Showing posts with label cancer. Show all posts
Showing posts with label cancer. Show all posts

Wednesday, November 22, 2023

Malaysia Caring Life Social Association - The Hypnotherapy for Cancer Care Workshop

 




Hey everyone! Guess what? I recently stumbled upon this awesome Cancer Care Workshop that totally rocked my world! 🌈 It wasn't just your regular workshop; it was a magical blend of warmth, creativity, and hope.

We kicked off the day with some zen vibes, doing a bit of mindful stretching to shake off the stress. And then came the real fun – It is a painting activity! Who knew finger painting could be so darn therapeutic? It was like releasing a burst of joy right onto the canvas.

I share about how tweaking our brainwaves and diving into hypnotherapy can seriously boost our mood and kick anxiety to the curb. I had also share some mind-blowing tricks on how to rewire our brains for the better. Spoiler alert: It involves a whole lot of good vibes.

Big shoutout to everyone who joined the party! Your energy and stories made the workshop a blast. So here's to us, painting smiles, finding hope, and living our best lives. Cheers to more good times and good vibes ahead!


Monday, August 29, 2016

Cancer can be created from emotional trauma

Emotional traumas have been known to affect people in a variety of ways. Stress from being traumatized and the trauma itself can have a number of ill effects on the surviving person. Anxiety, insomnia, irritability, depression and changes in appetite are just a few of the many effects emotional trauma can have. Research has also revealed that emotional traumas that are not dealt with can also cause cancer .

You may be wondering how that is even possible. You see, untreated emotional traumas can lead to your body being in a constant state of stress. A number of studies have found that this heightened, chronic stress can actually reduce immune system function. A recent review of over 100 studies has also revealed that chronic stress can cause the sympathetic nervous system (SNS) to actually induce metastasis.
The SNS is the primary system behind our “fight or flight” chemical response. The SNS normally activates in situations where a threat or danger is perceived. After the threat is over, the SNS shuts off its dispersion of hormones and chemicals, and the body returns to its normal, homeostatic state in about an hour. For people who have experienced an emotional trauma and are under chronic duress, however, the SNS does not really ever turn off. When the SNS is constantly “on,” adrenaline and noradrenaline-stimulating mechanisms within it have the potential to disrupt or alter genetic codes.
These alterations can lead to a variety of cancer-causing developments. Inflammatory responses are activated, immune responses are inhibited, angiogenesis is stimulated and much more. Apoptosis, or programmed cell death, is often turned off, DNA repair is inhibited and cancer stem cells are created. Through any number of these pathways, cancer can inevitably be created.
Emotional traumas are serious, and when left untreated, they can cause even greater harm to the person suffering with them. There are a number of therapies available to help people overcome their trauma. In addition to seeing a therapist, participating in meditation and engaging in meditation or other relaxation techniques can help to relieve some of the stress, soothe the soul, and reduce the risk of cancer.

Sources:
NaturalNews.com
UNH.edu
http://www.newstarget.com/2016-08-26-cancer-can-be-created-from-emotional-trauma.html

Sunday, June 7, 2015

[Exhibitor] National Cancer Survivors Day 2015


I am here and I care!

It is an honour to be invited to participate in National Cancer Survivors Day 2015 which organized by the National Cancer Society Malaysia. Managing mental health needs is a crucial part for cancer patients or survivors. My role today is to provide brain assessment, support and treatment advice if necessary. 

There is a healthtalk on how the clinical hypnotherapy able to help cancer patients and cancer survivors. In fact, clinical hypnotherapy has proven to be extremely valuable in the treatment of cancer. Hypnosis has been shown to be effective for decreasing chemotherapy-related nausea and vomiting in children with cancer. 

Indeed, hypnotherapy is an effective supplement therapy in the management of terminally ill cancer patients in a hospice setting. It is useful in addressing: 
(1) management of anxiety, depression, anger, and frustration; 
(2) management of pain, fatigue, and insomnia; 
(3) management of side-effects of chemotherapy and radiotherapy; 
(4) visualization to promote health improvement. 
By successfully addressing these areas, studies have shown that hypnotherapy improves the individual quality of life and life expectancy. Further, there is a quantifiable cost savings to the hospital in terms of reduced medication and need for medical care.
One of the most well-known techniques involves the use of “positive mental images” of a strong army of white blood cells killing cancer cells. One 10-year follow-up study involving 86 women with cancer showed that a year of weekly “supportive/ expressive” group therapy significantly increased survival duration and time from recurrence to death. Postoperative complications and hospitalizations for the hypnotic intervention group are significantly shorter than the norm.

