Your subconscious mind is the powerhouse behind your automatic habits and behaviors. As an example, this remarkable part of your mind lets you drive your car while your thoughts are elsewhere. You can make turns, accelerate, or brake without thinking about it.

Activating your subconscious powerhouse through hypnosis offers many benefits. Here are just a few:

*Blood flow to the brain increases, resulting in clearer thinking, improved memory, and enhanced creativity.

*Serotonin levels increase by 21%, which calms the mind and body, and creates an overall sense of well-being.

*Up to 100% of excess adrenaline is eliminated; excess adrenaline could otherwise be toxic to the body.

*Endorphin levels increase by 25%; these are the hormones that flow through the body when we feel happy.

*20 minutes of hypnotic relaxation can be equivalent to 3 to 4 hours of sleep. Many active hypnosis clients find themselves sleeping less, and enjoying life more.

Maximum Power,

Dr. Dave Hill, DCH
http://www.drdavehill.com

“All our dreams can come true, if we have the courage to pursue them.”
-Walt Disney

Hypnosis in Medicine
By David I. Brager , Washington State University Student ID#47948823, For/ English 402 , Professor Leonard Orr, PhD/ 22 January 2001

Throughout history, there has been a struggle for each human to overcome fear in his or her attempt to survive pain. This survival has taken place through a variety of discoveries, both internally, through reason and thought, and externally, through machines and constructions.
The limits of our abilities have been tested by experimentation, trial and tragedy. Of these limitations, fear of the unknown has been the gravest limitation of growth.

Discoverers and explorers have pushed our knowledge of the outer world while doctors and philosophers increased our knowledge of the inner world. With each new discovery, society has tested theories, accepted a few as consistent, adapted these into practice, and transcended the fears of old with a fresh, bold hunger to learn more.

Over time, unusual mental phenomena have occurred which allow people to overcome pain by turning off their abilities to sense stimulations. Such controls have allowed people to survive what would otherwise be undesirable or unbelievably cruel levels of pain.

Phenomena of survival have commonly been dismissed as miracles or freaks of nature. For centuries, such were never seriously considered as solid scientific discovery (BSMDHW).

Ever since 1836, when a method was developed by which one could induce the phenomenon, a new terminology was coined to describe this thought-provoking process. The term has been in use to describe it to this very day: “Hypnosis” (BSMDHW).

Hypnosis is the ability to put oneself into a trance-like state by autosuggestion (Mosby). So, as defined by Mosby, “autosuggestion by oneself” means that hypnosis is actually self- induced. Therefore all hypnosis is self-hypnosis.

Hypnosis use in the medical field needed to radiate more authenticity. Thus, in the use specifically for the reduction of pain, the medical terminology is called “hypnoanesthesia” (Defechereux, 1938).

For a patient to achieve pain reduction through hypnosis, the patient must become an integral member of the surgical team (Mutter, 705 [4]), for the patient becomes his or her own anesthesiologist. However, in the rare case that a patient slips out of hypnoanesthesia, the standard anesthesiologist will step in and administer general anesthesia (Defechereux, 1938).

Based upon the procedures noted, there were basically two types of induction approaches used, both of which induce intense levels of boredom (the key which unlocks the entrance to the subconscious):

Eyes open suggestion/fixation (Whorell, 69[4]) or Erickson’s method (Defechereux, 1938; Havens) require the patient to focus his or her eyes on a single point or spot on the wall (often a single beam of light on a wall in a dark room) until the patient is bored into a subconscious state.  Eyes closed suggestion (Halligan, 986) or scripted (Lang, 1486), which also place a patient in a calm or dark room (Loitman, 118), but allow the patient to use his or her imagination while a monotonous repetition of words (Mosby “Self-Hypnosis”) coax a person into a subconscious state.

It has been found that hypnosis does not increase endorphin production as it was once thought to occur (Anonymous, 313[6]). In plain language, this means that the brain is not being affected by the morphine-like drug, endorphin, that the brain is known to have the ability to create. Thus, such pain relief is not clearly understood, though there are many technical theories.

One theory has been hypothesized that hypnosis blocks pain from entering the consciousness by activating frontal-limbic attention systems to inhibit pain impulse transmissions (Anonymous, 313[6]). What this means is that the state-of-mind which is created by hypnosis keeps the signal of pain from entering the conscious mind. The hypnosis does this by shifting the attention systems away from the stimulation that pain creates. By shifting attention, the brain does not process the stimulation or note that anything in the body’s operating environment is abnormal. Under normal conditions, when the body notes a problem, it will then turn on the signaling sensation of pain, noting that some part of the body is hurt, broken, or ill.

