Hypnosis and NLP

Using 'embedded commands' - is it hypnosis, NLP, subliminal suggestion? I'm not sure, all I know is that it worked for me!

Some years back I asked a hypnotist/NLP trainer friend of mine to help me with dieting. We didn't meet up for ages, until we chanced into each other at a leadership training session.

We had a conversation about a mutual friend - we discovered that we had probably actually met before some twenty years ago in a completely different environment! After the conversation finished (I was packing up the gear from the session) I had a sort of 'eh?' moment.

Then I realised that I didn't want to eat chocolate! I looked at the biscuit tin, looked at the choccy bars, and had no urge to eat them whatsoever! So, whatever my friend had said in that conversation he had managed to help me without my even knowing.

'Embedded commands'? I don't know! It lasted about a month, which was all I needed to kick start that change in eating habits (don't call it a diet - that's a sure fire way of setting yourself up to fail).

Whatever it is/was - it worked for me. And, as I may have mentioned before, I'm not the best hypnosis subject.

Self-hypnosis

I bought a 'stop nailbiting' CD based on self-hypnosis. I listened to it (in the car, but parked up waiting) and found the experience very positive.

OK, I only listened to it once so I haven't actually stopped nail biting yet (awful habit, isn't it?). But I intend to listen to it again and again - because that way I think it will really help me break this stupid and unpleasant habit.

The CD had a soft American voice taking you on a journey in a bubble and I delighted in the experience! It was a lovely feeling. Though I am not an easy hypnosis subject (I can testify to that through a completely different experience a couple of years back) I didn't feel 'hypnotised' by this but very relaxed. And the relaxing experience was very positive and left me feeling a lot happier as well as more determined to stop nail biting.

I bought some others too - one for overcoming fear of flying (for a friend) and one to help stop panic attacks (again for the same friend). I've not heard back yet, but as far as I am aware her trip to the US is still on for February!

There's a huge selection of CDs on the site and though I think any serious hypnosis therapy should be done with a qualified and registered hypnotherapist, as an aid for self-help and self-development, I think they are a useful tool to add to the weaponry.

The one thing you do need to give yourself though, and I've proved this, is time. You have to make the time to sit and listen to the CDs and be in a comfortable relaxed situation (the car isn't the best, and certainly never when driving!). You can gain benefit from these CDs, even if it's just a feel good factor for an hour or so, if you want. It's as much about your determination to change as about the efficacy of the technique.