By Annette MacCaul – Published in Truro Community Times, Sept 2013
Twelve million adults see their GP with mental health and stress related problems every year, according to MIND 2012 statistics, and many more struggle on without seeking medical help.
Claire Brigg, Research Officer for the Association for Solution Focused Hypnotherapy (AfSFH) points out “It’s already known that chronic stress can affect our health adversely in many ways. What is not so well known is that it can also lead to premature ageing and the health problems that are associated with getting older.”
Premature ageing can occur as a result of a lifestyle that includes the sort of behaviours that we associate with stress, such as smoking, excessive alcohol consumption, a sedentary lifestyle, a high fat diet and sleeplessness. These have all been linked to DNA damage due to a process called oxidation.
Claire remarks, “It doesn’t sound great, does it? But the good news is that these ageing mechanisms can be reversed.”
“Research suggests that individuals can help themselves by reducing their perceptions of stress, along with increasing healthier behaviours, such as sleeping better, drinking less, and stopping smoking. These changes may promote subtle but important improvements in premature cell ageing.”
“A study in 2010 showed that during and after a hypnosis session, heart rates were reduced and breathing rates were lower. So the state of relaxation induced by hypnosis could well be beneficial and lead to stress reduction, thereby minimising the risk of premature ageing.”
Solution focused hypnotherapy (SFH) can help people manage their stress levels. SFH is a modern research based combination of hypnosis and psychotherapy, which promotes relaxation and helps clients to make beneficial lifestyle changes.
Local Hypnotherapist, Annette MacCaul, is very enthusiastic about the efficacy of SFH in the management of stress. “We know that too much pressure can lead to stress and a range of physical and mental health problems, including, it now transpires, premature ageing. Stress affects the way you think, feel and behave, impacting every area of your life at any age. Hypnotherapy offers powerful techniques and strategies to enable you to deal with stress, helping you to think and behave in a more positive way, and that has many health benefits”.
Annette explains how it works: “We encourage clients to focus on how they want things to be. We avoid problem talk and instead help our clients to visualise their preferred future. By encouraging clients to think and express themselves positively, we can help to improve their response to life’s stress.
Annette is a Solution Focused Hypnotherapist practicing in Truro. Call 01872 858 033, or 07784 155 181 now to book a free consultation, or visit www.amhypnotherapy.co.uk. To find out more about the Association, visit www.afsfh.com.