It has been found that hypnosis does not actually stop the signaling of pain. When this discovery was first made, there was a concern that people who underwent hypnosis were actually feeling the pain but masking their emotions. However, further studies revealed that although the pain signals were being generated by the body, these sensations were not being processed by the brain. Thus, the patient was not “feeling” the pain. It is this distinction which is essential to understand how a patient, who has had hypnoanesthesia, does not go into post-surgical shock (Wolkes, 22[6]).

Hypnosis began its use in surgery in 1837 when Dr. James Esdaile, a Scottish surgeon, adapted and used it as his sole anesthesia for painless surgery in India (Mutter, 705(4); BSMDHW). From his experimentation and use, post-surgical shock dropped from 50% to only 5%, but his credibility amongst his peers lapsed, due to their distrust of something as mysterious as hypnosis (BSMDHW). The stigma hypnosis has had was recently shattered by medical doctors who tested it extensively and found similar successes.

Between April 1994 and June 1997, 197 thyroidectomies and 21 cervical explorations for hyperparathyroidism were performed under hypnoanesthesia using Erickson’s method. The surgeons all reported better operating conditions for certivotomy using hypnoanesthesia, with only two (1%) requiring General Anesthesia (Defechereux, 1938).

Biobehavioral “non-pharmacological” analgesia in the form of imagery, relaxation training and hypnosis has been used successfully to treat procedural pain (Lang, 1486). Clinical practice guidelines for acute pain management, published by the U.S. Public Health Service, mention relaxation exercises and cognitive approaches. However, other uses are now being explored.

Eighteen patients, ranging from ages 20 to 48, were monitored for the effects of hypnotically induced emotions of excitement, anger, and happiness on colonic motility (spontaneous motion). Each patient had a solid-state catheter entered into their anus via a colonoscopy. After each patient was hypnotized, he or she was then suggested to feel each intense emotion. During the suggestion of specifically intense emotions, the patient’s colon motility was then measured.

During the test, the suggestion of anger, and then of excitement, each revealed high motility. However, the suggestion of happiness caused a measurement which was so low, it equated to the baseline (pre-hypnosis, fasting) measurement.

The study purported to have proven that hypnosis-based emotional suggestions indeed had effects on colonic motility. The authors further suggested that hypnosis might be effective for patients with irritable bowel syndrome (Whorell, 69[4]).

In another case study, a patient with longstanding conversion hysteria, which is a medical term for psychosomatic leg paralysis, was monitored by using Positronic Imaging Tomography, which is known in the medical field as a “Pet Scan.” It was discovered that two distinct prefrontal areas of the brain were activated.

The doctors in the study hypothesized that if someone was hypnotized to believe he or she had leg paralysis, thereafter, that person’s brain would, by Pet Scan, reveal similar prefrontal activity. So, a second patient, who did not suffer from conversion hysteria, was hypnotized using an eyes-closed relaxation and deepening involving visual imagery and the sensation of descent.

After the induction, the patient was suggested that his left leg was paralyzed. The patient believed the suggestion and found he could not move his leg.

After the hypnosis suggestion was made, the PET scan that was done which revealed similar prefrontal activity in the hypnotized patient as to that of the non-hypnotized patient with actual hysterical paralysis. Thus, it was considered that this conclusion supports the growing body of evidence that shows hysterical and hypnotic paralysis share common neural systems (Halligan, 986).

On the other hand, in treating psychosomatic conversion hysteria, hypnosis also been shown to provide a cure. A patient from Libya, who was suffering from leg paralysis, had been in and out of medical hospitals all over Europe, but no possible organic explanation or solution could be found to explain his illness.

In Paris, it was suggested that his illness may be psychosomatic, and was thus seen by Chawki Azouri, a Lebanese psychoanalyst from the Centre de Formation et de Recherche Psychanalytiques. While in a hypnotic state, it was discovered that the patient’s father had abused him, both with mind-altering drugs and tormentation, in an attempt to control his behavior into accepting an arraigned marriage. He resisted, and in the process, paralyzed himself with fear, on a subconscious level, which removed him from having to deal with the situation. After two months of sessions, wherein the patient overcame his mental anguish in relation to his family problems, his paralysis disappeared, and he was deemed “cured.”

One of the greater benefits of using hypnosis in medical procedures is to effect and shorten the patient’s time to recover. This is not only beneficial for the patients but also for the doctors, staff, and hospitals, for every minute one patient is moved out, there is room for the next patient to move into place, especially in operating rooms.

