Hypnosis for athletes?

Despite being named after the Greek word 'Hypno,' which means sleep, and contrary to popular belief, the hypnotic state is not directly related to sleep. The state of hypnosis is not about being asleep, but about changing our consciousness to focus our attention on certain aspects of our psychic functioning. Often, when we talk about hypnosis with athletes, a halo of mystery sets in. It is evoking contrasting feelings of fear, mistrust, and an obvious attraction. Suddenly, their eyes sparkle. They become more eloquent, taking a break from their suffering to open the doors to the discovery of their treatment, which will allow them to take a step forward.

But what is hypnosis?

Hypnosis is a natural state that we experience every day. It is a state between waking and sleeping, where there is nothing artificial or supernatural. It is a time when you are not quite awake and not yet asleep at the sleep portal, a state that reaches different levels of depth. Everyone is sensitive to hypnosis, as long as they are willing to participate. Hypnosis increases your ability to respond to suggestions. And that is precisely where its interest lies. Athletes thus become more adept at carrying out instructions, but, above all, they must agree to cooperate.

The hypnotized athlete is in a state of intense physical relaxation and mental focus, which allows them to move beyond the part of their mind that is governed by logic. They let go and put their analytical mind aside, which will empower them to explore their inner resources: physical as well as mental capacities, and to see things differently from normal conscious thought. Hypnosis is a way to connect with your subconscious, and we can also say that it is a modified state of consciousness put in place by the therapist or the hypnosis assistant device and the patient themselves. The hypnotic state is, above all, a pleasant state where concentration is focused inwardly. It is a simple mechanism that puts the conscious mind on the back burner and favors the functioning of the subconscious.

Hypnosis session

Any hypnotherapy session begins with an induction. It is the transition from restricted vigilance to generalized vigilance, a relaxation of the athlete allowing them to enter a hypnotic state. Through variable inductive methods, the patient is led into a hypnotic state. It is an intimate space of change, of reconstitution of their relationship to the world and things. In a hypnotic state, the athlete develops selective consciousness. They remain in constant communication with the therapist or the hypnosis device tool.

During this time, the conscious mind and body are in a state of passivity, allowing the athlete to access greater communication with their subconscious. The athlete is deep within themselves, in their subconscious, and in contact with the necessary tools to repair themselves. The hypnotic state will allow the athlete to discover the inner subconscious forces that exist within them, those that will solve their problems through mental imagery, visualization, and positive suggestions.

Hypnotic induction

The hypnotic induction can be obtained by the visual fixation of an object, luminous or not, by the use of a metronome or, more often, by simple verbal suggestions that propose to the athlete to relax by fixing their attention on different parts of their body. The goal is to obtain a dissociation between the mind and the body; the tone of voice accompanies relaxation, allowing the experience to be deepened: the subject comes more and more into themselves, disconnects from their usual way of thinking, and from certain defense mechanisms. However, they are not unconscious. On the contrary, the vigilance they feel for their environment is increased.

Hypnosis gives us access to the three main therapeutic compartments through actions that are sometimes suggestive of behavior, sometimes cognitive, and sometimes even analytical, falling essentially in the field of mental activations, limiting bodily activations to specific feelings. In this state, it is possible to suggest bodily modifications, such as the sensation of hot or cold, automatic movement of the hand or the arm, which has the interest of increasing the body/mind dissociation and affirming the hypnotic state, opening up the possibility of significantly promoting the creative capacities and potential of the athlete.

Hypnosis and Its Possibilities for Athletes

In a hypnotic state, your unconscious opens up to you, and you can do many things, even those that you thought was impossible:

Communicate directly with your subconscious
Forget haunting memories
Dissociate yourself from your emotions
Access forgotten memories
Remove pain
Develop your resources
And more

These possibilities will allow you to make lasting changes.

Techniques of Hypnosis for Athletes

Suggestions (sensory representations, mental imagery, positive thoughts, and even affirmations)

Hypnotic suggestions, of varying difficulty, include verbal communication in a relaxing atmosphere. It is not a matter of giving orders. Or directly prescribing the change. It is of accompanying the athlete where they want to go, suggesting images or metaphors congruent with the athlete's mental universe. It is allowing them to connect with their sensations and emotions, suggesting new associations. And sometimes inducing a transitory confusion that makes it possible to disconnect from conscious logic.

Analytical Hypnosis

Assuming that the problem is related to a well-buried memory, this approach uses the regression technique. Which projects you into your past. Together, we will explore each stage of your life up to the time when the incident responsible for the current behavior resides. Followed by a strategic implementation that will allow you to overcome the problem.

Dissociation

This technique allows you to separate the conscious mind from the unconscious mind. The conscious mind reacts in a certain conventional and well-established way, and your unconscious mind helps you explore larger perspectives. It helps to better channel future behavior.

Ericksonian Hypnosis

This unconventional technique has its own peculiarities. It uses induction techniques to make contact with our inner guide to solve a problem. Thus, focusing "internally" will help you change your orientation to reality, allowing you to open yourself to new possibilities of evolution.

Conclusion: Place of Hypnosis in the Mental Training of Athletes

The cycle of hypnosis involves induction, relaxation, discovery of the unconscious, treatment of the problem, positive suggestions, and post-hypnotic suggestions.

The state of hypnosis can cause dissociation between different parts of the body and the psyche. But hypnosis, on its own, is not psychotherapy. It is a tool that the therapist uses to bring about a change or teach the athlete to dispense with a symptom that bothers them or makes them suffer.

It is important to understand that the state of hypnosis, in itself, is not curative. The value of hypnosis lies entirely in its use as a means to facilitate healing processes by triggering responses that lead to the well-being of the whole person. It's a bit like general anesthesia that allows you to perform a surgical operation. It is not the anesthesia that heals; it is the surgery, but anesthesia is the necessary condition to operate. Likewise, it is not hypnosis that heals, but what the patient does while in this state that helps them heal.

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