Addiction therapy in Minneapolis Area/Edima and Hopkins

It is becoming increasingly acknowledged that people have a wide range of addictions, in addition to alcohol and drugs. Today, many people are addicted to cigarettes, sexual activities, the Internet, and food.

Traditional therapy for such addictions entails 12-step programs and developing the person's ability to resist the desire for the addiction.

It is not surprising, then, that people continue to struggle even after they have stopped the unwanted behavior. Any weakness on their part--even a drag of a cigarette--can lead them back to the addiction.

Caring environment for eliminating stress and depression

Self-empowerment and unlearning learned helplessness in a supportive environment with the utmost respect makes hypnoanalysis especially effective for addictions.

It helps restore one's natural strengths to cope constructively with the psychological conflicts, dilemmas and faulty assumptions underlying the depression, and without a reoccurrence of symptoms.

Hypnotherapy is an altered state of consciousness in which the client is extremely relaxed. While in this pleasant state of relaxation, the client is completely aware of everything that is said or done. Everything is remembered and, in fact, senses will be heightened and more apt to work on deep-seeded problems.

Hypnotherapy helps to change the desire for the addiction

With hypnotherapy, instead, eliminates the desire to engage in the addictive behavior, whether it is from identification or replacement, the two principle reasons for addictive behavior.

Identification is when the addict indulges in the habit because he or she admires, or associates, with others having the same addiction, such as parents, peers, or celebrities. Identification addiction is most common and the easiest to eliminate.

Replacement is when the addictive behavior takes the place of a previous habit, such as another addictive substance, to replace something that is missing, like companionship, love, acceptance, self-esteem, security, or independence, or when it fills a void created by anxiety or boredom. Replacement addictions often receive sensual gratification from their addiction.

Both of these reasons are addressed in my hypnotherapy. In addition, I may include hypnotic suggestions that change, via increasing awareness and strengthening contact with reality. The individual imagines that the addiction is completely unappealing, unhealthy, foul and revolting. This makes quitting easier.

I also use the mind's natural ability to imagine and visualize. The client pictures him- or herself free from the habit, filled with new health, energy and vitality. It is possible to see oneself as looking healthier, more attractive, freer, and active.

Hypnotherapy finds root of cigarette addiction in Edima/Hopkins

It is also important in therapy to get to the underlying reason for the addiction. The mind and body, which work closely together, for some reason, have a need for this addiction. In most cases, it is because of something that instilled this desire early on.

A woman came to see me who could not stop her cigarette habit. We did hypnotherapy, and she felt much more in control. She did not want to continue therapy.

She returned to therapy somewhat later explaining that she is no longer smoking, but she still needs to hold an unlit cigarette in social situations.

Through therapy, she recalled how her cigarette smoking first began. Because, she was very intelligent but not physically developed as much as many of the other girls her age, she was shunned and isolated. In order to become "part of the club," she began smoking.

This learned behavior of wanting to be part of others around her continued into adulthood. It was necessary to unlearn this desire as well.