Replacing or supplementing anesthesia with the relaxation techniques reduced the average procedure time by 17 minutes (20% of total procedure time). This, in turn, reduced the average procedure cost by $130 per patient (Lang, 3097). Such reduction in cost was primarily the result of fewer interruptions during the procedures and avoiding over- or under-sedation of the patient that usually results in the patient being held overnight instead of being released in a few hours.

Consider Kadlec Medical Center, which has eight operating rooms. During a twenty-four hour period, assuming the average data from Lang is correct, each operation normally takes eighty-five minutes. Thus, at maximum in a single day, there are roughly sixteen completed operations per room.

If twenty percent of the operating time was eliminated by using hypnoanesthesia, the average time per operation would then be sixty-eight minutes. At this rate, a room could maximally host roughly twenty-one sessions in a twenty-four hour period.

When taken to the fact that Kadlec has eight operating rooms, the cost effects on the profitability of a hospital become clearer. Without hypnoanesthesia, the maximum number of operations in a single day Kadlec can perform is 128, but if they adapted hypnoanesthesia, they could deliver 168 surgeries per day. This is approximately a 30% increase in overall operating room effectiveness.

In the case of the 197 thyroidectomies and 21 cervical explorations for hyperparathyroidism, all patients having hypnoanesthesia reported a pleasant experience and had significantly less postoperative pain and analgesic use (Defechereux, 1938). This is of recent major benefit, for drug addiction, especially for prescription drugs, is often implicated from dependency on painkillers.

Hospital stay was also significantly shorter, providing a substantial reduction in the costs of medical care (Defechereux, 1938). Using figures from Kadlec Medical Center, when a patient has to be moved to a room, even for an eight-hour stay, a room rate of $500 is tacked on the patient’s bill. When a patient recovers enough to be released without being checked into a room, the savings become very clear.

When considering pain management, dentists have found hypnosis to be effective for patients with painful tooth-root sensitivity. In a study done by the United States Air Force Dental Corps, eight patients, all of whom had suffered with this problem for an average of four and a half years, were induced into hypnosis and told that they could tolerate or ignore pain on one side of their mouth. The hypnotic suggestion was implanted once a week for three weeks, and in all, seven of the eight patients’ pain sensitivity decreased, as this result was tested, and lasted for over six months.

Hypnosis has even been found useful in increasing the blood content of white blood cells. In a study done at Washington State University by Professor Arreed F. Barabasz, Ph.D., sixty-five volunteer college students were selected, had blood samples taken to determine current white blood counts, and categorized into two groups. One group of 33 students was easily able to achieve hypnosis while the other 32 had great difficulty. All volunteers then watched a video describing the immune system.

Afterwards, they then listened to a hypnotic induction asking them to imagine their white blood cells attacking “germ cells,” and for them to repeat the self-hypnosis process on their own time twice a day.

Students who easily underwent hypnosis revealed, in blood tests taken at the end of the study, a larger increase in two major classes of white blood cells than those students who did not take well to hypnosis. Thus, the study purported that hypnosis may prove to be helpful in the treatment of Cancer and AIDS (Bower, 152[1]).

With so many discoveries on the use of hypnosis, there has been more emphasis on learning and disseminating these approaches to others. One of the pioneers in this field has been Stanford University Professor Emeritus Ernest R. Hilgard, who opened Stanford’s Laboratory of Hypnosis Research in 1957 (Wolkes, 22[6]).

Dr. Hilgard believes that hypnosis is a technique, like using a stethoscope. It is based in a routine skill, which requires minimal abilities to be delivered to a patient.

One who delivers hypnosis must develop an acute awareness of the responses a hypnotized patient will deliver more precisely over that a non-hypnotized patient. According to Dr. Hilgard, who has produced the most widely used experimentally derived scales for measuring hypnotic susceptibility; there are three primary differences a hypnotized patient delivers which a non-hypnotized patient will not:  Intensely controlled muscular action, such as inducing temporary paralysis, is easily produced in the hypnotized patient. As noted above, a patient who accepts paralysis under suggestion will create the same neurological processes as are involved with actual conversion hysteria to induce such paralysis.

Secondly, hallucinations that alter a patient’s field of vision are accepted as real. Such suggestions test how deep the patient’s belief in the hypnosis really is. A hypnotized patient, with eyes open, can either “see” things that are not real, or edit out things, that others around them can see, from their own sight.

