Peace and calm come from within

Your heart is pounding and you feel as if there is a ten ton boulder sitting on your chest, preventing your lungs from expanding. You feel like you can’t get enough air to breathe.  Sweat breaks out all over your body and you feel sick to your stomach.  Something is very wrong but you don’t know what it is. You are so frightened and you think you might be dying. You’ve just experienced a panic attack.

What is a panic attack?

A panic attack is an overwhelming feeling of intense fear in the absence of true danger. They come on suddenly and they usually last about ten minutes. Sometimes they can go on for longer and/or occur one after the other, making it difficult to tell when one attack ends and another begins. After an attack, the sufferer usually feels uneasy and apprehensive for hours.

Between three to six million Americans suffer from panic attacks regularly.  That’s about 1.7 percent of the U.S. population.  They are twice as common in women as in men and the lifetime risk for developing panic disorder for both men and women is 1.6%.

In the United States, a full third of the total mental health cost of $148 billion is devoted to treating panic disorder. That’s an excess of $42 billion dollars a year.  Among the reasons for this is that panic sufferers are three to five times more likely to become hospitalized for mental health issues than people without panic disorder.

Many panic attack symptoms can mimic the symptoms of physical conditions, some quite serious, making panic disorder difficult to diagnose.  Because of this, the diagnosis involves ruling out physical causes first. In fact, people with panic attacks may have to visit the doctor and/or be seen in the ER multiple times before a diagnosis is made.

Panic attack symptoms can include heart palpitations, fast heartbeat, sweating, trembling or shaking, feeling short of breath, feeling smothered or being choked, nausea or abdominal problems, chest pain or discomfort, dizziness, lightheadedness, or feeling faint, feeling like everything is unreal, feeling detached, like you’re looking at yourself from outside your body, fear of loss of control or insanity, fear of death, numbness or tingling, chills or hot flashes.

To date, the exact causes of panic attacks remain unknown. There have been studies that have given rise to a number of theories about why they happen and how they occur, but no one really knows for sure.  It is now thought that panic disorder is the result of a combination of biology, genetics, environment, and social components.

My experience with helping people get rid of panic attacks

As a Hypnotherapist who has seen many people suffering from anxiety based panic attacks, I have found that high stress triggers such as a shocking or jarring experience, as well as repetitive negative behavioral conditioning, can bring on panic attacks.  It is not uncommon for a person to call me explaining that their panic attacks were so intense that they wholeheartedly thought they were dying, so they went to their doctor who said it was just “stress.”  Often than not, the person is then given a prescription and told that they need to relax.  To most people it seems almost unbelievable that their mental state could possibly cause such a visceral experience. We often think of the mind and body as separate entities when in really they are interconnected.

The experience of suffering from panic attacks can be so bad that it halts the person’s ability to function on a daily basis.  Instead they feel constantly stressed as their minds are already anticipating future attacks.  They may even forgo great career opportunities or opportunities to have fun because they feel unsure of what might happen.  In some cases, that feeling can lead to feelings of insecurity as the person begins to personalize the situation.  They begin to doubt themselves.

The good thing is that it is possible to end panic attacks through hypnotherapy.  Many of my clients have gone from feeling completely out of control to feeling more in control than ever.  By retraining the mind to think and experience things differently, you are able to function from a different place, a place where the mind and body are calm and you feel more whole and complete.

Sources:

 http://www.nimh.nih.gov/statistics/1PANIC_ADULT.shtml

http://www.rightdiagnosis.com/p/panic_disorder/prevalence.htm

http://panicdisorder.about.com/od/understandingpanic/a/PanicBasics.htm

http://www.adaa.org/about-adaa/press-room/facts-statistics

http://www.rightdiagnosis.com/p/panic_disorder/symptoms.htm

http://panicdisorder.about.com/od/understandingpanic/a/PanicBasics.htm

http://psychology.about.com/od/pindex/f/what-is-panic-disorder.htm

http://panicdisorder.about.com/od/diagnosis/a/DSMDiagnosis.htm

http://www.medicinenet.com/panic_disorder/page2.htm#causes

http://panicdisorder.about.com/od/causes/a/PdBiolTheor.htm

http://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/panic-disorder-when-fear-overwhelms/what-is-panic-disorder.shtml

In a recent news story, a 62-year old woman in Shelton, Washington died when a six foot pile of clothing and other items collapsed on top of her and suffocated her. It is believed she was looking for the telephone at the time. It took the police ten hours to dig out her body.