You can read this review:
"Hypnosis for Cancer Care: Over 200 Years Young" - The goal of this review was to summarize the empirical literature on hypnosis as an integrative cancer prevention and control technique. We have reviewed where hypnosis has strong support for its efficacy (surgery and other invasive procedures), where it holds promise (weight loss, chemotherapy, radiotherapy, metastatic disease), and where more work is needed.
Neuro-hypnotherapy is first of its kind in Malaysia developed by myself by combining technology (EEG biofeedback) and art of science (Clinical Hypnotherapy) which is best of two worlds. 
Feel free to contact me for a free brain assessment session. 





For more information on volunteering opportunities, you can contact the NCSM.




Source:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3755455/
http://web.wellness-institute.org/blog/bid/399323/The-Use-of-Hypnosis-in-Treating-Cancer

Tuesday, March 31, 2015

马来西亚自然疗法抗癌症-催眠疗法


催眠疗法在癌症医疗中的运用
美国一位医学教授对癌症的病因提出了新的理论,认为癌症的发展主要不是客观上存在的癌细胞,而是主观情绪、自我暗示导致了癌变。这一理论虽未被广泛接受,但癌症求治者一旦知道了自己患病的真相,病情便会急剧变化却是不可否认的。


  面对癌症的侵袭时,不管是对病人还是他的家庭,都将面对一个不可知的未来。仅仅是这一点,就会给日常生活带来极大的焦虑与压力。很多时候,当他面对各种对身心有害的治疗手段时会感到无助,并极其忧虑自己的未来。催眠是重生强有力的手段,面对压力的侵袭,催眠往往会比医疗手段更有效。当明白控制压力对身体痊愈的重要性,病人们就会从心灰意冷转变到对治愈充满信心。

  癌症术后的恢复会遭遇反胃、呕吐、腹泻和食欲不振等生理症状,现代医学研究表明催眠是对付这些不良反应的有效手段。一个癌症患者通过催眠和引导想象可以在与疾病的斗争中变得更加主动。经过催眠引导,病人可以看到他们的身体在和癌症争斗,变得越来越健康并最终赶走了侵略者。他们还可能看到化学疗法和药物正在发挥作用帮助他们赶走身体中的毒素。

  催眠作为癌症医疗辅助手段的主要目标是让病人有自我把控的能力并且明白身心之间的联系。这就可以结合潜意识的力量提供最好的医学整合治疗。当一个人遭遇疾病的侵袭但是相信医学手段一定能够帮助他走向康复的时候,那么治疗成功的机率确实会提高很多。

  催眠疗法对于癌症各种层面的治疗都起到作用。

  第一,它可以处理疾病本身的某些症状、来自由于某些器官组织带来的病痛和症状,还有一些非器官性的症状,比如:疲劳、精神不爽、易怒和失眠。


  第二,催眠疗法对于癌症疾病治理的副作用的匡救非常有用。这一点非常重要,因为治疗过程中使用了化疗和放疗,是非常的痛苦,甚至造成有的病人逃离治疗。

  第三,癌症病人面临很重要的心理调整问题。许多人把诊断看作是死亡宣判书,他必须为个人的存在而格斗,对于这些困境,催眠疗法可以发挥作用来帮助他们。

  最后,使用催眠疗法中的想象作用,能够对癌症疾病的治疗过程中起到修补完善的作用。上述的前三项作用,被证明具有临床的效果,


您可以参考此篇文章,了解科学家对这方面疗法所做的详细研究:http://www.cancernetwork.com/oncology-nursing/clinical-hypnosis-palliative-care-cancer-patients#sthash.GWd1NYqx.dpuf


  催眠疗法的目标却是很明确一致的。也就是说,必须给患者带来安慰、支撑、消除压力与痛苦,使得他能够与家庭作有意义的沟通。

  催眠疗法的想像作用不仅仅用于引导患者区改善他们的心理框架,还被直接用来治疗疾病的本身。之所以这么做,是因为想象力对神经和体温的功能都会产生效果,从而间接地对免疫系统产生了作用。加强免疫系统——这是整体性的身心问题,可以减轻癌症的发展过程。