Finally, a patient’s acceptance of a suggested imaginary activity or ability is effortless. By watching how a patient adapts, accepts, and believes in the suggested activity, the patient delivers visual signals to the hypnoanesthesia team on just how hypnotized the patient is. So, if a patient is told that he or she had just climbed Mt. Everest and needed to tell about it, the patient’s imagination would rationalize the suggestion as real, augment a false memory with details so the patient would be professing “truth” because the patient was unaware the story was being generated merely by a working suggestion.

With the dissemination of information expanding on the use and acceptance of hypnosis among medical practitioners, especially with the help of internet sources, the trend for more adaptation of these techniques appears to be well supported. Combined with the testing for new avenues of use, the future of hypnosis in medicine looks to be an enterprising field.

As health care costs have skyrocketed, when one considers how hypnosis aids shorter surgical procedures, decreased anesthesia use, and faster recovery time, the financial benefits become abundantly clear. Any process which factors into lower medical costs, better pain reduction, and higher survivability for the patient must have more information generated to educate and aid the general public’s acceptance and request for its use in their own medical therapy.

Hypnosis should become a standard practice in the medical field. In this way, it can better aid the survival of humankind.

Works Cited
“Hypnosis.” Mosby’s Medical, Nursing, & Allied Health Dictionary. 5th ed. 1998. (InfoTrac)

“Self-Hypnosis.” Mosby’s Medical, Nursing, & Allied Health Dictionary. 5th ed. 1998. (InfoTrac)

Anonymous. “Integration of Behavioral and Relaxation Approaches into the Treatment of Chronic Pain and Insomnia.” JAMA, The Journal of the American Medical Association 276.4 (1996): 313(6). (InfoTrac)

Bower, Bruce. “Marital tiffs spark immune swoon … but hypnosis offers immune aid [study by WSU Professor Dr. Arreed F. Barabasz]” Science News 144.10 ( 4 Sep. 1993): 152(1). (InfoTrac)

British Society of Medical and Dental Hypnosis. “A Brief History of Hypnosis in Medicine.” British Society of Medical and Dental Hypnosis Website (BSMDHW). http://www.bsmdlh.org/history.html

Defechereux, Thierry. “Hypnoanesthesia for Endocrine Cervical Surgery: A Statement of Practice (an abstract).” JAMA, The Journal of the American Medical Association 283.15 (2000): 1938. (InfoTrac)

Halligan, Peter W., et al. “Imaging Hypnotic Paralysis:
Implications for Conversion Hysteria.” The Lancet 355.9208 (2000): 986.

Havens, Ronald A., ed. The Wisdom of Milton H. Erickson: Hypnosis & Hypnotherapy. New York: Irvington Publishers, Inc., 1985.

Lang, Elvira V., et al. “Adjunctive Non-Pharmacological Analgesia For Invasive Medical Procedures: A Randomized Trial.” The Lancet 355.9214 (2000): 1486 (InfoTrac)

Lang, Elvira V. “Relaxation Technique Reduces Patient Anxiety Before Surgery.” American Family Physician 61.10 (2000): 3097. (InfoTrac)

Loitman, Jane E. “Pain Management: Beyond Pharmacology to Acupuncture and Hypnosis.” JAMA, The Journal of the American Medical Association 283.1 (2000): 118. (InfoTrac)

Mutter, Charles B. and Michael L. Coates. “Hypnosis in Family Medicine.” American Family Physician 42.5 (1990): 705(4). (InfoTrac)

Whorell, P.J., et al. “Physiological Effects of Emotion: Assessment via Hypnosis.” The Lancet 340.8811 (1992): 69(4). (InfoTrac)

Wolkes, John. “A study of hypnosis: director of Stanford’s Laboratory of Hypnosis Research for more than 20 years, Hilgard paved the way for the growing respectability of hypnosis (an interview with Ernest R. Hilgard [PhD]).” Psychology Today 20 (Jan. 1986): 22(6). (InfoTrac)

Additional Sources
Azouri, Chawki. “The talking cure.” UNESCO Courier Mar. 1994: 34(2). (InfoTrac)

Brager, David I. Scrypnosis: Hypnosis without Hypnotists. 26 Nov. 2000 http://www.scrypnosis.com

Zarrow, Susan. “Soothing sensitive teeth: hypnosis may relieve the pain.” Prevention 42.3 (Mar. 1990): 22(3). (InfoTrac)
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In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, any copyrighted work in this message is distributed under fair use without profit or payment for non-profit research and educational purposes only.
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Maximum Power,

Dr. Dave Hill, DCH
http://www.drdavehill.com

“All our dreams can come true, if we have the courage to pursue them.” -Walt Disney

The dangers of smoking have been studied and analyzed for years. The detrimental effect of smoking on people’s health and their activities is now public knowledge, and many people who have become addicted to smoking are now looking for ways to quit.

