As I am new to this site I may have missed this subject, I wonder if anyone has tried hypnosis to take away some of the panic attacks.
I am sure it is in my mind, but things that have caused breathless events in the past now can worry me so much that they can almost cause another attack.
I have used a Self Hypnosis CD that offers a way to overcome panic attacks which does help, and would like to take it further, I am however reluctant to part with lots of money if it does no good, I am sure there are good and bad practitioners that I can research locally, but would like to hear from anyone who has tried it and how they got on.
As a matter of interest the cd talks you through a way to relax, not too easy once an attack has started but I find that the moment that panic feeling starts if sit and go through the routine I can normally control it, even on the odd occasion while gasping for breath it does seem to calm me and stop everything going totally out of control.
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moneal
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I used to get panic attacks when I first got diagnosed just over 18 months ago. I had to overcome the initial subconscious reaction to gasp for breath and taught myself to breath in as deep as I could and breathe out longer than I breathed in. I don't think about it now as it comes naturally. I get my breath back quite quickly.
Hi, I had hypnotherapy three times and it did help a lot with panic attacks. It is a good therapy as the practitioner trains your brain at a subconcious level. I came away thinking nothing had changed but as time went by I realised I was handling certain situations that caused panic attacks, differently so was calmer and more confident.
I took my son to see her after he totally shut down during a pre test driving lesson. He saw her once and passed his test with top marks and also passed all of his GCSEs.at school.
The London College of Clinical Hypnosis is a prestigious training body so anyone practicing with that certificate is a good practitioner.
About 4 years ago I went to a Hypnotherapist for my panic attacks, 3 visits and I was sorted. I asked about booking another session to stop me smoking. The Hypnotherapist asked me if I wanted to stop smoking, or had I been advised by others to stop smoking. If I didn't want to stop, she couldn't make me. You have to wan't to stop, You have to believe in it.
I was taken through a senario where I was walking up a hill, It got terribly foggy and I couldn't see, then the fog got so thick that I couldn't breathe. in my semi consious state I was gasping for breath. A birthday cake appeared before me and I blew out all 50 candles on the cake, the fog cleared and I could see down the other side of the hill. I was told to take a deep breath and walk the 10 paces back to the room where my journey began, counting as I walked, 10, 9,8, 7, etc: basically thay was it,
That's exactly what I do everytime I feel a panic attack coming on. Purse your lips and pretend to blow out the 50 candles, then take a deep breath and count backwards 10- to 1 breathing out slowly when you get to one, then try to start breathing normally, Sometimes I have to it a couple of times, but its never failed me yet.
Give it a try, wish you luck as I,like many of us on here, know the horror of panic attacks.
The CD I used took me through a relaxation process, and then when I felt an attack building, I should imagine that I had walked into a garden and in my mind say” relax, relax”. It has made a difference, of that I am sure, since I started using it the attacks are a lot more controllable, perhaps I just had not realised what an improvement there had been since I started using the disk.
My garden is looking fine, it improves on each visit and now even has a bottle of cold beer on the table; being there does make me relax but it’s things like thinking about having a shower or getting dressed that panic me before I do them.
I don't have panic attacks but tried hypnotherapy twice to stop smoking - didn't work and was very expensive. Sounds as though you almost have it sorted anyway - and some good tips from Puff and Bri re breathing techniques. Hope things improve for you.
auntymary
Just remembered what a friend told me. She has a pebble (anything you can hold in your hand will do) and whenever she feels calm, good about herself, happy and contented, etc., she holds the pebble in her hand squeezes it and concentrates on the feelings. Then when she feels panic starting she holds onto the pebble and brings back the good feelings. Works for her.
Hi I have had hypnotherapy to stop smoking. It did not work, maybe I didn't really want to stop, maybe I just thought that it would be. Good idea. Yes the self hypnosis did help initially with the panic attacks. I now say to myself over and over. "I know what is happening, I am in control" this works for me. Best of luck
I get panic attacks, the Doctor gave me diazepam and they do help if taken soon enough. I relax and just 'go with the panic attack', knowing it won't last forever. I have just started ADs, and they have lessened considerably. Can't help with hypnotherapy, never had it.
I have had Hypnotherapy to stop smoking and it didn't work. I am certain that the fault was mine I didn't want too I was under pressure and resisted. I was very impressed and amazed at being told to raise my arm and I couldn't stop it. I am convinced that if you really, really want to stop something or a behaviour then hypnotherapy can work. I have heard and seen some success stories from friends.
Squeezing your ear lobe or an ear ring is another reminder handle that I have seen and has the advantage you that wont leave your ear at home!
I wondered if hypnotherapy would help me overcome the stress and panic attacks that it seems most copd sufferers have, the attacks all seem to have been related to either previous attacks or something I read when first diagnosed, where non experts had stated the things that had effected them, e.g. showering, getting dressed and other normal day to day activities. All these things are now stuck in my mind and the thought of having a shower can be almost terrifying, the silly thing is that once in the shower although I am tense it has no ill effects. Getting dressed is similar; I get so worked up before I start that I am at panic stage before I start.
I realise that both these activities use physical exercise which when my chest is infected is going to cause problems. But would hypnosis perhaps have an adverse effect on the natural body processes when it is trying to recover from lack of oxygen
Hypnosis is a mixture of relaxation and suggestion so the 'effects' of hypnosis are limited.
I think of hypnotherapy as attempting to normalise you and quieten down the mind by tackling the negative thought patterns or as I sometimes say you need to be 'de-hypnotised'.
If your body is in a calm state I assume you need less oxygen so I suggest hypnosis would actually be a bonus in dealing with oxygen depletion.
As Andrew has offered to answer questions, it would be a chance to get expert advise. I will say though, that you do have to want to change what ever it is that you need to, not do it for others.
Also, Ozzygirl, I was in control during all my sessions. Hypnosis can not make you do anything that you don't want to. Stage 'hypnotists' have given the therapy a bad name.
Andrewcunningham - I had REMDR a few years ago.I paid privately and a psychiatrist took the sessions.I was definately left with an improved time in my life.Is this similar to hypnotherapy
EMDR shares elements of hypnotherapy. A confident therapist is suggesting that your symptoms are likely to fade whilst in a calm state. EMDR departs from hypnotherapy when it proposes the idea that eye movements help to clear symptoms. Whereas hypnotherapy relies on the basic premise of suggestion being the effective part of the session.
Thanks for the information.Not many people I know have heard of EMDR.Yes it did help me so perhaps another alternative for people suffering fromPTSD like me
EMDR is big in the states but has also found favour with UK psychologists due to the evidence base of the therapy.
CBT and Hypnotherapy in the right hands can be useful but it's not the only way. Having said that, the effective elements are probably the same within a range of talking therapies.
A down to earth approach, good rapport, positive attitude and relaxation techniques all combine to good effect.
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