Self Meditate Instead of Self Medicate

When we are stressed, the sympathetic nervous system kicks in, usually referred to as the fight or flight syndrome. Muscles tense, breathing becomes shallow, blood is diverted from the stomach and intestines, adrenaline and other hormones are released. We live in a stressful world that includes battling traffic, waiting in long lines, working long hours to pay bills as well as interpersonal relationships, whether parenting a child or taking care of an elder. Just hearing the news and feeling helpless about the situation in Syria can add to feelings of hopelessness, let alone looking at Facebook and reading about a friends pet dying or a favorite couple getting divorced. This type of low grade stress, like a low grade fever, is taxing on the body, causes poor digestion, lack of sleep and generalizing feelings of anxiety, anger, nervousness or depression.

It is no wonder we have a rise in alcoholism, over eating and addiction to prescription drugs, all ways to self medicate in order to experience some degree of comfort or relaxation. However, these are band aid solutions that do little to really alleviate the underlying stress and in fact in the long run only contribute more to one's problems. Learning better coping skills in order to handle stress is a form of emotional intelligence that brings ease, increase energy, creativity and simply joy in life.

Self-hypnosis is a prime way to manage one's emotions rather than letting emotions manage you. Just taking a few deep, calming breaths allows the parasympathetic nervous system to kick back in. Inviting deeper relaxation allows the muscles to relax, endorphins to be released, the blood to go back into the belly and the brain, so thinking is clearer and the whole body operates normally. In fact, twenty minutes of hypnosis is the same as a two hour nap, allowing the cells to regenerate, the mind to recuperate and healing on all levels to occur.

All healing is self healing, and really, all hypnosis is self-hypnosis. Working with a hypnotherapist merely allows you to be guided deeper inside and facilitates the process. Learning self-hypnosis is a key in each of my sessions so that you can experience feelings of deep calm, confidence, and equanimity no matter what - running late for an appointment, doing public speaking, or being stuck on an airplane with a crying baby. Imagine feeling blissfully detached while stuck in rush hour traffic, or allowing critical comments from a family member at Thanksgiving to simply wash over you like a cool breeze.

Hypnosis also enhances motivation, improves performance, and aligns the body and mind for long term successful solutions. So instead of self medicating, try self meditating. The power is within you, the solutions are deep inside. You can learn a simple self hypnosis technique from my video on YouTube, or come on in for a session to get all the heartfelt encouragement and guidance you need from a trained professional.

   Click here for a short video on Discovering Hypnosis with Kayla Garnet Rose