Most stop smoking programs work at increasing the individual’s strength to resist the desire to smoke. They rely on willpower, and for most people that is the worst method for quitting smoking. Willpower fluctuates like moods and emotions. One day it may be strong, the next day it may be weak.

Hypnosis works at eliminating the desire to smoke, whether it be from identification or replacement, the two principle reasons for smoking.

Identification is when the smoker indulges in the habit because the smoker admires (or associates) with others who smoke, such as, parents, peers, or celebrities. Identification smoking is the most common and the easiest to eliminate.

Replacement is when smoking takes the place of a previous habit, such as, overeating. Smoking is used to replace something that is missing, such as companionship, love, acceptance, self-esteem, security, or independence. Or smoking fills a void created by anxiety of boredom. Replacement smokers often receive sensual gratification from smoking. They enjoy the feeling of the cigarette in their mouth or the taste of the tobacco. For cigar and pipe smokers, the act of lighting becomes a ritual.

For both types of smokers, smoking is both a physical and a mental process. So, to be effective, the stop smoking program must address both aspects.

To address the psychological aspects of smoking, the hypnotherapist may include an evaluation of why the person started smoking. “What purpose does it serve in their life?” For the Identification Smoker, suggestions can be given to help strengthen a person’s perception of the individuality, that is, not needing to smoke to be accepted. For the Replacement Smoker, a more detailed analysis of their motivation is required.

To address the physical aspects of smoking, the hypnotherapist may include suggestions that change the perception of the taste from pleasant to unpleasant. The individual can imagine cigarettes as unappealing, bad tasting, foul smelling, and revolting in every sense of the word. This makes quitting easier.

Hypnosis takes advantage of the mind’s natural ability to imagine and visualize. The client pictures themselves free from the habit, filled with new health, energy, and vitality. They can see themselves as looking healthier, more attractive, and being more active.

Once a smoker has achieved success in a stop smoking program it is necessary to reinforce the programming that led to quitting. Smoking is a habit that is acquired and built over time. It can rarely be completely eliminated in an instant. Even though they may have stopped smoking, the behavior pattern still remains. Fortunately, it fades with disuse. Hypnotic conditioning with audio CD’s can be used to reinforce the changes until they become permanent.

Maximum Power,

Dr. Dave Hill, DCH
http://www.drdavehill.com

“All our dreams can come true, if we have the courage to pursue them.”
-Walt Disney

Two men, both seriously ill, occupied the same hospital room.

One man was allowed to sit up in his bed for an hour each afternoon to help drain the fluid from his lungs.

His bed was next to the room’s only window.

The other man had to spend all his time flat on his back.

The men talked for hours on end.

They spoke of their wives and families, their homes, their jobs, their involvement in the military service, where they had been on vacation..

Every afternoon, when the man in the bed by the window could sit up, he would pass the time by describing to his roommate all the things he could see outside the window.

The man in the other bed began to live for those one hour periods where his world would be broadened and enlivened by all the activity and color of the world outside.

The window overlooked a park with a lovely lake.

Ducks and swans played on the water while children sailed their model boats. Young lovers walked arm in arm amidst flowers of every color and a fine view of the city skyline could be seen in the distance.

As the man by the window described all this in exquisite details, the man on the other side of the room would close his eyes and imagine this picturesque scene.

One warm afternoon, the man by the window described a parade passing by.

Although the other man could not hear the band – he could see it in his mind’s eye as the gentleman by the window portrayed it with descriptive words.

Days, weeks and months passed.

One morning, the day nurse arrived to bring water for their baths only to find the lifeless body of the man by the window, who had died peacefully in his sleep. She was saddened and called the hospital attendants to take the body away.

As soon as it seemed appropriate, the other man asked if he could be moved next to the window. The nurse was happy to make the switch, and after making sure he was comfortable, she left him alone.

Slowly, painfully, he propped himself up on one elbow to take his first look at the real world outside. He strained to slowly turn to look out the window besides the bed.

It faced a blank wall.

The man asked the nurse what could have compelled his deceased roommate who had described such wonderful things outside this window.

The nurse responded that the man was blind and could not even see the wall.

She said, ‘Perhaps he just wanted to encourage you.’

Epilogue:

There is tremendous happiness in making others happy, despite our own situations.

