There are times when all of us need to boost our confidence. Confidence gives us that important belief in ourselves, which enables us to perform at the best of our ability. Real confidence is generally developed by experience. Self-esteem and self-efficacy feed into confidence. People with high self-esteem accept and value themselves, whilst people with high self-efficacy believe in their ability to succeed. There are a number of actions you can take to boost your confidence.
This is an article I got published in Pain Matters magazine. Hypnotherapy is one of the best-known complementary therapies, but, it is also one of the least understood. Hypnotherapist Stephen McMurray explains how it works and how it can be used in pain management. Read more
Recent research published in the Journal of Affective Disorders found that hypnotherapy was an effective treatment for people suffering with depression. Hypnotherapy works at the subconscious level to offer positive suggestions to boost moods and break negative thinking patterns, making people feel better. Read more
Needle phobia is thought to affect at least 10% of the population and is when people have a fear of a medical procedure that involves needles or injections. For many this is related to a fear of seeing blood, or simply thinking about the injection. Which may make them feel faint. Often needle phobia has its origins in bad memories of injections as a child.
Hypnotherapy can help you overcome needle phobia by putting you in a relaxed state of mind and making positive suggestions to your subconscious mind. These positive suggestions can help you disassociate yourself from the phobia or fear. This can take the emotion of the needle away from you and leave you feeling much more in control and calmer about going for an injection or blood test.
As the vaccine continues to be rolled out, it is important that you get it (unless there is a reason you can’t). If you have a fear of needles, it is worth getting a hypnotherapy session to help you feel calmer and more in control of the situation. Contact me now to find out more about hypnotherapy and how it can help you get over any fears of needles you may have.
I met Peter Krykant outside the Scottish Parliament. Peter runs the safe consumption van in Glasgow. This enables drug users to take their drugs in a safer method than out in the streets. Peter brought his van to the Scottish Parliament to highlight the appalling drugs deaths in Scotland, which is a much worse than the overall UK drugs death rate. Read more
A report published in the British Medical Journal claimed that the economic cost of gambling addiction had been substantially underestimated. There are an estimated nearly half-a-million problem gamblers in the UK. They are more likely to be in lower economic classes and least able to afford such an addiction. Some of the increase in problem gamblers has been linked to those playing fixed-odds betting terminals (FOBTs). Read more
Chronic pain is when pain last more than 12 weeks and after an injury would have healed. It often serves no purpose and is linked to conditions such as diabetes and arthritis. It is estimated to affect at least eight million people in the UK. This can have a very detrimental impact on quality of life, leading to sleeping problems, reduced energy, relationship and work problems. Read more
Qualifications
Stephen is a graduate member of the British Psychological Society and a member of the British National Register of Advanced Hypnotherapists.
