 'inadvertent negative hypnosis' into an effective positive tool is vital." -Ted A. Grossbart, Ph.D

https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/harvard-medical-school-psychologist-hypnosis-effective-in-treating-skin-picking-hair-pulling-91692054.html

Click for additional info on Body Focused Repetitive Behaviours/Trichotillomania and how AIM can help.

Steps to Manage Anxious Thoughts

A wonderful part of being a human being is our ability to think into the future and reflect on the past. This incredible ability allows us to learn from our experiences and to prepare for our futures. One problem with this wonderful adaptive ability, is that some of us are so good at it, that we become primed to overestimate the possibility of terrible outcomes and to minimizing our abilities to respond. Being vigilant about danger and not taking safety for granted would have been paramount for our ancestors but this level of vigilance may be out of place in our modern world. Our day to day conveniences should afford us the ability to trust more in our abilities to respond and adapt to unexpected scenarios and to alleviate our need to predict the possibilities of danger. Unfortunately for many of us our brains continue to be wired for predicting disasters and we can get stuck in a loop of anxious thinking. Fortunately our brains are wonderful and flexible and we can help free ourselves from these unhelpful thinking traps.

Here are a few steps you can take to help free yourself from chronic worry.

Are you predicting possible outcomes, or are you fortune telling?

You may be worried about a routine medical exam, the state of your relationship, that friend you haven't seen in a while or how your boss feels about your performance. If you find yourself skipping from one anxious thought to the other, try writing these worries down and rating the likelihood of these things actually happening.

Best Case Scenario/ Worst Case scenario

Come up with all the different ways that your worries could manifest, and write them down. Give yourself a moment to think up all the possible outcomes including the best case scenarios.

Increasing your ability to think of both positive and negative outcomes widens your perspective and allows you to ponder on all the different ways (positive and negative) that things may pan out. 

Go to court with your thoughts! Find evidence FOR and AGAINST your thoughts.

Our mind tends to focus more on the possibility of negative outcomes as a way of protecting us from danger. Through years of evolutions we have become wired to account for danger rather than expect safety. It is what helped us evolve as a species but it is also what contributes to our busy and over worried brains.

The problem is that our negative predictions could be based on limited information or a biased perspective. Give yourself a moment to bring forward evidence for and against each worried thought so you can weigh the outcomes and see each thought a little more clearly.

What are the costs and benefits of worrying?

See if you can think back on all the worrying you have done in the past and how many of those worries were correct. How many times have you been wrong? How has your worrying helped you?

Are you benefiting in some way from worrying? Is there a possible outcome to your worrying or does it keep you from moving into action?

Remember your resilience and ability to respond.

Think back on all the times you have been able to respond to surprising or unpredictable events in the past. Take time to consider how you may not be able to prepare for every possible scenario but how you may be able to trust yourself to handle anything that comes your way. Help strengthen trust in youself by thinking of all the past experiences that used to worry you but that you have since overcome.

What would you tell a friend in the same situation?

It is often easier to see strength in others than to see it in ourselves. Can you take a moment to treat yourself like a friend you love and admire. What kind of support would you give this worried friend? How would you help them see their own strength?

ANXIETY RELIEF PLAN

Stress and Anxiety are now a normal part of our everyday vocabulary. Some of us suffer from it more than others, but regardless of how much we suffer from it, most of us wish we had less of it.

Although there can be many reasons for symptoms of anxiety, some physical, some emotional, some interpersonal, when we feel it, we often want relief as quickly as possible.

At Aim Counselling and Hypnotherapy, we see clients who experience various forms of stress and anxiety; and although every client is unique and our approach is tailored for each individual, there are a few simple things we can recommend between sessions that can be helpful for a great deal of people. 

Here are a few strategies that can help next time you or a love one feels overwhelmed.

1.Exercise:  You know it helps. You've been told a million times and although this can be a tricky one for those who don't see themselves as athletic, it's an old cliche for a reason. There is amble support for the positive effects of exercise on our emotional wellbeing. Exercise can be as simple as taking a walk around the block, boing for a bike ride, planning a weekly hike, a walk along the seawall or getting into a fitness program that works for you. Making sure to chose something that you enjoy and works for you is key, because even increasing exercise a little bit can be a big help with symptoms of anxiety.

2.Magnesium: There is some evidence for the effects of Magnesium on lovering symptoms of anxiety. It may be worth looking into or speaking to a doctor or dietician about incorporating into your daily vitamins.

3. Improving your nutrition and gut bacteria: Our moods are more connected to our guts than we ever imagined. There is research supporting these claims and if you are suffering from low mood or symptoms of anxiety it may be worth checking out whether your body is accurately nourished.

4. Distracting your senses: Music, Dancing, Aromatherapy, Relaxing and tensing your muscles. All there ways of stimulating your senses may be helpful if you are experiencing a bout of anxiety. Basically anything to get you out of your head and into your body,

5. Having a plan: Things are less scary when we have a plans and feel a sense of control. Consider writing out a plan of things to do or people to call next time you feel a sense of overwhelm. Being prepared can be very helpful for reducing anxious symptoms

6. Journalling: Writing out your thoughts may help you to feel a bit more grounded. Don't worry about what your writing or how it looks, jut write to get it all out. Giving yourself a moment to externalize your thoughts and to look at what is bothering you may help you organize and moderate your thoughts which may help calm you.

7. Mindfulness: Practicing mindfulness, relaxation,meditation, tapping or self hypnosis can all be very helpful for anyone suffering from stress or anxiety.

Lastly tuning into yourself and remembering you are a wonderfully unique and nuanced individual and that feelings are always shifting and flowing. Remind yourself of what has helped you cope in the past and that you are more capable than you may feel in that very moment.

At Aim Counselling and Hypnotherapy we help hundreds of clients find helpful coping strategies to manage and lower their symptoms of anxiety and stress. Seeking support can be a great relief and a step towards a fuller and happier life.