Shared grief is half the sorrow, but happiness when shared, is doubled.

‘Today is a gift, that is why it is called The Present.’

Change the way you see, Not the way you look!

Author – Unknown

Maximum Power,

Dr. Dave Hill, DCH
http://www.drdavehill.com

“All our dreams can come true, if we have the courage to pursue them.” -Walt Disney

Hypnotism has many more practical uses that can benefit your everyday life.

Here are five common, everyday issues that hypnosis can help you with.

1. Insomnia. Hypnosis is incredibly effective for relieving insomnia. Most patients get relief within one session. Even people who have suffered from insomnia for years have experienced immediate relief. Hypnosis can be used to stop the symptom of insomnia and can be used as an ongoing therapy to prevent the return of insomnia.

2. Finding Lost Objects. Have you ever lost an object and been frustrated trying to remember, consciously, where you put it? Then maybe weeks or months later you find it and remember, “oh, yeah, I put that there because…” Hypnosis can be used to access the subconscious mind, which will remember accurately where you put the object. Many people have recovered lost objects this way.

3. End an Unwanted Habit. Want to quit smoking, biting your nails, or some other habit that you just can’t seem to quit through “willpower” alone? The subconscious mind is 88% of our brain’s power, so trying to quit with willpower alone means the odds are stacked against you, 12% against 88%. Your subconscious will not release the habit without intervention, and that is what hypnosis is, intervention for your subconscious mind. Convince your subconscious that you are a non-smoker, non-nail-biter, etc., and watch yourself change.

4. Get Past a Fear or Phobia. Many people have their lives limited by a fear or a phobia. Perhaps you don’t fly home to see family because of a phobia about flying. A fear is a learned reaction to a real event (e.g., a fear of dogs because you were bitten as a child). A phobia is an irrational reaction (e.g., fear of flying when you haven’t had any negative experiences on a plane). Both fears and phobias are quickly resolved through hypnosis, giving you new freedom in your life.

5. Get Relief from Chronic Pain. Pain relief, an anesthetic effect, is a natural property of hypnosis. Before the discovery of ether, hypnosis was commonly used to anesthetize patients for surgery. Even today, hypnosis is being used for dental patients and for medical patients who cannot tolerate chemical anesthesia, and these patients tend to recover more quickly as well. What does this mean in your day to day life? Chronic aches and pains that are not responding to traditional medical approaches can be relieved by using the anesthetic properties of hypnosis. Once a qualified hypnotherapist teaches you how to use hypnosis this way, you can provide pain relief for yourself at any time, anywhere, in any circumstance.

There are many more applications for hypnosis that can benefit you in your everyday life. Many have used hypnosis successfully for weight loss, to improve their memory, to relieve stage fright or performance anxiety, and much, much more. How could hypnosis benefit your life?

Maximum Power,

Dr. Dave Hill, DCH
http://www.drdavehill.com

“All our dreams can come true, if we have the courage to pursue them.” -Walt Disney

July 1, 2009
By Rita Rubin, USA TODAY

The smoking cessation drugs Chantix and Zyban must now carry a boxed warning — the strongest type possible — about the risk of serious mental health problems, including depression, behavior changes and suicidal thoughts, the Food and Drug Administration announced Wednesday.

These have occurred in people with and without underlying psychiatric illnesses as well as those still smoking, Curt Rosebraugh, head of the FDA office that approved the stop-smoking drugs, said at a news conference. The symptoms linked to the drugs resemble those of nicotine withdrawal.

Rosebraugh emphasized that such events appear to be rare and that for many people, the drugs’ benefits outweigh their risks. “The health benefits of quitting smoking … are immediate and substantial,” he said.

Besides the immediate labeling change, the FDA is requiring the drugs’ makers to conduct a clinical trial to determine how often serious psychiatric symptoms occur in people using them. Earlier clinical trials didn’t uncover a potential psychiatric risk, Rosebraugh said, but “they weren’t specifically looking for it.”

The FDA decided to require the boxed warning after reviewing voluntary adverse-event reports for stop-smoking products, Rosebraugh said.

Chantix was approved in May 2006. In September 2007, a “bizarre” Texas case spurred the FDA to look at adverse-event reports, Rosebraugh said, referring to musician Carter Albrecht, 34, whose girlfriend blamed Chantix for the abnormal violent behavior that led to his shooting death.

In May 2008, a watchdog group posted a study online that linked Chantix to loss of consciousness, lapses in alertness, dizziness and muscle spasms. That led the Federal Aviation Administration to remove it from the list of drugs considered safe for pilots and air traffic controllers.

