With the help of hypnotherapy, one man from Hampshire, England lost 98 pounds – about seven stones. Prior to starting his weight loss journey, the man, Paul Garland, had a 54-inch chest.
Garland told South West News Service (SWNS) that he had tried “all sorts of diets” and wanted to give hypnotism a try.
Hypnosis has been used to help with weight management since the 1980s. One of the first studies linking hypnosis and weight loss had been published. Researchers found that women who participated in a hypnosis program lost 17 pounds, while those who were told to watch what they eat lost about 0.5 pounds.
Another study in 2014 found that hypnosis can help women improve their eating behaviors, BMI and weight.
“Hypnosis accesses a powerful connection between the conscious mind and what we call the ‘unconscious’ mind,” explains Alternatives Clinic. “It’s like a bridge that integrates two different parts of the brain so they can work together effectively.”
Garland explained to SWNS that hypnotherapy puts him into a state “very much like when you wake up in the morning but are not quite awake.” His hypnotherapist would put triggers in the conversation, telling Garland to eat smaller portions and to skip the sweets.
After losing a few stones, Garland’s hypnotherapist told him to increase his walking to eight to ten thousand steps. He did just that. Some days he would walk up to six miles.
Garland joined a gym, and now goes five days per week. He calls himself a “gym junkie,” something he never thought he would be.
Along with exercise, Garland changed his eating habits by adding more protein and vegetables to his diet.
Hypnosis has been used for more than just weight loss and management. From alleviating anxiety to helping overcome addition, improving confidence and overcoming fears, hypnotherapy is used for a wide range of issues.
It can even be used to dredge up old memories, or in the case of some Bitcoin investors, old passwords.
Across the pond in the U.S., a hypnotherapist in South Carolina is offering hypnosis session for those who want to recall forgotten passwords. The hypnotherapist, Jason Miller, charges clients one bitcoin and 5% of the amount recovered through the session.
While hypnotherapy can have positive results and most hypnotherapists have good intentions, there’s a dark side to this industry.
A hypnotherapist from Michigan has been accused of sexual assault by three women. The man, John Tomlinson, has been charged with one count of first-degree criminal sexual conduct, one count of unlawful imprisonment and one count of assault by strangulation related to one victim. That victim claims to have been sexually assaulted while undergoing her fourth session.
He has also been charged with three additional counts of second-degree criminal sexual conduct related to two other females who claim he assaulted them between 2013 and 2015.
The moral of the story? Hypnotherapy may be able to help patients lose weight or overcome their fears, but it’s important to properly vet a hypnotherapist before diving into the process.
