THEAnxiety is an unwanted companion for many people. According to the Mental Health Report of Ministry of Health, 16 million Italians complain of psychological disorders of medium or severe severity. AND Anxiety is confirmed as one of the most widespread problemsparticularly in women and young people. Living with it makes it difficult to concentrate and fully enjoy life. What can be done to overcome it and live better? The Doctor Charlie Fantechispecialist in clinical and community psychology at theUniversity of Rome, La Sapienza and specialized in Hypnosis at the Italian School of Hypnosis and Ericksonian Psychotherapy proposes an innovative approach.
Hypnosis: let’s dispel a false myth
Hypnosis it is a therapeutic practice that leads to an experience of deep concentrationin a state of deep relaxation (trance), thanks to which the conscious mind reduces its resistance to change. Unlike common belief, it does not result in loss of control or absence of awareness. On the contrary, the person is perfectly aware and free to choose whether or not to accept the suggestions proposed by the therapist. «Applied to anxietyallows access to our subconscious, home to automatic thought patterns and behaviors, to introduce new perspectives and ways of reacting to stress. For example, it may be suggested to visualize a safe and serene place whenever a feeling of anxiety emerges, or to reformulate the perception of a stressful situation in more positive and manageable terms. Through regular practice, new thought patterns can be strengthened and a healthier and more functional approach to the challenges of daily life consolidated”, explains Doctor Fantechi.
Anxiety: what techniques to remove it
«Our mindset is like software programmed with theta waves in the first years of life (5 – 10 years). As adults we act almost always in “execution” mode, with beta waves, but using mental schemes written by childrenwhen the needs were very different from the current ones. Hypnosis and self-hypnosis allow you to re-enter the theta state and finally update that software. This can happen thanks to Deep relaxationin which the hypnotherapist guides the patient to gradually relax each part of the body, creating fertile ground for therapeutic work.
Another technique involves the Downsizing of fears. The therapist helps the patient to review what scares him in a more realistic and less threatening context, allowing the intensity of the worries to be reduced. Then there is the Reframingin which the patient is invited to imagine situations that normally trigger anxiety, but with a different, calmer and more relaxed approach. Thanks then to the Self-management toolssuch as self-hypnosis, deep breathing exercises and guided meditations for relaxation, the patient can deal with anxiety independently”, continues the expert.
The power of self-hypnosis
«Self-hypnosis allows you to voluntarily induce a state of deep relaxation and concentration, similar to that achieved with a therapist. When used to address anxiety, self-hypnosis becomes a very powerful self-regulation tool, which allows you to manage anxiety symptoms independently and on a daily basis. It allows you to counteract the physiological symptoms of anxiety, such as rapid heartbeat, muscle tension and labored breathing. It allows you to work directly with the unconscious and view stressful situations in a more positive way, strengthening your confidence and reducing the perception of threat. It can act as personal empowerment tool: be aware of having the ability to induce a state of relaxation and influence your unconscious, at any time, offers a sense of control and securitycrucial elements for those who fight anxiety”, underlines Doctor Fantechi.
Anxiety: how to practice rapid self-hypnosis
«Find first a quiet and comfortable place to relax. You can lie down or sit, just be comfortable. Relax your body by tensing and releasing each muscle groupstarting from the tips of the toes and working up to the head. Once your body is relaxed, you can begin. Set your goal: for example, from this experience we want to counteract anxiety. Focus your gaze on an object in front. Breathe slowly and deeplyletting the eyes rest on the point of attention, imagining that with each exhalation the eyelids become heavier. Continue until the walls feel too heavy to hold. As your eyes close naturally, stay focused on your breathing. At this point view: create a calm and relaxing place with the senses, such as a beach or a meadow. Use all your senses to be in that calm, relaxing place.
Then move on to your goal: Using visualization, let’s focus on reducing anxiety. As you imagine reaching your goal, repeat affirmations to yourself that invoke calm and tranquility, in the form of mantras. After about five minutes of repetitions, prepare to leave the hypnotic statestarting to return gently to the room, moving our fingers and toes and feeling the surface beneath us and slowly the rest of our body. When you feel ready to leave the meditative state, count backwards from 10 until you reach a state of alertness», concludes Doctor Fantechi.