For Chantix, the FDA has received 98 reports of suicides; for Zyban and bupropion, the drug’s generic name, 14. There also were 188 reports of attempted suicides by Chantix users, 17 by smokers trying to quit with bupropion. Nicotine-replacement products haven’t generated similar reports, Rosebraugh said.

He cautioned “these are crude counts” and attributed the higher number for Chantix to publicity about the drug and its larger market share.

Chantix maker Pfizer and Zyban maker GlaxoSmithKline say they don’t believe the suicide reports establish their drugs as the cause.

“If some of this is nicotine withdrawal, it really doesn’t matter,” the FDA’s Robert Temple said. Smokers trying to quit and their doctors need to pay attention to behavior changes, no matter their cause, Temple said.

Bupropion is also sold as Wellbutrin, an antidepressant. Generic bupropion and Wellbutrin already carry a boxed warning about suicidal behavior in patients who receive the drug for psychiatric disorders.

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In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, any copyrighted work in this message is distributed under fair use without profit or payment for non-profit research and educational purposes only.
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Maximum Power,

Dr. Dave Hill, DCH
http://www.drdavehill.com

“All our dreams can come true, if we have the courage to pursue them.” -Walt Disney

We’ve heard it before: “Imagine yourself passing the exam or scoring a goal and it will happen.” We may roll our eyes and think that’s easier said than done, but in a new study in Psychological Science, a journal of the Association for Psychological Science, psychologists Christopher Davoli and Richard Abrams from Washington University suggest that the imagination may be more effective than we think in helping us reach our goals.

A group of students searched visual displays for specific letters (which were scattered among other letters serving as distracters) and identified them as quickly as possible by pressing a button. While performing this task, the students were asked to either imagine themselves holding the display monitor with both hands or with their hands behind their backs (it was emphasized that they were not to assume those poses, but just imagine them).

The results showed that simply imagining a posture may have effects that are similar to actually assuming the pose. A The participants spent more time searching the display when they imagined themselves holding the monitor, compared to when they imagined themselves with their hands behind their backs. The researchers suggest that the slower rate of searching indicates a more thorough analysis of items closer to the hands. Previous research has shown that we spend more time looking at items close to our hands (items close to us are usually more important than those further away), but this is the first study suggesting that merely imagining something close to our hands will cause us to pay more attention to it.

The researchers suggest these findings indicate that our “peripersonal space” (the space around our body) can be extended into a space where an imagined posture would take us. They note there may be advantages to having this ability, such as determining if an action is realistic (e.g., “Can I reach the top shelf?”) and helping us to avoid collisions. The authors conclude that the present study confirms “an idea that has long been espoused by motivational speakers, sports psychologists, and John Lennon alike: The imagination has the extraordinary capacity to shape reality.”

Released ( Apr. 15, 2009)

Journal reference:

Reaching Out With the Imagination. Psychological Science, (in press)Adapted from materials provided by Association for Psychological Science.

Association for Psychological Science (2009, April 15). Power Of Imagination Is More Than Just A Metaphor. ScienceDaily. Retrieved April 16, 2009, from http://www.sciencedaily.com /releases/2009/04/090414153527.htm

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In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, any copyrighted work in this message is distributed under fair use without profit or payment for non-profit research and educational purposes only.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Maximum Power,

Dr. Dave Hill, DCH
http://www.drdavehill.com

“All our dreams can come true, if we have the courage to pursue them.” -Walt Disney

Researchers Observe Changes in Brain Activity During Hypnosis
By Bill Hendrick
WebMD Health News
Reviewed by Louise Chang, MD

June 26, 2009 — University of Geneva researchers say they found in a series of experiments using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) that brain activity is different under hypnosis.

Their study is published in journal Neuron.

The study concludes that hypnosis induces a disconnection of motor commands from normal voluntary processes under the influence of brain circuits involved in executive control and self-imagery, Yann Cojan, PhD, of the Neuroscience Center and Medical School at the University of Geneva, tells WebMD in an email.

The researchers used fMRI to scan brains of 12 people who were tested on hand movement before and after hypnosis for left hand paralysis.

Despite the paralysis, neurons in the motor cortex region were still firing away in preparation for the task, Cojan tells WebMD.

He says his team confirmed “subjective reports of hypnotic phenomenon” and also that “functional connectivity is a very important process in the brain” that hypnosis is capable of modifying.

What was surprising was that the cortex appeared to be ignoring parts of the brain with which it normally communicates in controlling movement, the researchers say.

