<p>My sister is considering this for her 17 year son…I am just wondering about use of hypnotherapy to overcome issues like shyness or anxieties? Does anyone have any experience with this treatment? Other options are anti anxiety meds and anti depressants, etc. Just seems like these issues would be a good fit for that kind of therapy. I just wanted to get some feedback on people familiar with it for her.</p>
<p>Ive been hypnotised- by my therapist but it wasn’t used as a regular part of therapy.
It was great- I would love to be hypnotized again, it is so relaxing.
I think it could be a good tool to deal with anxieties.I wouldn’t say I was familiar with it however</p>
<p>I used hypnotherapy during a period in my life when I was trying to overcome a fear of flying, and a friend of mine used it as an aid to stop smoking. I have another friend who is a hypnotherapist specializing in smoking cessation, stress relief, weight control, performance anxiety, and self-esteem issues (and who is licensed and only works with those who are referred by a licensed health care professional). It was helpful for my former-smoker friend and me, but I do not know anyone who has used it for overcoming anxieties. It was painless and really enabled me to take better control of a part of my life I was not happy with.</p>
<p>I have been reading about EFT - Emotional Freedom Technique. Here is what they say about anxieties:</p>
<p>EFT provides both rapid relief and long term benefits for Stress, Panic Attacks and Anxiety Attacks. It works equally well for these problems and often works where nothing else will. Once you have learned the EFT process, you can apply it at the onset of an attack and, in most cases, it will rapidly “bring you down” within minutes. This is an astonishing experience for long term sufferers.</p>
<p>For some people, a few rounds of EFT not only rapidly dissipates a current attack but, in addition, it noticeably reduces … or eliminates … future occurrences. For others, however, such long term results may require more sophisticated uses of EFT. There may, for example, be deeper emotional causes such as anger, fear, guilt or trauma that require more sophisticated uses of EFT.</p>
<p>Note: To EFT, stress, panic and anxiety are approached in identical manners. That’s why they are lumped together in this section. Accordingly, all of the articles below reply to stress, panic and anxiety even though you may see only one of those terms in the title.</p>
<p>This is a technique that can be taught so you can do it yourself - there is a list of practioners on their webpage - many have a counseling background.</p>
<p>Atlmom,</p>
<p>For a 17 yr old, I would suggest other alternatives than therapy with antidepressants such as SSRIs or anxiolytics.</p>
<p>Antidepressants such as SSRIs (most popular right now such as Prozac) can cause a number of adverse events (side effects). These range from weight gain, sexual side effects, and in a small % of young adults cause suicide ideation and increase in suicide rates for some high risk young adults. Most anxiolytics are addictive. The worst part is that once our neurons get used to these medications, thereby stopping meds can cause a reverse effect/withdrawal. </p>
<p>How shy is this child? Many young adults who are very shy and introvertish completely change when the environment around them changes. He will be in College next year and the environment will necessitate that he learn to interact with others and adapt. </p>
<p>If this were my own S, I would try talking to this young man, get him encourage him in forming friendships, send him off to activities where he is required to participate in a group such as church, hospital voluteering etc. Volunteering with other kids his own age might also help.</p>
<p>I am sorry I can’t comment on hypnotherapy though.</p>
<p>CBT (cognitive behavioral therapy) is generally the treatment of choice for shyness. If current therapist is suggesting SSRIs, then perhaps the issue is more social anxiety, which can be debilitating. Without more information, hard to say if the boy is unable to join activities, has any close friendships, can participate in classroom discussions, etc. </p>
<p>I am familiar with hynosis, but cannot offer an opinion without more info.</p>
<p>I know a gentleman who did hypnotherapy with athletes and performers in our area (central Florida) back in the 80’s/90’s. I haven’t been in touch with him in a while, but he did a thriving business with anxiety/ stage fright/ performance stress/ relaxation techniques… among performers. I believe this works, but I’m just going on heresay.</p>
<p>I believe that we send ourselves all kind of messages, constantly. They can be good or bad. When you replace the bad messages (I’m going to screw up, I can’t do this, I’m going to embarass myself, I’m going to say something stupid…) with good messages (I feel good about myself, I like being around people, I enjoy helping others, I can do it…) it really can turn your life around. </p>
<p>It can’t hurt. It’s not a psychotropic drug. It’s really just replacing negative thoughts with positive thoughts.</p>
<p>Any psychological therapy, whether it’s hypnosis (which works best in conjunction with other therapies) or CBT, should be done by a licensed therapist. Hypnosis has been empirically shown to help with pain, smoking cessation, phobias, and other mental issues. I can’t think of a study offhand about dealing with social anxiety, but that doesn’t mean it can’t help–in addition to regular therapy. You can find a psychologist or psychiatrist (or dentist, if that’s what you need) who’s trained in hypnosis at either of these web sites:</p>
<p>Society for Clinical and Experimental Hypnosis:
<a href=“http://www.sceh.us/[/url]”>http://www.sceh.us/</a></p>
<p>or the American Society of Clinical Hypnosis:
<a href=“ASCH | American Society of Clinical Hypnosis”>ASCH | American Society of Clinical Hypnosis;