At least 70 percent of American adults have experienced some kind of traumatic event in their lives.

An estimated 13 million people in the U.S. have been diagnosed with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). That’s more than 5 percent of the population.

The stress caused by a traumatic event can completely change a person’s life, and affect their physical, emotional, and mental wellbeing.

While there are several treatment options available—including Prolong Exposure Therapy (PET) and Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT)—they don’t work for everyone.

Psychologists, for some time, have been looking into how hypnosis can help patients with PTSD tackle the struggles and symptoms of the disorder.

So, the million dollar question is: how exactly does hypnosis help treat symptoms of PTSD?

It Provides Controlled Access to Memories

While hypnosis can’t help cure PTSD or erase the traumatic events that occurred in the patient’s life, it can help treat the disorder.

Hypnosis allows professionals to help patients recall events in fragments, without overwhelming them. It allows them to gain access to hidden memories and restructure them accordingly.

Hypnosis has helped patients face traumatic events by embedding experiences in new contexts.

For example, if someone is an assault victim who shot their assailant out of self-defense and feel immensely guilty, hypnosis can help them acknowledge their helplessness. It will help by redesigning their thought patterns so they feel less guilty and come to terms with what happened.

It Helps With Disassociation

PTSD patients subconsciously suppress their memories, and avoid talking about their feelings and the events. They also consciously avoid visiting places, conversations, people, or anything that reminds them of the events.

It’s also common for patients with the disorder to disassociate because it helps them forget about the trauma they’ve experienced. Through hypnosis, a professional can gain access to the patient’s subconscious and encourage them to recall the events their mind has been suppressing.

It Helps Change the Perception of Patients

Trauma changes everything about a person. They experience mood swings, become hyper-conscious about their surroundings, and go through physical and emotional changes.

There are negative shifts in the conclusions they draw. They develop a negative view of the world and themselves.

It’s common for someone with PTSD to think, “It’s my fault. I shouldn’t have gone there. I’m a bad person,” and “People can’t be trusted. They are evil and this person is trying to harm me.”

Hypnosis can help by changing the perception patients of have of themselves and others around them. This takes some time but slowly and gradually, it helps them change distorted thoughts into positive ones. It helps train the mind to think more positively.

Exceptional Hypnosis and Treatments for PTSD In Pittsford, NY

Living with PTSD isn’t easy. It’s life-changing. It’s okay to feel the way you do. You deserve to get the help you want and need.

Rekha Shrivastava is a hypnotist and a certified rehabilitation counselor at our clinic. Rekha is known for her sympathetic and understanding approach when it comes to helping patients with PTSD.

She has helped hundreds of individuals overcome their fears and develop a healthy subconscious mind. If you’re looking for a counselor who can help you express and understand your feelings, manage your symptoms, and guide you to leading a happier life, feel free to get in touch with us. She is also available for Skype sessions for those who live outside of Rochester.