How Hypnosis Can Help You Cope with Cancer Treatment Side Effects
by/Margit Cathrine moller

Chemotherapy and immunotherapy aim to kill cancer cells but also damage healthy cells. This leads to side effects. Hair loss occurs as the drugs kill rapidly dividing hair follicle cells.

Nausea and vomiting happen as gastrointestinal cells get damaged. Fatigue sets in as blood counts fall. Chemotherapy suppresses the immune system, raising infection risk. Immunotherapy boosts immunity, which can attack healthy tissue, causing inflammation.

You feel like you have the flu – constantly fatigued with body aches. Nausea means you cannot enjoy eating. Frequent vomiting leaves you weak. Mouth sores make drinking painful. Your hair falling out deeply affects your self-image.

Frequent infections from low immunity keep you isolated. Headaches and nerve pain make concentration difficult. Sleep suffers from steroid side effects. Daily life becomes challenging. You feel helpless relying on others for basic needs.

Understandably you may feel overwhelmed by the harsh side effects of treatment. But the good news is that hypnosis can help. It harnesses your mind's power to reduce nausea, pain, and anxiety. It uses techniques like visualization and deep breathing to relax the mind and body. Read on!

Hypnosis and Cancer: What the Research Says

A research study shows promising potential for hypnosis to help cancer patients. It indicates hypnosis may effectively help breast cancer patients suffering from debilitating nausea and vomiting during treatment. The hyppnosis can potentially manage pain in various contexts for many individuals.

New research shines a hopeful light on managing chemotherapy's complex side effects. A study in the journal Cancers examined breast cancer patients undergoing surgery. Patients received hypnosis sedation as anesthesia during their operation.

The hypnotic techniques proved beneficial beyond the surgery itself. Participants getting chemotherapy before surgery reported reduced duration of multiple common side effects.

These included exhausting fatigue, painful nerve problems, and disruptive sleep issues frequently seen with chemo. Patients also experienced less bone marrow suppression, resulting in fewer low blood cell counts. The evidence builds a case for hypnosis as a complementary approach during cancer care.

Researchers conducted a randomized clinical trial to see if a short hypnosis session before surgery could reduce the amount of anesthesia and pain medication needed during breast cancer tumor removal.

They also examined whether hypnosis could decrease surgery side effects like nausea and fatigue. The team randomly assigned women awaiting lumpectomy or mastectomy to either receive a brief presurgery hypnosis session from a therapist or no hypnosis intervention.

The hypnotized group required less inhaled anesthetics and analgesic drugs during their operations compared to those who did not get hypnosis. Let me now discuss the benefits of hypnosis for cancer patients experiencing side effects from treatments like chemotherapy or immunotherapy.

Dealing with Chemotherapy Side Effects Via Hypnosis

As a hypnosis expert, I'm often asked how this technique can help cancer patients manage difficult chemotherapy side effects. Here's what I tell my clients:

You may experience nausea, vomiting, fatigue, nerve pain, or other unwelcome symptoms due to your chemotherapy regimen. I've found hypnosis to be a powerful way to gain control over these side effects. Clinical research shows hypnosis effectively eases chemotherapy-related nausea and vomiting.

I guide you into a deeply relaxed, focused state in hypnosis sessions. In this receptive mindset, you become familiar with techniques like visualization and distraction to quell nausea. The hypnosis can also direct your subconscious mind to reduce discomfort and improve sleep.

Additionally, I teach you how to reframe thoughts and shift perspectives for less fixation and fear around side effects. This cognitive restructuring empowers you to mentally minimize symptoms due to deep relaxation that with your new mindset influence bodily sensations, and manage side effects.

Dealing with Chemotherapy Side Effects Via Hypnosis

Immunotherapy medicines like checkpoint inhibitors empower your immune system to better target cancer cells. However, they can also overstimulate the immune system, causing inflammatory side effects. You may experience fatigue, decreased appetite, skin rashes, diarrhea or colitis, pneumonitis, or endocrine issues.

Hypnosis can help you handle these unwelcome immunotherapy effects. Hypnosis guides you into a focused, receptive state where you gain deeper control over bodily sensations. You can direct your subconscious mind to dial down inflammation and discomfort with visualization and suggestion techniques.

I also tell your subconscous cognitive restructuring messages to reframe side effects as temporary rather than intolerable. Research indicates hypnosis effectively reduces fatigue, nausea, pain, and other symptoms, giving you added resources to complete immunotherapy comfortably. Sessions with me equip you with a toolkit to mentally minimize reactions so you can stay the course.

What to Expect from a Hypnosis Session

When considering hypnotherapy, you likely have questions about what a session entails. Here's an overview of the typical hypnotherapy process:

• The Initial Consultation

As your hypnotherapist, I want to understand your cancer treatment experience so I can assess if hypnosis may help. In our first meeting, I'll inquire about your chemotherapy or immunotherapy regimen, the side effects you face, and any struggles you hope to overcome through hypnosis.

I ask my clients to share openly so I can determine if hypnotherapy aligns with their needs. I'll explain how hypnosis can control side effects by relaxing the body and reframing perspectives.

• The Hypnotic Induction

Once we begin a session, I'll guide you into a focused, relaxed state using my voice, breathing exercises, and visualization. This induction eases your conscious mind so you can readily access your subconscious. The induction opens you up to absorb helpful suggestions at deeper levels to manage treatment challenges.

• Hypnotic Suggestions and Imagery

In the hypnotic state, I'll offer carefully crafted suggestions matched to your situation. This may include guided imagery to visualize side effects as less intense or metaphors about your body's strength and resilience.

For managing nausea, I may suggest imagining soothing scents or foods you enjoy. The hypnotic state allows you to absorb these perspectives without resistance from your conscious mind. Repeated sessions can help shift mindsets around treatment issues.

• Emerging from Hypnosis

As we end each session, I'll gradually guide you back to full waking alertness. Most people feel relaxed and focused after hypnosis.

Take time to note any realizations so we can revisit them. With several sessions, you'll progress quickly in leveraging hypnosis to handle cancer treatment struggles. But staying focused on your goals between sessions is key.

Hypnosis can profoundly help if you commit to the process.

Final Words

Hypnosis offers powerful mind-body benefits for cancer patients undergoing complex treatments like chemotherapy and immunotherapy. By teaching your mind to relax and reframing perspectives on side effects, hypnosis gives you added resources to complete treatment comfortably.

I encourage you to explore how this evidence-based technique could support you in skillfully managing cancer. Please reach out today to learn more about customized hypnotherapy. Together we can help you stay empowered through your healing journey.