Time to Lighten the Load?

Stress Relief NJ

A helpful term to understand in regards to stress management is allostatic load as it can explain why your stress response may be out of proportion to what you are actually experiencing in life right now.

Stress occurs when we have to make adaptations to changing circumstances. For example, when you climb a flight of stairs your heart rate has to increase and should go back down once you get to rest.

When faced with financial adversity, your brain dedicates more of it's resources towards finding a solution to your dilemma until its solved.

If you were suddenly chased by a wild dog, your body would rapidly prepare to flee or engage in self defense. This is what is known as the fight or flight response to help you deal with the threat- a state marked by the release of stress hormones such as adrenaline and cortisol.

The fight or flight response can be triggered by both physical and emotional threats.

Without this ability to adapt you wouldn't survive the adverse circumstances and challenges that we all encounter. However nature intended to fight or flight to be a short term response and if it goes on too long there can be serious physical, emotional and behavioral consequences.

In a perfect world the heightened stress response would always release once the problem had been solved or the threat had passed by a process known as allostasis, where the mind and body return to it's natural and more relaxed state.

The allostatic load refers to the strain on the mind and body which increases over time if you are exposed to repeated or chronic stress.

For many individuals the allostatic process breaks down and the stress response remains activated even when there is no need to for it do so. Not unlike a rusted water valve or a broken light switch that gets stuck in the on position.

This inability to rebalance from a stressful state is linked to numerous problems including addictions, chronic pain, anxiety, IBS, tinnitus and other ongoing challenges.

Everyone has different stress thresholds, but it seems that exposure to trauma, especially in childhood, seems to be a major factor of whether a person can shift back to rest and digest or remains in stuck in fight or flight.

Mind/body healing practices such as mindfulness meditation, self-hypnosis, qigong and yoga can enable you to reduce your allostatic load. An overall healthy lifestyle that includes good nutrition, proper hydration, exercise and avoidance of toxins such as tobacco also help.

If you have any questions, I am here to help! Please feel free to call (732) 714-7040 for a free, confidential phone consultation.

P.S. The book linked below Conquer Chronic Pain by Dr. Peter Przekop,  is a treasure trove of info on the link between stress, chronic pain and addictions.

Preparing for Your First Hypnosis Session: 7 Helpful Tips

It's been my observation that people coming in for their first hypnosis session are experiencing a wide variety of expectations as to what it will or will not be like.  Below are some ideas that can help you get the most out of your first hypnosis session and the ones that follow.

1. When you have the want, you will find the how. How important is reaching your goal to you? I often have clients assess their desire for change on a 1-10 scale, 1=little or no desire, 10= highest level. Unless you are rating a 7 or better, you will probably have weak commitment and a diminished chance for success. If your score is low, what would have to happen in order to raise it? You have to bring personal commitment to the table in order for this process to work.
2. Relax, nothing crazy is going to happen. The hypnotic demonstrations you may have seen in a comedic show or the movies bear little or no resemblance to what goes on in a private or group session for personal transformation. There would be no reason on earth for me to try and make you do anything silly or embarrassing in this setting. You will be awake and in control the entire time we work together.
3. Realize there are different ways people feel when hypnotized. While some people go into a profound state of deep relaxation during hypnosis, others experience it more subtly where it feels more like daydreaming.  Numerous studies have shown "trance depth" has little or no bearing on how effective the session will be. If you have concerns that you can't be hypnotized, here is a hint. Act as if you were the best candidate for hypnosis on the planet and you will become that person.
4. Decide to go with the flow. Many potential clients have a fear that somehow they will mess up the process. This can in fact happen is by being overly analytical and not following the instructions given during the session.  Doing so prevents the positive suggestions and images being offered by the hypnotist from being accepted  and acted upon by the subconscious mind, which is what you are there for, right? If your analytical mind could solve the problem you are facing, it would have done so by now.  The hypnosis session involves a totally different approach. You will bump up your chances of success greatly by deciding to adopt an easygoing attitude and by being as cooperative as possible: a decision only you can make. Keep in mind this decision is for your benefit, not the hypnotist's. Follow his or her lead in order to get the most out of your investment of time and money.
5. Doing your homework is absolutely essential. You want to know a main difference that sets successful clients apart from others who are less successful? Virtually every hypnosis session concludes with some sort of homework assignment involving self-hypnosis, listening to an audio mp3 or doing some kind of coaching exercise. On average suggestions last 3 to 5 days unless they are reinforced and it takes 21 to 30 days to establish a new habit pattern. 20+ years of professional experience has shown me that the clients who do their homework assignments do well, the others have less consistent, hit or miss results. Be ready to do your homework.
6. Its often not 'one and done'- although amazing results can be experienced in a single session(especially if you do your post-session homework) a multiple session program will usually yield a better outcome. 3 or 4 visits is the norm, with some clients opting for more.
7. Decide to do your best and make this work. Hypnosis is something done with you, not to you. It's not up to a hypnotist to make you do anything, rather he or she is a coach that is there to assist and guide you. Its similar to how star basketball players expect their coach to provide expert guidance and encouragement, but don't expect the coach to actually play the game for them.