What is hoarding?

The Mayo clinic site defines hoarding as: “The excessive collection of items, along with the inability to discard them.”

Hoarding may be a subtype of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) or Attention-Deficit Disorder (ADD.) Psychologists are divided as to whether hoarding is a subtype of the above conditions, or if it should be considered an entirely separate disorder altogether.

Whatever the case, the presence of hoarding behaviors can definitely be considered a manifestation of other mental disorders.  About 30 to 40 percent of people with OCD demonstrate hoarding behaviors, which can occur concurrently with anxiety, depression, indecision, procrastination, PTSD and other disorders.

Hoarding may be a coping mechanism to help people deal with major life stresses.  In fact, it may be brought on by the anxiety of a traumatic life event, such as the death of a loved one.  2 to 2.5 percent of the population of the U.S. respond to stress by holding on to things, or “not letting go.”

In a recent study of foster children versus non-fostered children, it was discovered that more children who had been fostered went on to demonstrate hoarding behavior as compared to children who had not been fostered.  Since children in need of foster care have lost their parents and other adult family members, whether through neglect, abuse, or death – the findings of this study support the hypothesis that there exists a strong correlation between stress and hoarding.

How do I know if I’m a hoarder?

People who hoard often have difficulties making decisions, particularly about their possessions.  Hoarders have trouble assigning a relative value to individual items since his or her strong emotional attachment impairs the objective ability to see the said item’s “true value.” The mind creates “valid reasons” for holding onto even the most insignificant or meaningless items, such as junk mail, broken things, clothes that is never worn, freebies, items that may one day be useful as gifts and etc. Unable to discard and organize items, they often live in unsanitary conditions as their accumulations end up taking their living space. Some people exhibiting hoarding behaviors will believe that this behavior is normal while others chose to isolate themselves from society for fear of being found out.

If you believe you might be a hoarder, the fist step to getting help is becoming aware of the problem and being ready to address the underlying causes of the behavior.  Think back to when you first started noticing changes in your external environment.  Can you trace it back to an occurrence in your life that, up until now, you thought was “nothing” or that you “got over it?”

 Sources:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Compulsive_hoarding

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/hoarding/DS00966

http://www.medicinenet.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=52017

http://www.lifeslittlemysteries.com/779-what-causes-hoarding.html

http://www.livescience.com/7888-people-hoard-stuff.html

http://www.harthosp.org/InstituteOfLiving/AnxietyDisordersCenter/CompulsiveHoarding/default.aspx

No woman should have to endure this

A few nights ago, right before bedtime, I read a story that stirred my own childhood memories of what had happened to my mother and our family.  Instead of a restful night, I tossed and turned, unable to sleep.  The positive was that the experience reinforced my ongoing commitment to help other women in some meaningful way.

Fakhra Yunus a woman who had been severely burned with acid thrown into her face by her husband, Bilal Khar, jumped out of her sixth floor apartment in Rome. For 13 years Fakhra had struggled against the same kinds of injustices carried upon many women in her native Pakistan.

I can but only imagine Fakhra’s suffering. According to her husband’s ex-stepmother, Pakistani writer and activist Tehmina Durrani, “So many times we thought she (Fakhra) would die in the night because her nose was melted and she couldn’t breathe. We used to put a straw in the little bit of her mouth that was left because the rest was all melted together.”

