There have been many advances in hypnosis over recent years, and the techniques that receive the most media coverage are those that appear to give quick, fast, amazing results. One of these techniques is the widely available Gastric Band Hypnotherapy treatment (also know as the Virtual Hypno-Band). It works by convincing the subconscious that a non-surgical gastric band has been fitted, thus restricting the way the mind and body responds to food. With the hypnotic band in place, people can find that their appetite decreases and they achieve fullness much quicker than usual. As with all treatments, it can’t offer a 100% success rate, but a large number of those who try it will achieve at least some weight loss relatively quickly. It is for this reason that it is written about in magazines and highlighted on shows such as Embarrassing Bodies. What they don’t discuss, however, is the long-term effectiveness of this technique.
Gastric Band hypnotherapy works like most other conventional hypnosis techniques, using direct instructions and suggestions to override the subconscious instinct to overeat rather than address the cause behind the problem. Whilst this can produce positive results initially, these improvements are almost always short lived. There have been a number of celebrities who have reportedly lost weight through hypnosis in the past, such as Lily Allen, only to then put the weight back on some time later. The problem is, if you only try to ‘restrict’, ‘manage’ or ‘suppress’ appetite and overeating, you’re never resolving the true reasons why you’re overweight. It’s like taking a painkiller for a headache, only for it to return sometime later once the painkiller has worn off. If a tumour is causing the headaches, then suppressing the symptom can at best only alleviate the pain temporarily. Furthermore, if you attempt to force the subconscious to dispose of a symptom that it believes to be necessary or essential to your wellbeing, then it will either eventually recreate your problem or it will produce another symptom in its place. In my clinic, I have seen a number of cases where previously ‘suppressed’ emotional eating has manifested into depression, anxiety and even acne.
Using hypnosis to suppress a problem has never sat well with me as a therapist. In contrast, Lesserian™ curative hypnotherapy seeks to work WITH the subconscious, not against it. To me, it makes sense that we should first find out WHY the subconscious is resistant to weight loss and why it needs to use food as an emotional crutch. Once that subconscious need has been identified, using logic we can help to re-examine the mistaken information that lies behind it. Once your subconscious believes, rather than being told, that losing weight is in your best interests, then it will actively enable you to do so FOR GOOD.
If you would be interested in learning more about the Lesserian™ Method, please click here. Or for more information on how we can help you to lose weight safely, naturally and permanently, please click here.
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