Research has pointed to Millennials as the generation who are most likely to experience mental health issues like depression and anxiety. The Black Dog Institute published findings that one in four young people are living with a mental disorder and 9% experience high levels of emotional distress. It’s understandable, even when one does not count the current news around the COVID-19 pandemic. Today, young people are facing more obstacles and expectations than previous generations, and despite all the connection brought by the internet: never have people felt so disconnected and uncertain.
“My anxiety was borderline crippling … It felt like I couldn't stop moving or I'd fall apart.” says Jane, a student who went through hypnotherapy, but not before exhausting every other option to try to manage her anxiety, which was beginning to interfere with her life and studies, “…whilst everyone copes with anxiety in different ways, I'd definitely recommend at least trying the treatment once.”
In many communities across Australia, there are many Hypnotherapy providers that boldly advertise claims of being able to assist with issues relating to anything from Confidence, Life Direction, Phobias, as well as Anxiety and Depression, among a list of other ailments. Some celebrities, like Lilly Allen, credited hypnosis to encourage her weight-loss.
But, what is hypnotherapy?
Astrid, a hypnotherapy specialist in Melbourne assures that hypnotherapy is not like what we see in the movies: the patient is not put to sleep, and a pendulum is not used to induce it... “Despite how many people expect it when they come in,” Astrid adds.
Hypnotherapy works by bringing someone into a deep meditative state; where their subconscious is more likely to take and accept suggestions. For anxiety; hypnotherapy is said to have an amazing effect so long as the patient is open and willing to change, this is because it “reframes” the anxiety to help let go of triggers, although there may be some triggers that don’t disappear entirely, hypnotherapy may curb at least some.
Like in the case of Jane, experts like Astrid are well aware that most people don’t consider hypnosis as an option until they’ve exhausted every other avenue in trying to manage their anxiety, and so rates of success over several sessions are exceptionally high. With this, it is also evident that many Millennials are reaching that point of looking to a local hypnotist.
Hypnotherapy could be an interesting avenue to try, despite the mysterious and unfamiliar territory of the practice. Hypnotism may not be the ultimate cure for all anxiety, but it may help to tame the severity and dread one may be feeling.