She had 38 to 39 surgeries in total. No, that’s not a misprint: 38 to 39 surgeries. Durrani says, “(Fakhra) had not just become faceless; her body had also melted to the bone.” Fakhra’s husband Khar is a product of an influential political family who has successfully been able to avoid punishment for his crimes. He maintains his innocence, and, if anything, is indignant at the mere suggestion that he is guilty of any wrong-doing where his wife was concerned.  Unfortunately for many women of Pakistani descent, Fakhra’s story is an all too familiar one.

ABC News -

Acid attacks are prevalent in certain parts of Asia. According to the New York Times’ Nicholas D. Kristof, who reported in 2008 that attacks were then at an all-time high in Pakistan, they are often the work of husbands who attack their wives as a form of revenge for refusing sexual advances or other proposals. More than 7,000 deliberate burning attacks against women were recorded by the Progressive Women’s Association of Pakistan in just two Pakistani towns between 1994 and 2008, according to Kristof’s report. Only 2 percent of those cases were successfully prosecuted, he said.

As a frequent traveler, I have found myself in countries where women’s rights don’t seem to exist. In one country that I visited during a religious holiday, I was told that even though I had pants and a button up shirt that fully covered me that I “should be even more covered lest I should tempt a man during the holiday,” as if I was to be held responsible for any random male’s possible thoughts or actions. In another country, I noted how dangerous it was for a woman to be out in public around 10:00pm. She might be harassed or worse as it may be taken to mean that she is out at night for “a reason.” It is important to note that while here in the United States current laws exist that grant all equal rights to all citizens, there are women in this country suffering from abuse as well.

To many, stories like Fakhra’s, seem very removed, but to me, this is representative of a larger struggle. We are no longer from one country or another.  With the internet, planes and telephone, we truly are part of one global community.  What affects you, affects me and vice versa which is why I am really reinforcing my commitment to helping both women and children who are more often than not the victims of abuse.  The only person that ever need be in control of that woman’s life, is that woman herself.  My goal is to empower women so that they can release the past and let go of the baggage that comes with emotional and/or physical abuse.  I want to give them what they need so that they feel strong, confident, positive and successful.  I want to help women reach their full potential as human beings and as women.

Anger is a natural yet at times destructive emotion that every person experiences at some point in time. It can be brought on by a mere thought and can range from feelings of mild irritation to full blown rage.  Underlying most feelings of anger are feelings of disappointment and hurt.  Often, hurt is camouflaged as anger in people who believe that expressing their hurt, or admitting to having such feelings, makes them weak and ineffectual.

 Explosive Anger

Some people have a harder time dealing with anger than others. Some people are simply more “hot-headed” than others and become angry with very little provocation.  Because they already feel overwhelmed, it is very easy for them to be set off by things that to another person might be considered “small.”

 Passive Aggressive Anger

Others deal with anger by trying to suppress it.  They pretend that it doesn’t exist and re-focus their attention on something else.  Anger suppression is an extremely bad idea. It doesn’t work because the anger is still very much present and often comes out in other ways. Without an outlet, it turns inward and festers inside and can cause long term emotional damage.  It can also affect a person’s health.  Tell tale signs of anger suppression can be seen in passive-aggressive behaviors and in personalities marked by cynicism and hostility. Such people have a hard time forming lasting and fulfilling relationships.

Hypnosis For Anger Control

Hypnosis can help you take control of your emotions by addressing, resolving and then retraining the mind to perceive situations differently.  Hypnosis gives you a healthy outlet to process feelings.  During a session, we are able to identify root causes making it possible to alleviate feelings of hurt and rage.  Through specific techniques, you are able to communicate your needs without yelling or berating another person.  By asserting oneself in such a calming way the mind becomes more at ease as the physiologic responses to anger, namely the increased heart rate and the rush of adrenaline through the body are eliminated.

Dealing with anger takes time and training, but with consistent hypnosis and practice, you can reach your goals.  I like to give my clients tools to help them remain calm in any situation.  For example, you will be taught how to use self hypnosis and breathing as a means of bringing yourself to balance.

