Medical Hypnoanalytical Treatment Works And Lasts for Addictions
Addictions
The dangers of various addictions including food, drugs, smoking and gambling have been studied and analyzed for years. The detrimental effect of smoking, food and drugs on people's health and their activities is now public knowledge, and many people who have become addicted to gambling, food drugs or smoking are now looking for ways to quit.
Most addiction programs work at increasing the individual's strength to resist the desire to do the unwanted behavior. They rely on willpower, and for most people that is the worst method for quitting addictive behavior. Willpower fluctuates like moods and emotions. One day it may be strong, the next day it may be weak.
Medical Hypnoanalytical treatment works at eliminating the desire to engage in the addictive behavior, whether it is from identification or replacement, the two principle reasons for addictive behavior. Identification is when the addict indulges in the habit because he admires (or associates) with others who have the same addiction, i.e. parents, peers, or celebrities. Identification addiction is the most common and the easiest to eliminate.
Replacement is when the addictive behavior takes the place of a previous habit (such as one of the other addictions), is used to replace something that is missing, (such as companionship, love, acceptance, self-esteem, security, independence), or when it fills a void created by anxiety or boredom. Replacement addictions often receive sensual gratification from their addiction. They enjoy the feeling of the addiction. For all types of addicts, the addiction is both a physical and mental process. So to be effective, the addiction treatment program must address both aspects.
To address the psychological aspects of addictive behavior, the Medical Hypnoanalyst will include an evaluation of why the person started the addictive behavior. "What purpose does it serve in their life?" For the Identification Addict, suggestions can be given to help strengthen a person's perception of the individuality, i.e., not needing to submit to the addiction to be accepted. For the Replacement Addict, a more detailed analysis of their motivation is required.
To address the physical aspects of any addiction, the medical hypnoanalyst may include hypnotic suggestions that change, via increasing awareness and strengthening contact with reality. The individual can imagine the reality that the addiction is unappealing, bad for them, foul and revolting in every sense of the word. This makes quitting easier.
The Medical Hypnoanalyst takes advantage of the mind's natural ability to imagine and visualize. The client pictures himself or herself free from the habit, filled with new health, energy and vitality. They can see themselves as looking healthier, more attractive, freer, and being more active.
Once an addict has achieved success in a Medical Hypnoanalytic Addiction Treatment Program it is still necessary to reinforce the programming that led to quitting. Addictions are a habit that is acquired and built over time. It can rarely be completely eliminated in just a few sessions. Even though they may have stopped the addictive behavior temporarily, the behavior pattern still remains. Fortunately, it fades with disuse. Hypnotic conditioning with cassette tapes can be used to reinforce the changes until they become permanent.
Planning, practice and patience are the keys to eliminating undesirable behaviors