Follow these tips and chances are you will do just fine.

If you have any questions, please feel free to connect by either calling me at (732) 714-7040 or using one of the contact forms at my website http://www.njhypno.com

The Link Between Stress and Self-Confidence?

Over the past 20 odd years I think it would be safe to say stress that could be managed better has been an underlying factor in virtually every hypnosis session I have conducted.

Whether it be overcoming limiting fears, releasing unhealthy habits such as smoking and overeating or learning to cope with life-challenging health problems, negative stress is always skulking about.

Now a completely stress-free existence is not possible and isn't really desirable either since we need a certain amount of challenges in order to feel fully alive, to have a sense of meaning and purpose.

Its also important to note that stress is not the external factors in our lives but rather our individual response to those events. That is good news because it implies we can alter our responses to those things that we cannot control.

Its been my observation from both professional and personal experience that stress turns ugly when coupled with a lack of self-confidence. Let me explain...

The stress response is frequently triggered by thoughts ("what if" thinking) rather than what is actually going on in the moment. Your subconscious mind cannot distinguish a real experience from one that is vividly imagined.

If you frequently envision disastrous scenarios that you won't be able to handle you are in a way living them in the moment.  The body then responds as if the dreaded event were actually happening.

Now what if you imagined being able to rise up and meet those same challenges with strength, intelligence and determination?

A secret of hypnotism: the same inner process that creates stress and anxiety when reversed can bring about a sense of calm and confidence. You can learn to be more resilient when faced with adversity.

A professional hypnotist can help you become the director in what has been called "The Theater of the Imagination," where you learn to take greater control of your stress responses.

A free, confidential phone consultation is available if you have any questions, call (732) 714-7040.

A Concise History of Hypnosis

The history of hypnosis is a fascinating one. Joshua Syna, a professional hypnotist from Houston, Texas, created this infographic that tells the story.

Source of this image:

http://www.houstonhypnosis.com/hypnosis-blog/history-of-hypnosis-infographic/

Are You Ready? 3 Questions to Ask

Deciding to make a healthy change in your life can be simultaneously exciting and a little scary. Although you may be tired of being burdened with a problem, you may also be concerned if you are really ready to move forward or will you fail.

Although hypnosis can sharply reduce the learning curve when it comes to creating healthy new habits, you have to be a willing, able and engaged participant in the process in order to succeed.

The three questions below can help you determine your readiness. Rate your response on a scale of 0 to 100

1) How much of a negative effect has this problem had on my life?

0................................................................. 50 ............................................................ 100
NO EFFECT                                                          EXTREMELY NEGATIVE EFFECT

2) How important is it for me to feel better?

0 ............................................................... 50 ..............................................................100
NOT IMPORTANT AT ALL                                                         VERY IMPORTANT


3) How willing am I to make solving this problem a priority in my life?

0 ............................................................. 50...............................................................100
NOT A PRIORITY                                                    EXTREMELY HIGH PRIORITY

SCORING: If you scored less than 50 on two or more scales, you may not be ready at the present moment, but this can change over time. Ask yourself, "what would it take for this issue to become a priority?"

If you scored 50 or more on two or more scales, you are most likely ready to put forth the effort required to make a healthy change. Please give me call at (732) 714-7040 for a free, confidential phone consultation so we can discuss a plan to get you where you want to be.

Reference: source material for this post was found at;

http://www.getselfhelp.co.uk/

Tinnitus Coping Tip #6

Tinnitus Help NJ

Although it is often not possible to pinpoint the exact cause of someone's tinnitus, there are certain behaviors and situations that can aggravate the symptoms.

For example, most folks with tinnitus know its important to avoid prolonged exposure to loud noise and that they should use hearing protection when going to a concert or using power tools.

Another potential problem scenario is encountered during flight if your ear and Eustachian tubes cannot adjust properly to the changes in air pressure, this is known as barotrauma or airplane ear and can be quite painful.

