Our Monthly Tip: How to Use Self-Hypnosis to Manage Pain

Our Tip of the Month

Many dying people experience pain, and their caregivers may have to cope with pain as well. For instance, caregivers may experience tension headaches or joint and muscle aches from lifting and turning the person they are caring for. Self-hypnosis offers a way to ease and manage pain.

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How-to Suggestion

According to WebMD, the first step to self-hypnosis is to get into the right mindset. When you are more experienced, you will be able to hypnotize yourself even if you are upset or in a lot of pain. But while you are just learning self-hypnosis, try to pick a time when you are calm and relatively comfortable. If you take pain medicine, for example, wait until it is just starting to work.

When you are ready to begin, sit or lie down in a comfortable position. Make sure your clothes are not too tight and that your hair is not pulled back to sharply.

Next, put yourself in a relaxed state. There are many ways to accomplish this. Some people listen to a favorite piece of music while others watch the flame flickering in a fireplace or on a candle. You might try focusing on your breathing or thinking a single word or a phrase such as, “I am peaceful and calm.” Each time you practice self-hypnosis, it will be easier to enter this relaxed state.

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When you are relaxed, you can begin giving yourself hypnotic suggestions. Start with one suggestion at a time. Use present-tense instead of future-tense. For instance, “I am managing my pain” as opposed to “I will manage my pain.” Another idea is to suggest doing activities that are incompatible with pain such as, “I take the dog out for a walk once a day.” Think of the phrase you have selected for this exercise for about five minutes. Then allow yourself to come back to a full waking state.

The Arthritis Foundation claims these self-hypnosis sessions usually last between 10 and 20 minutes, but they may take a little longer while you’re learning. You should feel results after about four to 10 sessions. If you have trouble reaching a relaxed state, consider working with a therapist who specializes in hypnosis. Some people cannot let their guard down enough to be hypnotized. There are many ways to control pain, and self-hypnosis is only one of them.

If you are in pain and would like to use less medicine, or if the medicine you are taking isn’t working, consider self-hypnosis. It may help, and it can’t hurt.