a contradiction in terms!
Using deep relaxation or Hypnosis can help. Hypnosis allows you more control not less, it is your desire to change that is the key strength.
Hypnosis is a state we have all been in before, that's why it feels so familiar. It is basically deep relaxation. Have you ever day dreamed? Have you ever driven a car and got part of the way or to your destination and can't remember all of the journey? That's hypnosis!
Allowing yourself to completely relax allows the window from your conscious mind (you reading this now) to your unconscious (deep relaxation) to open and make that change.
Get yourself comfortable either sitting or lying down. Close your eyes and concentrate on your breathing. As you inhale through your nose, move your tummy out and allow the breath to then wave up your rib cage and to your chest. This is a really deep breath. Enjoy the sensation of this wave. Imagine all the clear air filling your lungs. Exhale through your mouth. Aim for you inhale to be at least 3 seconds and your exhale 5. You can increase this with practice.
Slow, deep and rhythmic breathing triggers relaxation. it's the opposite of the fight or flight response (Alman. B & Lambrou. P. 2008)
You can deepen your relaxation by imaging every part of your body becoming more relaxed. Focus on every body part, tighten it and then release and relax it. Start at your toes and move all the way to your head, (please contact me if you need further instructions on this).
One technique for pain relief is to focus on it. It may seem like a contradiction, but in order to have more control of it, you can visualise it as a "thing/entity".
In your relaxed state, describe your pain to yourself. Locate it. Where is it? is it burning, sharp etc? what does it look like? is it a large stone, a colour or a pool of water for example. Find an image that works for you.
Keep your deep breathing. Ride the waves of deep relaxation and focus on your pain image.
With each out breath imagine your image reducing by a tiny proportion. with each breath a tiny part escapes and reduces the image in your mind. If it is a solid object, imagine with each out breath it reduces. If it is a colour, with each out breath the colour fades a shade.
in order to have full control of your pain, image with each inhale you then bring the pain back. Yes back! make it bigger and brighter. THEN repeat the reduction of pain again. This time with each out breath you reduce your pain more deeply. With each breath the pain's image and colour reduces more.
This allows you to control your pain. In the future you will have more control. You will be able to enter into relaxation quicker and reduce the pain quicker.
When your pain has reduced, bring your awareness back to your body and wiggle your toes, arms etc to be fully conscious and aware.
Practice this as many times as you can, so you can have more control of your pain and reduce it for good.
Good luck and let me know how you get on
x
References:
Alman. B & Lambrou. P. 2008 Self hynosis
Wednesday, 17 September 2008
