Mind over matter

8220;I tried out hypnosis as an alternative treatment. Before that, I had undergone psychiatric treatment for my depression but did not get positive results. Though my problems are not totally over, I feel I8217;m more capable of handling them now,8221; she says.

A large number of young, urban professionals like Samisha are going in for this misunderstood but now increasingly popular therapy. And it8217;s purported to be helpful in both medical and behavioural issues.

So, how does it work? Hypnotherapists typically use exercises that bring about deep relaxation and an altered state of consciousness. When something new happens to us, we remember it and learn a particular behaviour in response. Memories stored in our brains hold the physical and emotional reactions that occurred when a given memory was first formed. Hence, each time similar events occur, the physical and emotional reactions attached to the memory are reinforced.

8220;A hypnotherapist guides you to remember the event that led to the first reaction, separate the memory from the learned behaviour, and reconstruct the event with new, healthier associations. I8217;ve had patients who suffered from acute anxiety and depression but got over their problems through hypnosis,8221; says Madhusudan Gaikwad, a city-based hypnotist.

Pooja S, a victim of domestic violence asserts that her sessions with a city-based therapist helped her get a fresh perspective on life. 8220;For 11 years, I suffered physical and mental abuse from my husband and father-in-law. It did so much damage to my psyche that I could not even speak coherently and developed asthma,8221; Pooja says. However, with regular therapy sessions, spread over two years, Pooja has started looking at the brighter side of life. 8220;I8217;ve made peace with my husband and his family. My asthma is now under control. I realise that though I can8217;t change the past, I can look forward to the future with greater optimism than earlier. Ultimately, I feel it8217;s about what you attract into your life, through your thoughts and your attitude,8221; she adds.

Practising hypnotist Dr Raju Watwe says he has seen dramatic healing among his patients through hypnotherapy. 8220;One of my patients suffered from spasmodic torticollis, which is a neurological disorder, for 11 years. Over the course of four sessions, he was completely cured and is now leading a normal life,8221; Dr Watwe informs.

As Bina Bakshi, a hypnotherapist reveals, 8220;Hypnosis has been proved helpful for an entire gamut of ailments, since all physical maladies have an emotional background, from cancer and skin allergy to headache and irritable bowel syndrome.8221;

Names have been changed to protect identities