How Hypnotherapy Helps With Stress And Anxiety

Stress can be defined as a state we experience when there is a mismatch between perceived demands and our perceived ability to cope. Stress can also be defined as an adaptive response by a body to change in the environment. Stress response evolved to enable humans to deal with life-threatening dangers or stressors such as being confronted with a wild animal or perhaps a hostile human. Situations like this required action – the activation of stress response to wither stay and fight or to run away.

Today we hopefully won’t have to face the same dangers as our ancestors but the stress response to demanding situations we face is still with us and our mind and body still prepare for fight or flight when confronted with this equivalent of the wild animal. This is where the problem may begin as activation of the fight or flight response with no physical outlet, such as if we are stuck in a traffic jam and can’t fight it or flee it, or maybe an unfair confrontation in the workplace where once again the response for action may be triggered but we can’t vent it by fighting or running away without consequences we would rather avoid. Perhaps both of these events and more are experienced on the same day, perhaps every day, and the stress builds within us until it can damage our health if a solution is not found

Stress isn’t always bad – the stress response was designed to help and protect us and some people even place themselves in stressful situations they know they can handle for excitement and ‘the rush’ as it is often called.

We all experience stress in different ways depending upon our personality type, conditioning and possible training also.

When we face a stressor but perceive we have the ability to deal with it successfully a feeling of success and achievement can be gained. Getting the balance right between good stress to motivate us and encourage us to grow, and our ability to cope with the stress is possibly the key to remaining healthy, positive and active in whatever arena of life we find ourselves.

Our ability to cope with stress can be affected by our diet and the intake of good substances that out body needs to remain strong and flexible and to repair itself when needed. Also we should avoid anything that could cause us to be more stressed or weaker such as drugs, alcohol, smoking etc.

Finally, stress can be external, some event or situation that is causing stress, or internal, attitudes or emotions that lead to stress (anxiety, guilt, low self-esteem, fear, etc.)

What is the Fight/Flight Response? Why do we still have it?

The ‘Fight or Flight Response’ is a physiological reaction and is the body’s response to a stressor.

Changes in hormones prepare a person to either stay and deal with a stressor or to take flight/run away. This immediate state of alarm is when the body prepares to take action, and in this state a person will be extremely alert to their surroundings but also very anxious and possibly unable to concentrate.

The body will slow down systems not vital in responding to the stressor, such as the digestive system, which is why a person in a fight or flight situation may have a dry mouth and a nervous/upset stomach. The body will make other preparations such as improved cooling for the body as more energy is used and this will result in perspiration.

The fight or flight response is a very old and very basic response and has been with us for a very long time. It was originally a response to danger that would prepare our ancestors to fight the wild beast or the enemy who might suddenly threaten or confront them, or to take flight and literally run away from the danger.

This response is triggered when we send a message of alarm to a part of the brain called the hypothalamus. This area of the brain will then send a signal to the glands to release adrenaline, cortisol and endorphin into the blood stream. Increased levels of adrenaline increase heart rate and blood flow which in turn brings extra oxygen and glucose to the muscles. Cortisol causes an increase in amino-acids and sugars in the blood. Amino-acids are crucial for the repair and recovery of damaged tissues which may occur under stress and the blood sugar adds to the availability of glucose (fuel) for the body.

The release of endorphin, which is a morphine like substance only more powerful, provides the body’s natural tranquilizing system. Pain is blocked and a feeling of euphoria may be experienced, both helping to get the body through the situation it may find itself in due to stress.

We still have this response, as it is still necessary to prepare and protect us in times of alarm, such as being involved in an emergency situation of any kind, or being confronted with any form of potentially life threatening danger.

Once the initial stages of this fight or flight response are over, a person will have a psychological reaction to the stressor which will be based upon many variables including, personality type, conditioning, age, physical and mental ability, and their knowledge relevant to the situation to be dealt with.

