Welcome to day five of my learned self-hypnosis for anxiety series. A series that gives you
step-by-step instructions so you can learn self-hypnosis in just five days. If you've
missed the previous four videos, click on the link at the top to be taken back to the first one.
In this video we're going to look at the language to use in your
suggestion scripts and I will give you lots of examples for different anxiety disorders.
I'm also going to talk about something called post-hypnotic cues
and finally I'm going to give you a summary of everything you have learned. At the end
of the video will be some example scripts for pre-induction inductions, deepeners and awakeners.
So, first language. The subconscious mind does not respond well to negative language. For example if
I say don't think of a pink elephant you will probably think of a pink elephant.
In the same way if you say to yourself during hypnosis I will not have a panic attack or I
must not worry about my health, your subconscious mind will ignore it or do the opposite instead.
You need to frame your suggestions positively and gently. So instead you could say I know my panic
attacks always pass and I might be surprised how short they can be if I allow them to pass,
because I know they are harmless. Including truths in your suggestions is good. Your subconscious
mind will accept suggestions that include truths. As awful as they feel it's true that your panic
attacks always pass. So your subconscious mind will not reject it or dispute it.
Possibilities are also well received by the subconscious. With a suggestion maybe I will
be surprised at how quickly they pass, your subconscious mind now has to consider that there
is a possibility that your panic attacks might get shorter. And this possibility is stated in
between two truths. You do know deep down that panic attacks are harmless and yes I know you
often worry that they're not but you have survived many. So the logical part of your mind knows that
the truth is panic attacks are harmless. Another important part of this statement is the phrase
allow them to pass. This is a CBT principle. CBT teaches you instead of fighting the panic
which makes it worse, you should just let it pass. You'll remember from video two that the word hello
shows that you are choosing an outcome, so your subconscious mind will be more accepting of it.
So this one short section has two truths a possibility and a CBT principle. Let's look
at an example for health anxiety. Let's say you worry about your heart a lot so you're constantly
monitoring it and you avoid exercise because the increased heart rate makes you anxious.
Again I'm going to include some truths, some CBT principles and some possibilities. I know that I
am young and my heart is healthy so I can leave my heart monitor at home and go for a brisk walk
and as I feel my heart rate increase I can smile to myself because I know my heart is doing exactly
what it's designed to do. And I might wonder how much further I will be able to walk each day.
Like many people with health anxiety you've probably had your heart checked and confirmed
to be healthy so that's the truth. Smiling when you feel anxious is another CBT principle.
Talking about your heart being designed to go fast is reframing of negative thoughts,
another principle of CBT. And the words 'might' and 'wonder' suggest a possibility. Metaphors or
symbolism can also be good in hypnosis. You could say and as I leave my heart monitor behind so I'm
able to leave my anxiety behind. So keywords to include in your suggestion scripts are 'I
know', ' I'm able to', ' I can allow', ' I might', ' I may wonder', ' I'm learning'.
This last one is particularly important. No one instantly cures an anxiety. Instead
you learn how to manage it and that's a gradual process. And your mind is very open to learning
since it's done it many times before. Here are some examples which again include some truths.
Just like I learned to drive now I'm learning to manage my anxiety.
I am learning that I am able to allow my panic attacks to pass.
I'm learning that the less I monitor my blood pressure the more relaxed I feel. Have a listen
to some of my hypnosis videos that you will find in my hypnosis playlist and see if you can spot
some examples of truths, possibilities, metaphors or symbols, CBT principles and learning analogies.
Then write some scripts for your specific goals, whether it's to reduce taking your
blood pressure or to be able to go somewhere or do something that you've been avoiding.
But you're not just going to write one script. For each task that helps you in your anxiety recovery,
you're going to write a script that makes that task easier. Don't forget
to include lots of suggestions for calmness and relaxation like you did in the induction.
Next, post hypnotic cues. Post hypnotic cues are used a lot in sports hypnosis.
During hypnosis you make an association between the physical action like pressing the thumb and
forefinger together and a positive state of mind like when a sportsman is performing well.
In anxiety you link the action to a state of calmness and relaxation.
Here's how it works. Before hypnosis choose what action you're going to use as a cue.
I'm going to suggest instead of pressing the thumb and forefinger together which creates tension,
instead gently and very slowly stroke your thumb or your hand. The reason I like this action is
I've noticed that when people are anxious they often quite vigorously rub, stroke or fiddle with
their hands. But gently and slowly stroking a hand or thumb like this is the opposite.
Try and do it so gently and slowly that there is no tension in your hands at all.
When you have the hang of it, introduce it to your hypnosis session. When you're fully relaxed after
the induction or the deepener perform the action and while you're doing it say something like
I know that whenever I stroke my hand, I'm able to feel as relaxed as I feel now
and the slower and more gently I stroke my hand, the calmer and more relaxed I will feel.
You can repeat this a few times in your script perhaps changing the words slide
each time but giving the same message, that this action will relax you. Then whenever
you're in an anxiety-provoking situation you can use this cue to calm yourself down.
It's a tool that you could use before doing graded exposure tasks or a behavioural experiment.
So to summarize this series, set SMART goals for yourself hypnosis sessions.
Choose a pre-induction an induction that works for you. Use a deepener if you want.
Use the language that I've taught you in your suggestion scripts.
Use imagined exposure. Use post hypnotic cues and incorporate suggestions that will help you
do your CBT exercises as that is what will make the biggest difference to your anxiety.
I will leave you with some example scripts. Just pause the video on the ones you're interested in.
But before I do please give me a like as its taken me many weeks of work to make this
series. And make sure you subscribe and check out my playlists. Let me know in the comments
below if you have any questions or just let me know how you get on with self-hypnosis. I wish
you all the best in your self-hypnosis journey I hope it brings you as much success as it did me.