Anger management can indeed be a challenging proposition, but with Hypnotherapy you can make the process of learning to keep a cool head much easier.

Sources:

http://www.apa.org/topics/anger/control.aspx#

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anger_management

Me from the viewpoint of a child

Some of my funnest clients tend to be kids. This is a picture that one of my youngest clients drew for me.  It’s interesting to see how he views me. His mind has composed a picture that takes into account what he knows.  In his mind things like the magic are very much real.  That’s because young children do not fully know the difference between imagination and reality.  To him, I must be a magician because in his mind, I work magic.  He’s given me a magic hat and some kind of dress-like gown.  That’s probably something that he’s seen on Harry Potter.  Kids have amazing imaginations which make them great candidates for hypnosis.  For many children, correcting unwanted behavior at an early age can really give them an advantage in life.  My understanding is that his teacher said that whatever I had done had worked.  She could see the difference.

According to the National Cancer institute, “Obesity and physical inactivity may account for 25 to 30 percent of several major cancers.”  

When it comes to studying the effects of obesity, much is known about how being overweight can affect women, but very little is known about how it affects men.  One reason for this is that women tend to be over-represented in studies aimed at weight loss.  This may change in the future because the numbers of obese men have been increasing over the last decade.

In recent years, some obesity studies have discovered some disturbing facts about how obesity affects men.  Like their very heavy female counterparts, blood samples and stress tests showed that heavy men are less able to process carbohydrates.  They were even shown to have less stamina than women.

Men tend to accumulate fat in their upper bodies, where women tend to accumulate it in their hips and thighs. Think of the classic beer-bellied man as opposed to the pear-shaped woman.  Obesity related illnesses such as heart disease and type II diabetes tend to occur more in people whose weight distribution is more in the upper body region rather than the lower body.

Another fact uncovered in recent studies is that obese men tend to have lower testosterone levels than normal weight men.  In addition, having low testosterone levels is positively correlated with having type II diabetes.  Leading endocrinologists are now suggesting that all men with type II diabetes be screened for decreased testosterone levels.  Men who lost weight saw their testosterone levels return to normal.

Other effects of obesity on men include: erectile dysfunction, low sperm count, reduced sperm motility, benign prostatic hyperplasia (enlarged prostate,) and kidney stones.  The most surprising fact is that a whopping 2 out 3 adults (men and women) in the United States are at risk of getting and possibly dying from cancer because of their obesity.  Some of the most common cancers in men include liver, gallbladder, pancreas and gallbladder.

In addition to all of these physical effects, being obese also affects men’s self-esteem and potential for career advancement.  Data from recent studies show that, like women, overweight men tend to suffer confidence issues and are less likely to be hired or promoted than normal weight men.

For many, weight gain starts in the mind.  Food is often seen as a coping mechanism or as a source of comfort instead of fuel.  Hypnosis can help those suffering from negative eating patterns to stop overeating and start eating normal portions of food.  The best candidate for hypnosis is a person who is fully committed to creating change in their lives.  For an obese person, reaching ones natural weight is a process and that is completely acceptable.  The most important thing is that one reaches their goal in the time frame that is right for them.  Hypnosis can help make that a reality.   Call Now!

Sources:

http://www.webmd.com/diet/news/20050711/severe-obesity-may-hit-men-harder

http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/factsheet/Risk/obesity

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/36919773/ns/health-mens_health/t/obesity-tied-low-testosterone-men

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/41038.php

http://www.longwoods.com/content/22428

http://articles.latimes.com/2011/mar/07/health/la-he-cancer-obesity-20110307

Doctors show asked me to do some weight loss hypnosis for their “6 different ways to lose weight” show.  They had me hypnotize Monica Martin, who explained that she was determined to slim down; her goal to lose 60 pounds.  Monica went into hypnosis beautifully and as you can tell in the footage, the experience was very relaxing and she felt safe.