It is very often the resulting symptoms of this fight or flight response kicking in that we tend to call a panic attack. what actually happens is that we may be in a situation where we can’t fight or flight, such as a meeting or on a train, and so we become more and more anxious and may feel as though we will pass out, or be sick, or any one of a number of responses. What often happens then,is we find we have a desperate need to urinate, and that is another way the subconscious mind will sometimes attempt to gain our attention and force us to leave the arena in which we find ourselves at the time. It is normally the feeling of not being able to escape, and knowing that we might have this strong feeling to fight or flight that causes much of the anxiety and expectation of problems for most people who find they need help to overcome their problem.

Also, many people….no…that should be most people who suffer from panic attacks and anxiety will normally have the need for some obsessive-compulsive actions in their life…it can often be a type of coping, or controlling strategy.

Why hypnotherapy is totally different from any other form of therapy?

Hypnotherapy is different from any other form of therapy because of the way in which the therapy part happens while one is in hypnosis. Put another way, hypnotherapy is a very effective combination of hypnosis, a trance or altered state of mind and deep relaxation, and the chosen therapy, which might be for example; suggestion therapy, regression, ego states therapy, or neuro-linguistic-programming.

Hypnosis allows an individual to enter a state of deep relaxation which in itself is a very useful therapy for combating stress. It also allows one to become calm and focused, as all parts of the mind work together and concentrate on solving the problem at hand, and therefore making the very best use of the chosen therapy as it is applied.

Why hypnotherapy is so helpful in cases of stress, anxiety and panic attacks?

Hypnosis is a state in which the conscious critical faculty is temporarily suspended or distracted and in which all parts of the mind work in harmony for the good of the whole being.

When in hypnosis an individual can become very relaxed and at the same time very aware and ‘sharp’, mentally focused.

For the computer literate, I would liken hypnosis to the ‘safe mode’ on a computer, where if a part of the system is acting up or malfunctioning, placing the system in safe mode allows for investigation and repair to be carried out safely while minimizing the risk to the normal operating systems. In some sports it would be like a ‘time-out’, where all parts of the team come together briefly to review the current state of play, to identify where poor choices may have affected the outcomes and to choose a new strategy to move forward with.

In the normal whirl of life we seldom take a time out, or to go into safe mode to pull together our resources and to calmly take stock and plan our best way forward. Hypnosis then, is a safe, relaxing state in which we can let go the tensions in and around us for a short period, and in which, if we desire it, a skilled therapist can guide us through the stages of investigation, discovery, planning and repair we may need.

Hypnotherapy therefore provides relaxation (and clients of good therapists learn self-hypnosis so they can find this deep relaxation for themselves) and is therefore useful at even this basic level, as a kind of first aid. The good therapist will help the client to find any repressed emotions, triggers and false instincts from the past that are a kind of out-of-date, erroneous, or maybe just no longer wanted or needed programming, that loops around once triggered to cause us much anxiety and feelings of panic, but we often don’t know why. Following this, the wonderful power of hypnotic suggestion, and Neuro-Linguistic programming techniques will be used to provide new and efficient programming to support moves forward into a much more positive life with a better outlook on everything.

About the Author:

Marc is an award winning, certified stage and clinical hypnotist, author and motivational speaker with experience entertaining both large and small gatherings.

Marc uses his skills and talents in a variety of areas that include self-improvement or clinical hypnosis, motivational speaking, and comedy stage hypnosis.  He has worked with individuals and corporations throughout the United States to improve outcomes in personal lives and organizations.

As a clinical hypnotist, he has helped people resolve sleep issues, lose weight, stop smoking, deal with long held fears, deal with stress and anxiety, manage pain, improve sports performance, eliminate addictions, and improve sexual function.

His performance resume includes appearances on live shows for Refinery29 Live and Elite Daily’s TrashED.  He has performed internationally for major corporations, at comedy clubs, fairs and , and for schools, proms, graduations, conferences, conventions and corporations.  He was a featured performer for New Jersey’s premier First Night Celebration – First Night Morris for New Year’s Eve 2018.

