Birmingham Hypnotherapy Clinic                                0121 241 8227

Nonpharmacologic interventions such as psychotherapy, hypnosis, and meditation can offer significant benefits to patients with dermatologic conditions including psoriasis, eczema, and urticaria, according to Dr. Richard G. Fried.

While the use of nonpharmacologic interventions may seem counterintuitive, these therapies have been shown to improve psychosocial function and reduce the negative emotional states that can exacerbate or even elicit skin disease, said Dr. Fried of Yardley (Pa.) Dermatology Associates. Dr. Fried detailed several strategies and options for managing the mental aspect of skin disorders in an article in the June issue of Seminars in Cutaneous Medicine and Surgery.

"Clinical studies have demonstrated that psychological stress disrupts skin barrier function and increases the severity of cutaneous infections, and down-regulates antimicrobial peptide expression, resulting in more severe skin infections in mice," Dr. Fried wrote.

"This self-perpetuating negative interaction between stress and impaired skin function has been well-described and often underlies the so-called ‘vicious cycle’ that exists between skin and negative emotional states," he said.

Dr. Fried proposed three broad categories of ‘psychocutaneous’ patients. First, there are individuals with skin manifestations associated a psychiatric diagnosis such as depression, anxiety, or body dysmorphic disorder.

The second category includes patients with psych-derm conditions such as acne excoriée, neurotic excoriations, dermatitis artefacta, and trichotillomania. The third category covers patients with common skin conditions such as acne, rosacea, psoriasis, eczema, and urticaria that are known to be impacted by emotional factors.

Dr. Fried suggested that even patients dealing with the dermatologic effects of aging may be at risk for negative emotional sequelae and may benefit from nonpharmacologic interventions.

Hypnosis is one intervention that has been shown to benefit some patients. For example, long-lasting effects of hypnosis (particularly in highly hypnotizable patients) may include reduced scratching in eczema, and can aid resolution of acne excoriée.

"Recent studies in patients with alopecia areata (including several with ophiasis distribution) demonstrated that hypnosis promotes excellent regrowth in approximately 50% of treated patients and improvements in depression and anxiety in almost all patients," Dr. Fried reported.

Cognitive-behavioral psychotherapy is one of several common psychotherapy interventions used to treat the psychological aspects of skin disorders. Data from a 6-week study of cognitive-behavioral therapy in psoriasis patients showed improvements in anxiety, depression, and psoriasis-related stress, compared with patients who didn’t receive the therapy. In addition, the psychotherapy intervention group showed three times the clinical improvement, compared those undergoing conventional treatment without therapy.

Group psychotherapy has also been associated with symptom reduction, decreased pruritus, fewer eczema relapses, and decreased steroid use in patients with eczema who used it to supplement to their regular medication.

But nonpharmacologic interventions can also be practiced in a less formal manner by dermatologists themselves, Dr. Fried said.

"The power to heal by words, manner, and touch cannot be overstated. Gentle, compassionate, and optimistic comments and gestures can affect the physiology, emotional well-being, and compliance of our patients," he said.

Dr. Fried said referral to a psychodermatologist or mental health professional with an interest in dermatologic manifestations may help some patients, but sometimes treatment can be as simple as a patient’s regular dermatologist offering reassuring words to, "assuage some of the ‘terror of chronicity and progression’ that haunts our patients," he said.

Dr. Fried stated that he has received compensation for the development of educational papers from Ranbaxy, Bayer, Valeant, and Promius.

Rosario Dawson revealed tonight she is a convert to hypnotherapy after trying it for new film Trance.

The Sin City star looked entrancing on the red carpet in a glittering red gown by British designer Jenny Packham, at the premiere of Danny Boyle's new thriller in London's Leicester Square.

Dawson's co-stars Vincent Cassel and James McAvoy both claimed they had tried hypnosis as research for the film, but it hadn't worked.

And Boyle said he didn't even try it because "directors are control freaks and I don't think they ever relax enough to be a useful subject for a hypnotist".

But Dawson, who plays a hypnotherapist in the film, said: "I think it works actually, quite well. I didn't have anything like cigarettes to quit or anything like that.

"But I remember I went in and gave her an idea of what I wanted to work on in the session. And I laid down and she put a blanket over me because when you go into a trance state it's sort of like being in between sleep and awake, so your body thinks it's falling asleep. So I got cold and then I relaxed and I went along with her voice and it was really comforting. My body did those little spasms that it does when you're falling asleep.

"And then I woke up and she said 'I know you said you wanted to work on this, but you reacted to this, this and this.' And I was like, 'How can you know all that?!' And she said my foot was kicking when she asked me about a certain thing.

"So it's actually quite interesting that your conscience will reveal itself, and if you're trained to read that, people give a lot of tells. It's almost like poker. We think we're hiding things, but we're not.

"So it was really great for me to experience that, because the premise of the film is that hypnotherapy works on such a strong level.

"So it was really necessary for me to believe that, and having been through that I gained a lot of respect for the profession, I have to say."

McAvoy plays a fine art auctioneer who gets mixed up with a criminal gang, headed by Cassel's character, who join forces with a hypnotherapist played by Dawson to try to recover a lost painting.

Dawson and Boyle were rumoured to be dating after working on the film, and she was his guest at the Olympic Opening Ceremony. But it was revealed earlier this month that they have split.

Boyle insisted they all became friends off camera.

He said: "With a three-hander like this, casting was absolutely everything and we were lucky to be able to attract Vincent Cassel, James McAvoy and Rosario Dawson to play the three parts.

"And they were great friends off camera.

"On camera you get the natural competitive instinct of actors to say, 'This film is about me'. And they do battle in a way."

Find more about how Rosario Dawson was converted to hypnotherapy The Independent.

Every so often I meet some people who tell me they have tried hypnotherapy but it hasn't really worked for them.

This is because unfortunately there are some so called hypnotherapist who are after making some quick money and don't really care about people. Some of these  "therapist" start there own hypnotherapy school and offer weekend hypnotherapy training or like this one we recently found out on the web which you can study to become a hypnotherapist by just watching a DVD. Unfortunately some clients go to see these poorly trained therapist with no success which stops them from seeking help and getting better as they believe hypnotherapy has not worked for them.

So if you are looking for a hypnotherapist make sure that they are properly qualified. You should always ensure that your therapist is a member of CNHC which only accepts properly qualified hypnotherapists.

http://bit.ly/KpAOYB