Pain is an experience we can all relate to.
It’s diverse and non-discriminatory. Men and women; wealthy and poor; young and elderly; gay and straight all experience pain.
We know that as the pharmaceutical companies get fat on our physical woes, holistic medicine is coming out from behind the scenes of treatment. We practitioners are beginning to capture some of the spotlight. Because we are all mind/body/spirit beings, it makes sense that we indulge in holistic medicine.
Hypnosis is a dynamic way to use our minds to manage pain.
You may disagree, but it’s a fact.
Any time we are “lost” in some experience (mesmerizing music; a book we can’t put down ; a movie that makes us cry; a sports event that puts us in the zone; a sexual romp that is earth-shattering) we are hypnotized. Our logical conscious minds move aside and our deeper minds open up to the experience. We are in a kind of trance and lose track of time. We are very suggestible at those times.
Think of the last time you lost track of time. What were you doing? What were you feeling ? Thinking? What messages or suggestions may have stuck in your brain? I watched the movie “Somewhere in Time” (Christopher Reeve and Jane Seymour )10 times and got lost in the movie 10 times. I was mesmerized by the music and romance and the beautiful words between the lead actors. When I hear music from that movie, I immediately feel a sadness. When I read about Christopher Reeve or Jane Seymour, it is automatic that I see them in a scene from the movie. Obviously my mind has been implanted with some strong suggestions from that movie( time travel, love, loss)
How does this relate to Hypnosis for pain management?
If you are hypnotized , your deeper mind is receptive to suggestions that pain is fading away.
Okay, my gay girlfriends, let’s use our minds to manage any pain we may have.
Relax now and read through this next paragraph. I suggest you reread it. Then follow the simple directions.
-Find a comfortable position ( ideal is sitting with your head supported , legs uncrossed, hands by your sides)
-Relax, begin to let go as if you are a rag doll. Let every part of you go limp.
– Breathe (yes, breathe) slowly, inhaling completely and exhaling completely. Breathe from your diaphragm ( your stomach should move more than your chest).
– Find a spot , above eye level and stare at it. It’s fine to blink, but try to keep your eyes focused on that spot even though they are getting heavy.
– in a minute or two just let your eyes close and just “let go.”
-Feels good to have your eyes closed; have your body loose and your breathing even and slowed down.
– It’s easy to go deep into your own mind now and let your imagination take over.
– If #1 is minor pain, and #10 is major pain, what # is your pain? Keep that # in your deeper mind.
– Your pain has been nagging , chronic, distracting. Let your mind imagine that area of pain. Imagine what it may look like inside. Imagine what shape it has,
perhaps a jagged edge or craggy surface. Really see that shape.
-Now, give that pain a color, perhaps an angry red, coal black, dreary gray.
-Name that pain. “Jagged, Sharp, Throbbing. Burning.”
-Take a deep slow breath and allow your incredible mind to change that shape to something smoother, maybe rounder.
-Take a deep slow breath and allow your mind to change the color to a more pleasant color…perhaps pink or blue or green.
– Take a deep slow breath and imagine changing the name of that pain to something more pleasant…perhaps Soothing, Calming, Quiet, Cool, Comfortable.
-Your mind is powerful, Change that shape again until it is smooth a shape as you want, Change that color again until it is the pleasant color you want. Change that name until it is the name of what you are now feeling .
– The discomfort is simply going away as the shape and color and name become pleasant.
-Imagine how easy it is now to gain control of how your body feels and from this point on you can do this with the power of your mind; with slow deep breathing; with focus and relaxation.
– You find yourself smiling with this new belief in the power of your mind. You always knew you could affect your body with your mind.
-Its natural that your mind will come back to conscious awareness, that you will be alert and refreshed and feeling good.
– Count yourself up from 1 to 5 , knowing when you reach the number 5 and know your body feels comfortable, you open your eyes. Wide open.
“1” begin to come back to full awareness
“2” you have always known your mind is powerful
“3” allow yourself to move your fingers and toes, to be aware of where you are
“4” allow your eyelids to begin to flutter as they do when you are awakening from a wonderful sleep
“5” when you are ready and know that your discomfort has faded, or has gone, open your eyes. Wide open. Feeling calm and good.
Make this mini- self hypnosis a part of your daily routine until it becomes a natural way to take control of your pain.
Please consult your MD if you have new , undiagnosed, or acute pain .
Jan Lee CH, RN is a certified Hypnotist and Psychiatric RN in the Pittsburgh , PA area.
She does individual and group hypnosis sessions and presentations.
Contact: 724-884-3307
Email: [email protected]
FB: JanLeeHypnosis
Twitter: JanLeeHypnosis
Skype: mesmereyes2