Marc’s book, “Staying in the Moment – Helping Students Achieve More Through Mindfulness Meditation” helps educators, parents and students get better results in the classroom through the adoption of mindfulness exercises as part of the curriculum.

For more information about, or to book an appointment with Marc visit his website: www.hypnomarc.com or email info@hypnomarc.com.

Women… Suffering from Hot Flashes?

Hypnosis Can Help with Hot Flashes!

 

Over the years a significant part of my private hypnosis practice has been helping people deal with physical aliments that make live difficult.  Typically, when people think of this, they immediately think of pain management.  And while that is a large part of my practice, I also help people with other physical challenges that include improved sexual function, improved focus and concentration, managing migraines, removing crippling fears, and pre- and post-surgical healing.

One area that I have had good success in is that of helping women deal with hot-flashes brought on by illness, cancer treatment, or menopause.  I know that I do not need to tell women how uncomfortable and even disruptive these sudden onset.  They often disrupt sleep, which results in more stress and decreased functioning in the woman’s day-to-day life.   This starts a vicious cycle of anxiety in anticipation of the next hot-flash episode, which in turn leads to hyper-focus and magnification of the symptoms.

Think about it this way.  When you go to the dentist and he or she is about to give you a shot of Novocaine, what is the thing they usually say?…. “You are going to feel a pinch.”   The problem with this is that they have now implanted a suggestion that has you focused on the “pinch” which creates anxiety, triggers flight/fight/freeze response to pain, and makes the dental procedure a negative experience.  Honestly,  I am grateful for the inarticulate way that dentists do this to their patients.  It begins the dental fear/phobia cycle that begins with the painful negative experience and continues to grow as people anticipate the discomfort in front of their next dental visit.

Similarly, we magnify pain and discomfort as a result of unpleasant experiences, such as hot-flashes.  The fear of that experience creates a cortisol stress reaction that wreaks havoc on the body.  However, the really great news is that the impact of hot-flashes can be control by your powerful subconscious mind when the right post-hypnotic suggestions are implanted.

To this end,  I would like to share a story about a friend that I recently had a chance to help control her severe hot-flashes.  My friend, S.A. is a breast cancer survivor who is presently undergoing treatment to keep her cancer at bay.  During her intense chemo-therapy and recovery, she discovered the power of hypnosis and having a positive attitude.  She spent her time watching the comedy hypnosis of a good friend and colleague of mine, the Incredible Hypnotist, Richard Barker. This lifted her spirits and helped get through the ordeal.

One of the drugs that she is currently taking has severe hot-flashes as a side-effect.  I had previously worked with S.A., who lives about five hours from my office.  Over this past weekend, she was in agony and didn’t know what to do.  In desperation, she contacted me and asked if I could help her.  I am extremely pleased to be able to help her again.  I am happy to be able to share her experience in her own words:

“Thank you Marc Marshall for being my saving grace this weekend. He hypnotized me via FaceTime to assist with my hot flashes. Yesterday, I had 37 intense ones and today not one. With his implanted suggestions, I was able to ward off 13 hot flashes! I love hypnosis, I love Richard Barker for introducing me to Marc and the world of hypnosis and I love Marc for helping me deal with my intense hot flashes, which are a direct side effect of the drug Lupron I take so I can keep the cancer at bay. I am so blessed to have such friendship and love surround me. “

S.A.  you are very welcome!  I am so glad that you are a friend and more importantly, that I could help.  I wish you continued strength as you demonstrate how important positive thinking and focus is in battling cancer.   I am excited that you have made the decision to become a hypnotist yourself.  You will be amazing because you know that the subconscious mind is amazingly powerful.  That which we focus on becomes our reality and our destiny.  You have demonstrated that power to yourself and so many of those you come in contact with.

For those of you who want to learn more about how hypnosis can help you improve your life… email me at – info@hypnomarc.com or better yet, just click on the red bar on the side of this page.

Hypnotically yours,

Marc

(photo credit – skin of the night by Emily – Flickr 2009)

Top Hypnosis Expert Reveals How to Remove the Fear of Clowns (and avoid Embarrassment!)

