Email usHypnosis or self-hypnosis is sometimes chosen because it appears to offer an 'easy' cure. The difficulty with hypnosis is that it focuses on the behaviour, rather than the cause of the behaviour. A patient may tell the hypnotist, 'I get anxious traveling on public transport'. As part of the therapy, the hypnotist will often teach the patient how to induce a hypnotic trance at home so the hypnotist's suggestions about feeling relaxed on buses, etc can be reinforced. A hypnotist may not recognise low self esteem, vulnerability, the need to be in control, and similar issues.
Hypnosis and self-hypnosis can be very successful in receptive subjects provided the need is very specific e.g. wanting to give up smoking. However, anxiety is a very complex issue not defined by resulting behaviours. One may learn not to feel anxious on a bus, but if the underlying cause is not addressed, anxiety usually finds another outlet and soon the person is back to the therapist seeking a means to eliminate fear of another situation.