  对于癌症的各个层面的治疗,催眠疗法都能发挥积极的辅助作用。癌症的生理症状最普通的就是引起病痛,至于治疗的生理影响也很大(虚弱啊、恶心啊、呕吐啊等等)。这些情况都可以经过催眠疗法而使患者觉得每天的日子过得好受一些。同样催眠疗法对于心理治疗亦有积极作用,可以帮助每个患者调整心态以面对自己的疾病。






资料来源:
http://www.psy525.cn/special/16179-89372.html

Monday, March 30, 2015

Hypnotherapy Malaysia for cancer pain management, cancer care and coping skills for cancer

Clinical hypnosis has been defined as a mind-body therapy that involves a deeply relaxed state, individualized mental imagery, and therapeutic suggestion. Clinical hypnosis has a very long history, with reports of medical application dating back to the 18th century. Some have suggested that there is even evidence for the use of clinical hypnosis since ancient times, with inscriptions of hypnotic-like phenomena on a stone stele from Egypt during the reign of Ramses XII, some 3,000 years ago. The word hypnosis, derived from the Greek word for sleep, was coined by James Braid in 1841. Clinical hypnosis is a mind-body therapy, one of the fastest-growing and most commonly employed categories of complementary and alternative medicines (CAM), as defined by the NCCAM (National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine) of the National Institutes of Health. A national health interview survey of medical usage in 2007 found that 4 out of 10 US respondents reported having used complementary and alternative medical treatments in the previous year.[1] Further, research suggests that CAM use continues to be highest among those with chronic diseases (eg, cancer).[2,3] Mind-body interventions such as clinical hypnosis are also becoming popular for their ease of integration into an overall cancer survivorship treatment plan with relatively low risks.[4]
Hypnosis produces an altered state of consciousness, awareness, or perception. The hypnotic state is a highly relaxed state in which the patient’s mind (conscious and subconscious) is focused and receptive to therapeutic suggestion. It involves learning to use one’s mind and thoughts to manage emotional distress, (eg, anxiety, stress), unpleasant physical symptoms (eg, pain, nausea), or to help change certain habits or behaviors (eg, smoking). While hypnosis sessions may vary depending on a patient’s needs, a clinical hypnosis session typically comprises two basic phases:
Induction. During this phase, the therapist helps the patient to relax, and may ask the patient to imagine a peaceful scene that helps him or her to become more focused and concentrate on what is to be accomplished during the session.
Application. During this phase, the patient receives suggestions. Hypnotic suggestions, the key ingredient of hypnosis, are special statements that are designed to suggest relief from troubling symptoms.

A meta-analysis of randomized controlled studies of clinical hypnosis identified 57 studies that demonstrated hypnosis as an effective treatment for a number of health disorders and conditions including pain, smoking cessation, migraines, allergies, analgesia in labor, asthma, dermatology, dentistry, anxiety, hypertension, tinnitus, and postoperative recovery in surgery.[6]

What is the Evidence Related to Hypnosis and Cancer?

Clinical hypnosis has been described in the medical literature to relieve a broad spectrum of symptoms, including treatment of common symptoms associated with cancer care, as discussed below.

Pain

Hypnosis is the most frequently cited form of nonpharmacologic cognitive pain control.[7] Hypnotherapy for the management of chronic pain has been demonstrated to provide relief for the symptoms of pain in cancer, arthritis, sickle cell disease, temporomandibular disorder, and fibromyalgia. Hypnosis has demonstrated positive outcomes for the reduction of chronic and procedural-related pain in oncology.
A study of breast cancer patients found that those assigned to treatment (standard care or expressive-supportive therapy) that included clinical hypnosis demonstrated significantly less pain. In addition, patients who underwent hypnosis reported significantly less of an increase in pain over time.[8] Another study of advanced-stage cancer patients with malignant bone disease was conducted by randomizing patients to receive either hypnotherapy or supportive attention (eg, encouragement, active listening).[9] Results showed the hypnosis intervention group had a significant overall decrease in pain.
Syrjala and colleagues studied 45 cancer patients to evaluate the efficacy of hypnosis for pain relief following chemotherapy.[10] Participants were randomized into the following conditions: hypnosis, cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), attention control, and standard care. There were no reported significant differences among the groups for nausea, presence of emesis, nor opioid intake; however, the hypnosis group showed a significant reduction in oral pain. Montgomery and colleagues studied 200 patients undergoing excisional breast biopsy or lumpectomy.[11] Participants in this study were randomly assigned to a hypnosis session or to a control condition involving nondirective empathic listening. The hypnosis group had significant reductions in pain intensity, self-reported pain unpleasantness, nausea, fatigue, and discomfort compared with the control. Moreover, the per-patient cost to the medical institution was $772.71 less for those in the hypnosis group compared with patients in the control group, because of reduced surgical time. Lang and colleagues conducted a randomized controlled trial evaluating hypnosis for women (n = 236) undergoing large core breast biopsy.[12] During the procedure, in addition to standard of care, participants received either empathetic attention or a hypnotic relaxation treatment. Results indicated that hypnosis reduced pain and anxiety compared to empathetic attention, which only showed a reduction in pain.
A recently published review examined the evidence from clinically controlled trials, evaluating hypnosis for procedural-related pain in pediatric oncology.[13] Eight randomized controlled trials were analyzed, demonstrating positive outcomes in clinical hypnosis for pain management in pediatric oncology.

