Open up the app store and search for hypnosis and you will come across hundreds, of not thousands of apps. There are hypnosis apps designed to solve every problem: lose weight, boost your self-esteem, or relax and reduce stress. If you are looking to make changes and improve your life, chances are that there is a hypnosis app for that.
Check out these five popular hypnosis apps currently available on iOS and Android, but first, some facts about hypnosis.
What is Hypnosis
Hypnosis is a condition involving focused attention, reduced peripheral awareness, and an enhanced capacity to respond to suggesting. Entering a hypnotics state shares many of the same benefits as meditation for clearing the mind of conscious thought. However, one of the defining characteristics of hypnosis is suggestibility, which makes it an ideal state for trying to develop new habits and thought patterns. Hypnosis is usually done by a therapist using verbal repetition and mental images.
Is Hypnosis Safe
Hypnosis conducted by a trained therapist is considered safe, but may not ne appropriate for individuals suffering from severe mental illness. Adverse side effects are pretty rare but can include headaches, drowsiness, dizziness, anxiety, stress and the creation of false memories.
What About Self Hypnosis
When using an app, you will be achieving technology assisted self-hypnosis, and then providing yourself with the relevant suggestions. While this is generally safe to do, there are a few dangers to look out for. For example, if you encounter distressing memories during a hypnosis session there is no one to bring you out. This can result in a negative rather than positive impact on your mental health. Lack of awareness of what is happening in the world around you which may require your attention is another danger. Further, if you do not fully pull yourself out of the hypnotic state you may find yourself a danger to others, especially when doing activities such as driving a car.
Are Hypnosis Apps Safe
Hypnosis apps are generally as safe as any other type of self-hypnosis. Most hypnosis apps deliver generic hypnosis via an audio track, though some allow for some more tailoring to meet your specific needs. However, few, if any, hypnosis apps show evidence of having been tested for efficiency, and none of them can report results that are evidence based (read more). This does not mean that they cannot help you, but it is best to be aware of the limitations of what you are investing your time in.
Free Hypnosis
This is a great starter app if you are interested in the potential power of hypnosis to make changes in your life, but you aren’t ready to invest. The app provides over 50 free hours worth of different hypnosis therapies that you can experiment with, and there is an additional 100 hours of therapy available for purchase if you do decide that this app works for you. The app also allows you to build you own customised self-hypnosis sessions once you have a feel for what works for you. The app, available on iOS and Android, was put together by Joseph Clough, who claims to combine Neuro Linguistic Programming with Time Line Therapy.
Digipill – Sleep, Relaxation and Mindfulness
Designed as an alternative to real pills, this app contains meditations designed to help with insomnia, weight loss, motivation, stress, confidence, creativity and other common challenges. The free version of the app provides you with a psychoacoustic to help unlock your subconscious in one of these areas, and then there are in-app purchase s to support you in going deeper. This is one of the most popular hypnosis apps in the app store, probably due to its combination of smart marketing and using psychoacoustics, which is a branch of psychology concerned with the perception of sound and its psychological effects.
Learn Self-Hypnosis with Patrick Browning
You do not need a hypnotist to go under, self-hypnosis as a well-recognized practice. This app walks you through the steps needed to reach the relaxed hypnotic state. You can then work on your own, or buy one of the pre-made sessions available as in-app purchases. These include sessions for sleep issues, anxiety, stress, IBS and more. The app is spearheaded by Patrick Browning, a Clinical Hypnotherapist with a practice in London. They are built on similar media that he gives clients to work with at home to reinforce their clinical treatments.
Stress Relief: Free 10 Minute Guided Hypnosis
This hypnosis app is aimed specifically at reducing stress and anxiety. It comes with two free tracks, ‘Relax and Let Go’ and ‘Yoga Meditation’, both designed to help you feel calm and release stress. It is particularly useful for those who may find themselves suffering from stress near the end of the day who need rituals to help them relax and sleep. It is recommended to use the app for 21 days straight and then notice the difference. In addition to the two free tracks, there are a variety of in app purchases available.
Health and Fitness with Hypnosis
Another problem specific hypnosis app, this app aims to help you start living a healthier lifestyle. The programmes are recorded by Rachel Meddows, who is a well-known leader in the field. They are designed to provide motivation and help with the ability to make positive choices based on long-term goals rather than short-term gratification. When you discover which of the pre-recorded meditations work best for you, you can make your own, unique, optimised playlists. One session is offered free, and then there are a variety of in-app purchase options.