,Just in time for Halloween Stephen King’s film IT (#IT) is set to open on September 8th.  We can be sure that Throughout the U.S. there be a resurgence of  Scary Clowns invading communities and terrorizing people.  In the past, these reports included attempts by some to lure children into the woods.  The Scary clowns have people afraid, police and sheriff’s departments scrambling, and reports of physical attacks on innocent pedestrians.

Every year, about this time, I receive a few phone calls from people with a special fear.  The technical term is CoulrophobiaThe Fear of Clowns!  This fear seems to haunt more people in Gen-Y and Gen-X than prior groups and there appears to be some strong indicators as to why this is.

The boomer generation grew up with clowns such as Bozo and Clarabel during the 1950’s and 60’s.  These clowns were associated with fun, laughter and cartoons, the pacifier of the generation.   That, however changed dramatically in the early 70’s with the infamous – Killer Clown – John Wayne Gacy (Pogo the Clown).

Originally, clowns were more an adult entertainment going back to the “court-jesters” or “fools”.    Beginning in the late 18th and 19th centuries, the appearance of clowns began to shift and the first appearances of the painted white face and exaggerated expression (makeup) entered the scene.   These exaggerated expressions, which hide true, and recognizable facial features are in large part the reason for the fear.

Olivia Goldhill, former features writer for The Telegraph (http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/halloween/11194653/Why-are-we-so-scared-of-clowns.html) sums up the reaction of many in regards to clowns:

“The more you stare at a clown’s perpetually smiling face, the more it warps into something more sinister.

Clowns are supposedly figures of innocent fun – brightly colored jesters to entertain our children and slip on banana skins in exaggerated displays of slapstick comedy.

But the manic joy, the mask of make-up and the excessive familiarity are just a hair’s breadth away from terror.”

It is the grotesque, unnatural appearance of the human face and body, which triggers the fight/flight/freeze mechanism deep within our brains.  We get a sense of unease which is often amplified by the clown character acting in ways that would otherwise be socially unacceptable.  It is this very sense of discomfort and unease that authors such as Stephen King and director Stephen Spielberg tap into in the film IT  with the character PennyWise, or the character Twisty the clown in American Horror Freak Show, or the Joker in Batman.  In each of these, the clown embodies evil. The fear that often develops in young children who are sensitive to this odd, unfamiliar face (exaggerated features and hair) in a familiar body.  Historically, the actual people who have played clowns are themselves, sad, tragic, and often times sadistic people.

Children are taught, from the earliest ages, to avoid strangers.  It’s common for children to think that “bad strangers” look scary, like the villains in cartoons.  This is a natural growth that results from both the experience of seeing scary scenes, and creating them within their own minds.  This taught response, along with the stories reported in the news and social media have heightened the concerns and level of angst parents and communities are having.  Schools are reinforcing the warnings, especially among younger children.

While a small percentage of the U.S. population would actually be classified as coulrophoic (having the fear of clowns), they nonetheless do exist.  It is particularly difficult for these people during the Halloween season, when there is a greater number of people dressing up as clowns, and is further amplified by constant and increasing number of reports.

Fears or phobias are generally the result of unresolved processing of a traumatic experience.  Through hypnosis, the person suffering from the fear often plays a self-reinforcing, though unhealthy, mental loop that confirms the feeling.  I have helped a significant number of clients remove a host of fears and phobias that have previously paralyzed them.  Hypnosis is a powerful and useful tool in helping people overcome fears and phobias by helping them address and resolve the originating event that is the basis of their behavior.  Clients are then able to enjoy life.

Whether you fear clowns, heights, bridges, snakes or spiders, isn’t it time you made a positive change in your life with hypnosis?  STOP being controlled by your fear!  START living life free of anxiety.  I can help you with hypnosis.  SEE how!  Contact me at – info@hypnomarc.com or visit my websited – www.hypnomarc.com to request more information and to schedule your appointment – RIGHT NOW!