Nausea

It has been reported that 70% to 80% of all cancer patients who receive chemotherapy experience nausea and vomiting.[14] Clinical hypnosis has been studied for relief of nausea and vomiting secondary to chemotherapy. In a randomized study of the efficacy of hypnosis in reducing nausea and vomiting in children receiving chemotherapy, researchers found children participating in hypnosis had less anticipatory nausea and vomiting and less overall vomiting compared with controls who did not undergo hypnosis.[15] This finding was replicated in a later study also demonstrating that patients using clinical hypnosis showed a reduced need for antiemetic medication.[16] A review by Richardson and colleagues of six randomized, controlled trials suggests there were large effect sizes for hypnotic treatments when compared with treatment as usual, and these were at least as large as the effects of CBT.[13] In a study of mediators of a brief hypnosis intervention to control side effects in breast cancer surgery patients, Montgomery and colleagues concluded that clinical hypnosis works to a significant extent through the two psychological mechanisms of cognition and emotion. Results of a study of a 200 breast cancer patients who underwent a presurgical hypnosis intervention to improve postsurgical side effects suggest that, to reduce postsurgical nausea, clinical hypnotic interventions should be designed to specifically target patient expectancies and distress.[17]

Fatigue

Cancer-related fatigue has long been recognized as one of the most difficult symptoms to manage during cancer treatment, and it remains the most common unrelieved symptom of cancer.[18] Research suggests that fatigue is a multidimensional syndrome which results from both cancer and cancer therapies, such as chemotherapy and radiotherapy. Estimates of the prevalence of fatigue in cancer patients undergoing radiotherapy are diverse. Literature suggests that fatigue can affect 60% to 90% of patients receiving chemotherapy or radiation therapy.[19] This condition is managed through education of patients and caregivers about current evidence-based strategies to reduce fatigue, nonpharmacological interventions including exercise, and pharmacological therapies.[18] Despite the high prevalence of cancer-related fatigue, few intervention options exist.[20] A study was conducted to test the effectiveness of CBT and hypnosis for radiotherapy-related fatigue.[21] Breast cancer patients were randomly assigned to receive either standard care or CBT and hypnosis. Results show that with the cognitive-behavioral/hypnosis intervention, patients’ fatigue did not increase over the course treatment, whereas fatigue among patients receiving standard care increased linearly. Although this initial result is promising, additional research is critically needed in this area. To determine relative contributions of various interventions to fatigue relief in cancer patients, future studies should be designed with subjects assigned to groups providing hypnosis-only, CBT only, and combined cognitive-behavioral hypnotherapy, as well as a control group offering structured attention.

Hot Flashes

Clinical hypnosis for the treatment of hot flashes has been investigated. In two studies of breast cancer survivors, participants received five sessions of hypnotherapy, (provided approximately weekly) and were instructed in self-hypnosis. The hypnotic intervention was individualized to facilitate a hypnotic state, feelings of coolness, and control of symptoms. The results showed a 69% reduction of hot flashes relative to baseline,[22,23] and are comparable or superior to results from open-label studies with paroxetine and venlafaxine.[24] In a large ongoing randomized clinical trial of hypnosis for hot flashes, 184 post-menopausal women have been randomized to either clinical hypnosis or to structured-attention control that provides supportive, non-directive counseling. Preliminary unpublished results concur with earlier studies suggesting that hot flashes can be reduced by 70% at 3 months follow-up among post-menopausal women.[25]

