Hypnotherapy

The method I use is mindfulness meditation which I trained in for many years with a wonderful teacher in the Therevada tradition. The key is being aware of the craving, noticing it, observing its effect on you, and then (hopefully) watching it pass away. This can be used for food or cigarettes as well of course.

As they say, its very easy but very difficult.

I also use mala beads (rosary) for mantra chanting and wear a string aroung my wrist. During the self-hypno I have given myself the suggestion that when I touch the beads I will subconsciously "hear: "I don't want alcohol anymore."

Two things:

There are tons of books on this now. Google John Kabat-Zinn, PhD. - a real master who has books and CDs that walk you through the technique.

Also, I dont know where you are located,but, finding a teacher at least in the beginning is helpful and supportive.

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rigpaseeker

One of the ones I use is "I find it easy not to drink or smoke." I find that whenever I think of drinking -- or smoking -- this line comes into my head of its own accord, and stays until the thoughts pass.

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mikeupnorth

I've used the following suggestion; "Drinking is not important to me". It seems to be working for me.

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allbooked

I was going to a week long party with my drinkin' buddies in my home state of Texas (where we do everything bigger) so before I going I played the cds daily saying, "I have fun with my friends without drinking." Then I would visualise myself laughing my ___ off sans wines glass.

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DMcDesigns

Lori, I think one of the most important parts of this program is the Hypno CD’s. At the very least, you need to invest the money to buy these. Listening to these is what is actually changing the way I think about drinking and helped me believe I deserve to be sober. Not to mention the fact that they are relaxing and release me from all that binds me while I am working with them. They are a great escape from daily trials.

As far as the MWO program being a lot of money, I believe that is relative to the life changes made with the program. What would it be worth to be at your best every morning? To be able to remember what you did the night before. To remember who you called on the phone and what you promised. What would it be worth to you if you could actually rest at night? Most of all, what if you could actually live a fulfilling life, watching your loved ones grow and develop into the people they are to be.

I don’t know how much you are drinking, but if it were a cheap bottle of wine a day, at $10 each, that is $300 per month. If you have insurance, and get a Dr. to work with you, you should actually be saving money; and feeling so good it is almost indescribable. I recommend doing the whole program to increase your chances of success. It isn’t an expense as much as it is an investment, and the dividends are astronomical. What is having your life back worth. This program is not a waste of money. It will work if you will apply yourself and follow it. I wish you the best in whatever you do.

God Bless

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MDBiker

Just wanted to check in and say HI to everyone and let you know that everything is fine here for me and in France (from what everybody told me from the U.S. you would think that France was going through a civil war! Well, maybe... but things have calmed down).

I'm doing just great. After having been so faithful to this board, I started doing some research on "finding myself" and came across some wonderful information. In fact, the kick off was this program. I have been feeling so good and it was so unexpected... and I have been so intrigued about the good that the hypnosis has done for me, that I decided to explore further. In my research, I ran across a method/program called E.F.T. (does anybody know about that?) that is basically self-help, using acupuncture points, that you can do on yourself. It's supposed to help take your "blocks" away when you want to achieve things and restore your "energy". Well, it's a bit more complicated than that, but let me tell you, for the little time I've been doing it, it works!!!

My abstinence from alcohol has completely and utterly changed my life, and the way I look at life. I realize that, up til now, I had basically been "hanging out", waiting for life to throw what it could at me, and then dealing with the blows when they came. NOW, I feel in control. I have goals now that I didn't have before, even becoming interested in studying hypnosis and E.F.T. not only to help myself, but maybe, just maybe later down the line, helping others with it.
I have always been interested in helping others, and now wonder why I didn't do something along those lines as a career. But who knows, it's never too late to try something new!

Yesterday, however, I had a "fight" with my man, and I took him to the train station and we were both in tears. I was angry and sad, because we had spent such a good weekend with the children. The back of my car was smashed in last week while I was at work : found it in a pitiful state when I walked back to it from the train station, and I wasn't even upset! Turns out it was a truck driver that did it, and he left a note with all of his insurance information, so no sweat. And my friends all helped out in lending me their cars this weekend and letting me keep my destroyed one in another neighbor's garage. ANYWAY, yesterday I went to take back the borrowed car to my neighbor's, my former good drinking buddy, and I would have KILLED for a drink. If she had offered me one, I think I would have guzzled it! But, thank God, she asked if I wanted a glass of orange juice, which I gratefully drank, and didn't succumb.

Just to let you know, even though I have no cravings at all anymore, some things can set you off. We have to be on our guards all the time!

***USAnne

Hi All,

I have also been wondering about those subliminal messages! I am finding that when I think of that yummy glass of red wine, I am also quickly remembering that yucky "way too much red wine" hangover. Down to the sick stomach, the tannin headache and the purple lips (I guess that is chapped lips + too much red wine + too drunk to notice!) And that was also not in my own suggestions. So I have been wondering if there is something about that in the subliminal messages??

Another interesting thing for me has been the effects of the clearing tracks. When the disembodied voice (my new nickname for him) told me to let all of these negatives influences flow away with the water, I had all these bad people who have negatively influenced me (particularly a past relationship and a person a conflicted with at work) tumbling over a waterfall. Literally! What a trip! The really cool thing is, now I have noticed that when I think about these people, they do not have the effect on me that they once did. Amazing!

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KimJW

Hi Yoda,
Welcome to the nuthouse! Sometimes anyways. I have done all the elements of the program since the outset and for the most part have been moderate. Since November of 2005 I have been drunk a handful of times. This was not my goal. Moderation was my goal which has sometimes been possible. The ONLY thing I can attribute the difference to is my inconsistant use of the hypno cds. Simply taking the meds and supps every day doesn't seem to be enough to keep the cravings at bay. It's almost like I have a voice inside that tells me how good it is to drink- so I have to retrain that voice to say the opposite. The positive affirmations are so powerful for even a naysayer such as myself. I never thought it would work but when I make the time it absolutely does.
Hope that helps.

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Lorik

I'm with Nina, Yoda, the more elements of the program that you incorporate, the better off you'll be. Some external demands in my life have made it impossible to follow through with using the CD's for several weeks now, and I've seen my alcohol use increase, where I had been doing really well before. I'm looking forward to my workload decreasing so that I can get back to doing EVERYTHING and getting back to feeling really good again, both physically and about myself, as well. I'm glad you've found MWO, and I hope you'll consider trying the CD's. They may seem a little cheesy at first, but they really do work!

Hugs and luck!

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YoungAtHeart

Hi All,

I have seen several questions pop up on various threads about the hypno cds and thought we could just start a thread to put all our questions and thoughts.

I can say that I noticed a huge difference when I started listening to the subliminal cd twice a week every day at work. No one knows what it is, but since I have been doing it, I really don't drink Sunday-Thursday at all.

I have done the clearing twice and the hypno once. I feel asleep during each once. I am not sure if I am hypnotized, but I do feel a great sense of relaxation and think there is something going on.

I try to do it at night when it is dark after the kids have gone to bed and I know I won't be interupted.

Any thoughts, questions, topics to discuss?

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Nina328