I've encountered a number of individuals who state that their ringing or buzzing was made worse by flight. Although travel is a wonderful tonic for the body and mind, do take precautions to minimize any potential problems.

According to the Mayo Clinic website you should follow these tips to avoid airplane ear:

• Yawn and swallow during ascent and descent. Yawning and swallowing activate the muscles that open your Eustachian tubes. You can suck on candy or chew gum to help you swallow.
• Use the Valsalva maneuver during ascent and descent. Gently blow, as if blowing your nose, while pinching your nostrils and keeping your mouth closed. Repeat several times, especially during descent, to equalize the pressure between your ears and the airplane cabin.
• Don't sleep during takeoffs and landings. If you're awake during ascents and descents, you can do the necessary self-care techniques when you feel pressure on your ears.
• Reconsider travel plans. If possible, don't fly when you have a cold, sinus infection, nasal congestion or ear infection. If you've recently had ear surgery, talk to your doctor about when it's safe to travel.
• Use filtered earplugs. These earplugs slowly equalize the pressure against your eardrum during ascents and descents. You can purchase these at drugstores, airport gift shops or your local hearing clinic.
• Use an over-the-counter decongestant nasal spray. If you have nasal congestion, use a nasal decongestant about 30 minutes to an hour before takeoff and landing. Avoid overuse, however, because nasal decongestants taken over several days can increase congestion.
• Use oral decongestant pills cautiously. Oral decongestants may be helpful if taken 30 minutes to an hour before an airplane flight. However, if you have heart disease, a heart rhythm disorder or high blood pressure, or if you've experienced possible medication interactions, avoid taking an oral decongestant unless your doctor approves. If you're a man older than age 50, you may experience serious side effects after taking decongestants containing pseudoephedrine (Actifed, Sudafed) such as urinary retention, especially if you have an enlarged prostate. If you're pregnant, talk to your doctor before taking oral decongestants.
• Take allergy medication. If you have allergies, take your medication about an hour before your flight.

If you're prone to severe airplane ear and must fly often, your doctor may surgically place tubes in your eardrums to aid fluid drainage, ventilate your middle ear, and equalize the pressure between your outer ear and middle ear.

Reference for this article:

http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/airplane-ear/manage/ptc-20200663

P.S. If you would like to learn more about mind/body healing for tinnitus, please visit
http://njhypno.com/tinnitus_hypnosis_new_jersey_id109.html

Your Happy Place Pill?

A popular expression is to tell someone to go to their happy place when you want them to calm down.

Indeed, many mind/body healing processes encourage the practice of regularly focusing on the image of being in a place where you feel safe, secure and comfortable-and there is a sound reason why this is done, based on the placebo effect.

One type of placebo is where the patient's belief in a remedy creates a healing effect, rather than the drug or procedure itself. An example is giving a person a sugar pill yet telling her that it is a powerful pain killer and as a result the inert substance creates an analgesic effect.

Current research on placebos suggest that this is not simply a matter of fooling someone into believing they are well. Instead, observable biochemical changes takes place in the person's body as result of the positive belief and expectation that is present.

During clinical trials for new drugs, the standard procedure is to give half the volunteers the real drug and the others get a placebo without them knowing which group they are in. The substance being tested has to significantly outperform the placebo in order to be considered effective.

An interesting side note: in clinical trials all participants have to be told about the possibility of negative side effects such as headache or stomach upset and often people taking the placebo will experience them. This is called the nocebo effect.

Another kind of placebo is based on memory. In one famous study lab rats were given a immune suppressing drug that was delivered in a strawberry flavored syrup. Later on it was found that giving them the syrup without the actual drug also dampened the immune system-the response is believed to be an unconsciously learned behavior based on the familiar cue of the flavoring agent.

So when we study the placebo effect we begin to see an interesting interface between memory, imagination and the functioning of the mind and body.

If thoughts and memories can spur wellness (placebo) or illness (nocebo) why not intentionally game the process in your favor?

If you can intentionally draw upon your positive memories and imaginings, it is possible to mitigate the negative effects of stress and anxiety, even if you are currently in challenging circumstances.

How would you describe a happy time and place in your life? What were the sights, sounds, scents, sensations, etc.

Have trouble coming with an image like that? Then make one up out of thin air, the effect is going to pretty much be the same.

If you would like to learn more, I am here to help. A free, confidential phone consultation is available, call (732) 714-7040.

P.S. My audio mp3 a Hypnotic Healing Trip to the Beach can help you deeply relax if you can't make it to the beach for real this week. You can download it through the link below

Hypnotic Healing Trip to the Beach-$2.97