Hypnosis
to Prepare for Succesful Operations
Prince
Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh, is undergoing an operation today and at 91 years
old, there must be some apprehension and concern for his health. There are increased complications for someone of such a high age.
No
one enjoys operations and it is perfectly natural and understandable that
someone will feel some fear or at least worry at the thought of having an
operation. We place ourselves in the surgeon’s
hands but can we do anything to positively affect the outcome of the operation? The answer is yes – hypnosis.
I have had two operations to remove brain tumours.
For the first in 2001, I was a bundle of nerves, crying on my way down to
the theatre because I did not think I would survive the operation and with the
highest blood pressure reading I had ever had.
I was in hospital for ten days as complications set in leaving me with
partial paralysis of my arm and leg and slurred speech.
Five
years later I underwent the same operation, probably because the first surgeon
did not completely remove the tumour so it regrew. On the day of the operation, with a candula already
in my hand linked to a saline drip, I lay on my hospital bed and calmly took
myself into self-hypnosis to ensure that I left for theatre in the most calm
and relaxed way possible. The operation was completely successful and my
recovery was so fast that I was allowed home in six days compared to the two
weeks predicted by the surgeon.
My convalescence period was also short and I suffered no side-effects. I
credit my quick recovery to hypnosis and the power of my own unconscious mind
which prepared me for a successful operation and fast recovery.
I heard about Stan who was
visibly shaking as he talked about his forthcoming operation. He was due to
have a hernia operation but was totally convinced that he would not come out of
it alive. Under hypnotic regression, a hypnotherapist found that Stan’s fear
went right back. “Well I know exactly what it was, and I’d
completely forgotten about that incident,” he went on to explain, “I was at
the dentist with my mother, she was having an extraction and she suddenly
started screaming and screaming. I was terrified.” Stan laughed, “to think
all these years that’s what’s been bothering me. I feel so good now, I know
I’ll be fine.”
The hypnotherapist had Stan
project his mind into the future and see himself recovering well after his
operation. Stan rang the hypnotherapist a few days later. He’d enjoyed being in
hospital and getting all the attention and the operation went smoothly. He felt
he’d completely overcome his fear, in just one session of hypnosis.
Before surgery, hypnosis can be
used to lead the person into a deep state of mind and body relaxation in which
positive suggestions are given straight to the unconscious mind to relieve
anxiety, reduce bleeding during the operation, eliminate post surgical
discomfort and even reduce the level of anaesthetic required. Fear raises
adrenaline levels which means that more chemicals are needed to overcome the
natural "fight or flight" reaction of the body and produce the state
of anaesthesia.
Hypnotists often use "safe
place" imagery, in which the client begins by imagining him/herself in a
location that feels safe and secure. Once the "safe place" is
established, the feelings of safety and security are anchored in – an NLP
technique – and the client watches the whole process of the surgery repeatedly
but in a detached way, a bit like watching a film whilst sitting in a cinema
seat. The person then rehearses successful surgery and recovery with
suggestions for comfort, rapid healing and a positive attitude.
Positive imagery aids in the
rapid healing process, shortening recovery time, reducing swelling, bleeding
and with a positive reduction in post-operative pain. Ideally the person would
have a few sessions with a hypnotist to maximize the beneficial effects.
How does hypnosis help control
pain after surgery? Have you ever been engrossed in a conversation and bumped
into a chair, felt nothing but noticed a bruise later on? The preoccupied mind
does not notice the pain. The nerves send pain signals but they never
registered in consciousness and that is how the unconscious treats post
surgical pain.
Personalized hypnosis sessions
for your particular operation and circumstances are always best but if not
possible, you can also download
a hypnosis mp3 to prepare for surgery and
a hypnosis “Prepare for Surgery”
script is available for
professional hypnotists.
© Antonia Harrison 2013 is the
leading English Skype Hypnotist in Hampshire and helps clients worldwide with #SkypeHypnosis.
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