I gave Monica suggestions to eat healthy, eat smaller portions, to exercise as well as to feel confident.  One of the things the show didn’t mention is that for issues such as weight loss, it is suggested to do a few sessions so that through repetition, the mind learns to think and behave like a slim person.  Monica’s first session gave her a powerful start to a better way of living.  She is serious about losing the weight and keeping it off and she looks forward to being able to fit comfortably in her clothes.  In fact, she has agreed to continue coming in for sessions so check back in to find out how she is doing.

I’m glad that The Doctors show successfully showed that hypnosis is valid for weight loss. In the same way that a computer has programs that either work or don’t work well, so do our subconscious minds.  Hypnosis give you the ability to comfortably and safely input new positive ways of thinking and behaving into your mind.  Imagine being able to do the things you’ve been wanting to do.  That is what hypnosis can help you do.
Sasha Carrion, Cht.

I love traveling to places during festivals because in my ever growing pursuit to understand people, I find that I get a better understanding of what is important to people by witnessing their rituals. I recently visited Tibet, timing my journey in order to experience their yogurt festival which for many Buddhist believers takes a religious tone. The Drepung Monastery in Lhasa created a huge Thankga, which in this case is a religious painting of the Buddha that is painted onto the side of a large hill. Devotees make their pilgrimages to see the painting, pray and give offerings.

Chinese officials had closed off the streets for blocks away so not only did we have to practically climb the hill to the Drepung monastery but we also had to do more walking than is normal to reach our destination. Because Lhasa is at a high elevation, there isn’t as much oxygen to breathe making the climb more difficult than normal and to boot; you really feel the sun’s rays. Most people have either a hat on or an umbrella. After taking hours to get to where we could witness the thankga, we started our descent. On the way down, we passed a scattering of tiny “hole in the wall” establishments that sold food. I knew I really needed to refuel. Even so, I was leery of what these little places offered. One thing for sure was that I wasn’t about to eat Yak meat since I don’t eat red meat. My guide assured me that he would order me a vegetarian bowl so I sat down next to everybody else and began to wait.

When my food arrived it was accompanied by a pair of chopsticks. I quickly explained, “I don’t know how to use chopsticks.” I had tried numerous times to use chopsticks in the past – including during a trip to Hong Kong many years earlier but I couldn’t quite get the hang of it, so I got used to politely asking for a fork. My request for a fork was met with a “There are no forks here and there are no western style restaurants close by.” This made sense since the monastery is on the fringes of the city. I sat there looking at my bowl. For a brief moment I thought, “Well, I guess I’ll have to wait to eat.” But then my very logical side kicked in reminding me that I had no more energy and that I still needed to get down from the hill.

At that moment, my mind went into survival mode – demonstrating to me that survival mode has a higher mental priority than negative belief mode. I automatically stopped telling myself that I did not have the ability to eat with chopsticks and replaced that idea with a new one: “If I don’t use these chopsticks, I am not going to eat. I need to eat. I have to eat.” There were no ifs ands or buts about it. “I can do this,” I told myself. It was almost as though a switch flipped to on in my head and even though I fumbled about clumsy with those chopsticks, I found myself beginning to have success in picking up veggies. One chopstick serving at a time, I ate all the vegetables and then started attacking the noodles. I couldn’t believe it. I could do it! I could use chopsticks. I had gone from never having been able to eat food using chopsticks to successfully making it happen.

Even though it might seem like a small thing, that day’s accomplishment reminded me of how important our mindsets are and how the past can keep us from moving forward if we let it. In my case, it took a moment of perceived urgency to stop being limited by the past.

Take what you can from this story and the next time the words “I can’t” pop into your mind, my suggestion is to rethink it. Just because something has happened a certain way in the past doesn’t mean that it has to happen the same way in the future. When the time is right and your mind is open to a new possibility, you will be able to break free from whatever pattern you have been experiencing and move into a place of “I can.” Take it from me… It feels much better there.

Sasha Carrion, Cht.