 

Marc Marshall, CH CHMI, is a certified consulting and stage hypnotist, author and motivational speaker with offices in Summit, NJ and Shaftsbury, VT.  He has helped people make dramatic improvements in their lives through his pain management, smoking cessation, weight loss, reducing stress and anxiety, and resolving fears and phobias programs.  Learn more today.

Laughter is the Best Medicine!

“Laughter is the Best Medicine!”

If you are anything at all like me, you have noticed a serious increase in the stress and anxiety that is around you.  Stress from an uncertain economy, a cantankerous election, the invasion of scary clowns, threats of terrorist attacks, and the ever-increasing global unrest, are all having significant impacts on people’s physical, emotional and relationship health.   Just look at number of blogs talking about stress, or the increase in angry Tweets and Facebook posts and the picture is nearly complete.  Teachers, clergy, bloggers and media personalities report an significant increase in the number of people acting out, stress-out and looking for help.

Stress Headache
Stress Headache Controlling You?

Those of us in the hypnosis field have long known that truth behind the adage “That which we focus on, becomes our reality.”   In fact, it is a main theme in my upcoming book – “Perception Equals Reality”.  It takes work to get off the stinking thinking train.  This work includes a commitment to changing one’s focus and ensuring positive actions to reinforce the focus.  Stress is a killer.  It is responsible for overeating, insomnia, heart disease, anxiety and often addictive behaviors.

More and more, I am seeing people in my clinical hypnosis practice who are suffering from debilitating anxiety and fears, problems with relationships, and stress based pain.  My clients are thankful to have the chance to experience the “mind vacation” that hypnosis brings.  They often report a sense of calm and serenity never-before experienced.  The ability to help clients achieve that level of calm and relaxation is incredibly rewarding.  It is this powerful feeling that helps their powerful subconscious minds make the changes necessary to improve their lives.  Each client that I work with is taught mindfulness mediation as part of the session.  I help them to incorporate the practice as part of their daily routine.  It is as important to their health and well-being as brushing their teeth, sleeping, and physical exercise.   Those that commit to adopting the practice report less stress, greater focus and concentration, and an improvement in their work and personal relationships.

Hypnosis is a powerful tool in other ways, as well.  When I tell people that I am hypnotist, their first response is to ask if I’m going to make them bark like a dog?  For most people, their knowledge of hypnosis is from the comedy stage hypnosis shows they have attended at a fair, or Project Graduation, or party.  They associate that experience with a fun time, filled with laughter and great memories.  What they don’t realize is the enormous health benefit they received at that show.  There is more than wisdom behind the saving that “Laughter is the Best Medicine!” 

sexcess1I have found that one of the best ways to relieve the pressure is through laughter. In fact, the Mayo Clinic agrees with me.  Their studies have shown that “A good laugh has great short-term effects. When you start to laugh, it doesn’t just lighten your load mentally, it actually induces physical changes in your body. Laughter can:

  • Stimulate many organs.Laughter enhances your intake of oxygen-rich air, stimulates your heart, lungs and muscles, and increases the endorphins that are released by your brain.
  • Activate and relieve your stress response.A rollicking laugh fires up and then cools down your stress response, and it can increase your heart rate and blood pressure. The result? A good, relaxed feeling.
  • Soothe tension.Laughter can also stimulate circulation and aid muscle relaxation, both of which can help reduce some of the physical symptoms of stress.”osceolafunnyface2

Isn’t it time for all of us to shed the shackles of the insanity that has gripped us for far too long?  Isn’t time that we committed to focusing on positive outcomes and doing good things for ourselves, families, friends and associates?   Now is the time to laugh until you feel great again.  Now is the time to come together.  See how the Hypnotic Hijinks of Hypnomarc can make that a reality this holiday season.

Hypnomarc is a comedy stage and clinical hypnotist, author and motivational speaker based out of Summit, NJ.  He performs at fairs, festivals, corporate events, post proms and graduations, private events and comedy clubs.  For more information about his services visit his website; www.hypnomarc.com.