Sleep

Hypnosis can also be an effective treatment option for cancer patients suffering from sleep problems. Cancer patients experience sleeping difficulties for a number of reasons, including anxiety related to diagnosis, depression, pain, fatigue, and other treatment-related side effects. Cancer patients have been reported to be nearly three times more likely than members of the general population to meet diagnostic criteria for insomnia.[26]
While sleep disorders can be treated with pharmacotherapy, this treatment modality carries with it the inherent risks of dependence and potentially dangerous drug interactions. Furthermore, pharmacotherapy does not treat the underlying source of the sleep disturbance. Hypnosis provides cancer patients with a safe alternative treatment option that not only improves the ability to obtain restful sleep, but also leads to improvements in other symptom areas.
A study conducted by Elkins et al supports the efficacy of clinical hypnosis in improving the quality of sleep for cancer patients.[23] During this study, 51 breast cancer patients (all female) were assigned to either five weekly sessions of hypnosis or a waitlist control group. The main outcome for this study was a reduction in hot flash occurrence. At the conclusion of the 5-week treatment period, not only did cancer patients report fewer hot flash related daily disturbances, but they also reported significant improvements in sleep quality, as well as fewer symptoms of anxiety and depression. This study provides an example of how hypnosis may be effective at treating a target symptom and improving the patient’s overall quality of life.

How Is Hypnosis Currently Used in Cancer Care?

Hypnosis has been specifically employed in the palliative care of cancer patients to reduce symptoms associated with radiation and chemotherapy, such as pain, nausea, fatigue, hot flashes, and sleep dysfunction. Length of hypnotic treatment varies depending on the nature and severity of the problem. Clinical hypnosis treatment for cancer patients may range from a single session to multiple sessions. In research, cancer patients undergoing clinical hypnotherapy typically receive approximately five sessions or more of clinical hypnosis, each involving a hypnotic induction and instruction in self-hypnosis. The practice of self-hypnosis helps patients achieve a relaxed, therapeutic, hypnotic state. Professionals serve as facilitators of self-hypnosis, often providing hypnosis audio recordings for patients to use between sessions.
Hypnosis is frequently offered in conjunction with other therapies such as cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). Research suggests that using a combination of hypnosis and CBT improved outcomes more than those achieved for at least 70% of patients who used CBT alone.[27] Additionally, CBT techniques can be utilized in a hypnotic context by preceding the CBT technique with a hypnotic induction.[28]

What Are the Potential Risks?

Clinical hypnosis has been commonly described as a safe method when used correctly, having few harmful side effects.[8] However, individuals may initially feel drowsy following hypnosis, due to its focus on increasing relaxation and decreasing anxiety. Unexpected delusional thoughts and trancelike states are also possible. Therefore, clinical hypnosis for patients with psychological disorders involving delusions is unadvisable. The clinical hypnosis literature has commonly listed exclusions for study participants with diagnoses of schizophrenia or borderline personality disorder.

What's the Bottom-Line Message?

Clinical hypnosis is a viable option for cancer patients, who, once trained in self-hypnosis, may employ these techniques to manage myriad symptoms.
In particular, hypnosis as an adjunct treatment for cancer patients and survivors can be effective in treating pain, nausea, fatigue, hot flashes, and sleep disorders. While current research into the efficacy of clinical hypnosis for the palliative treatment of cancer patients is extremely encouraging, some studies have been limited by less-than-desirable sample sizes, and there is a dearth of large randomized controlled trials. Additional research will be needed for clinical hypnosis to become a well-established evidence-based treatment for the palliative care of cancer patients. However, the existing evidence from all clinical research supports inclusion of clinical hypnosis as an effective adjunct therapy in the palliative cancer treatment milieu, and therefore hypnosis should be considered for patients with cancer on a case-by-case basis.
Financial Disclosure: The authors have no significant financial interest or other relationship with the manufacturers of any products or providers of any service mentioned in this article.
Acknowledgment: Dr. Elkins is supported by NCCAM grant 5U01AT004634 and NCI grant R21CA131795.




Source:
http://www.cancernetwork.com/oncology-nursing/clinical-hypnosis-palliative-care-cancer-patients#sthash.GWd1NYqx.dpuf