Not all stress is bad. In fact, in some situations, stress can be what causes you to take necessary action. For example, it can drive you to change your life for the better because you can no longer take being stressed out. The fight or flight response, or the stress response, is a biological survival mechanism that prepares you to take action in the presence of a perceived threat to your life and safety. Chemical reactions inside the body increase oxygen and nutrient flow to the muscles, speeding reaction time and increasing physical strength. This reaction is meant to last only as long as the threat exists. If it persists after the threat is past, or becomes a long term state for the body, then stress becomes bad and can be harmful to your health. Prolonged high levels of the stress hormones adrenaline and cortisol can cause changes that contribute to high blood pressure, storage of fat in the abdomen, certain cancers and etc. Everyone responds to stress differently. However, there are some tell-tale signals that your body sends that will let you know that something needs to change.

Aching Head and Body

One of the things that happens is that your muscles tighten in readiness for quick action, whether it is to flee from imminent danger or to stand and fight it off. When the body remains in constant readiness for action that never comes, the muscles form knots and tighten further, causing pain. That is why it is not uncommon for people to have neck, shoulder, back pain and headaches.

Sick To Your Stomach

Ranging from feeling like there are butterflies fluttering in your belly to feeling like you are going to throw up, feeling sick to your stomach is a common reaction to stress. This happens because as the body prepares to defend itself, it shunts nutrients and oxygen away from those areas not essential to that task. Blood and oxygen flow is slowed to the digestive system during times of high stress, leading to those ill feelings.

Others may make themselves sick to their stomachs by eating out of anxiety. Instead of seeing food as a source of energy, the mind starts to see it as a coping mechanism causing an increase in weight and a loss of self esteem.

Insomnia

The inability to get a good night’s sleep is another hallmark of high stress levels. Racing thoughts that run through your mind can keep you awake or cause you to awaken numerous times during the night. This can leave you feeling constantly tired and overwhelmed. Insomnia can also cause you to lose your focus as well as your ability to think clearly making you lose productivity and drive.

Muscle Tics

Those involuntary tics and twitches that you may feel in your muscles may also indicate stress. Like muscle aches, these tics are also related to your muscles staying in constant readiness to leap into action.

Short temper and Irritability

Do you find yourself snapping at your spouse for no reason? Having a short temper and feeling irritable is another indicator that you have too much stress in your life. This is a product of the high levels of adrenaline flowing through your body.

The above list is not inclusive of all of the symptoms of being over-stressed. It is just a list of the most common reactions people have. If you find that you are experiencing one of more of the above, you may want to consider doing something that will help you to relieve that stress. Hypnosis is often used with great success. During your hypnosis session, you’ll enter a highly relaxed state in which your mind is able to find solutions or at the very least, help you to cope better. Hypnosis gives you the ability to bring yourself to feeling calm and comfortable again.

To get help call: 310-720-7786

From time to time, I receive some of the most beautiful emails from my clients. Sometimes they are just a few short but utterly powerful sentences and other times, my clients go into details explaining all of what has transpired. A year or two after our initial sessions, they tell me of the changes that they’ve experienced and the long term positive effects that our sessions have had on them.

I think it’s important to note that some of these people are people who when they first walked in were hopeless because they doubted that they could reach their goal but were so desperate that they had to try hypnosis. I completely understand because I was at my wits end when I called to enquire about hypnosis. Now a hypnotherapist myself, it’s a wonderful thing to be able to help a person transform themselves into the person they want to be.

Recently, one of my clients outlined the different areas in his life that had improved. As he covered how things had changed for the better, I remembered our earlier sessions. This feeling of pride really set in because he had come so far. He had literally reached every long term goal that he had come in for a year and a half earlier. I have to say that it wasn’t hypnosis that made this a reality, it was him. Hypnosis merely helped him to tap into his power. I felt happy to know that in some way, I had contributed to his success.

From my hypnosis sessions, I have learned that, “Other’s people’s happiness can also make you happy!” Sasha Carrion, Cht.