Hypnosis produced changes in areas involved in attention, and also modified connections between the brain’s motor cortex and other regions, Cojan tells WebMD.

Besides the 12 who were hypnotized, the researchers also scanned the brains of six people who had not been hypnotized but who had been told to feign hand paralysis for testing. They comprised the comparison group.

“These results suggest that hypnosis may enhance self-monitoring processes to allow internal representations generated by the suggestion to guide behavior but does not act through direct motor inhibition,” Cojan says in a news release. “These findings make an important new step toward establishing neurobiological foundations for the striking impact of hypnosis on the brain and behavior.”

In the study participants, messages weren’t sent through normal brain channels, so when hypnotized subjects were told to move their left hands, they couldn’t, Cojan says.

Hypnosis, the researchers found, induces a disconnect in normal voluntary processes involved in planning to move a body part. “Hypnosis is a very old tool in many medical domains but it is still unclear how it works,” Cojan says.

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In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, any copyrighted work in this message is distributed under fair use without profit or payment for non-profit research and educational purposes only.
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Maximum Power,

Dr. Dave Hill, DCH
http://www.drdavehill.com

“All our dreams can come true, if we have the courage to pursue them.” -Walt Disney

Can comments made during surgery by your doctors, nurses, and other staff affect the outcome of your operation? Can you hear their conversations even while you’re anesthetized? The answer to both questions is an emphatic “yes,” according to Dr. Henry Bennett, Ph.D.

Dr. Bennett, a psychologist, has concluded several experiments on anesthetized patients. His findings convinced him that the operating room environment itself can help or hurt the patient, depending upon what is said there.

According to Dr. Bennett’s findings, an anesthetized patient is not “asleep.” The patient is aware of much more that even the operating room staff believes. The anesthetized state may be more like a deep state of hypnosis than it is like the “out” state we normally think of with total unconsciousness. Because of this, comments made about the patient during the surgery can have a profound effect upon the outcome of the surgery.

The last thing that a patient should hear, even in a stupor, is “This looks bad,” or “He’s not going to make it.” Instead, Dr. Bennett suggests that operation room staff always speak positively about the surgery to the patient, “as if the patient were awake.” In addition, Dr. Bennett suggest using the anesthetized state purposefully, as a vehicle to deliver even more positive suggestions, similarly as can be done in the hypnotized state. Such suggestions could be as simple a “You are doing very well;” or they could be more elaborate and specific to the surgery, such as “When the doctor introduces the new organ, it will be easily accepted by your body and will function perfectly.”

In two different studies where such positive suggestions were made to patients during surgery, there was a documented positive effect. In one case, a woman was instructed to have her body move the blood away from her back during her spinal surgery. She experienced a blood loss that was 50 per cent less than normal for this operation. In a different study a researcher gave the suggestion to hysterectomy patients that they would feel like getting up out of bed and walking around shortly after surgery. The patients receiving the suggestions ambulated sooner and had fewer complications than the test group who did not receive the suggestions.

This is reason enough to ask your doctor and his staff to monitor their “Operating Room Chatter.” But what if you want to go even further? You may not be able to convince your doctor to rattle off a list of positive statements during your operation. (His mind might be, you hope, focused on the more immediate task of performing the surgery itself.)

Nonetheless, you can still obtain the positive effects of positive statements made during surgery. Start by finding a qualified hypnotherapist. Ask the hypnotherapist to create an audiotape (CD) containing positive statements about your surgery (they hypnotherapist may have one or more such tapes ready made, or they might make one up specifically for you.) Check with your doctor before showing up in the Operating Room with your tape or CD; but since more and more patients are listening to tapes and CD’s during surgery, the doctor should not be surprised at your request.

An even better idea would be to visit the hypnotherapist one or more times prior to the surgery to pre-program the mental suggestions for positive results even more strongly. Armed with knowledge and a positive attitude, you will be ready for a successful operation and a speedy recovery.

Maximum Power,

Dr. Dave Hill, DCH
http://www.drdavehill.com

“All our dreams can come true, if we have the courage to pursue them.”
-Walt Disney

That Will Make Any Patient Healthier & Happier
Published on Tuesday August 19, 2008 (www.rncentral. com)

Sometimes even the best medicine and healthcare is not enough for a full recovery. For patients struggling with illness or dealing with a major life change, these positive thinking exercises can mean all the difference. Here are 100 that we’ve compiled to help you channel your negative or angry thoughts into a happier and more productive positive outlook.

General
Practice these simple exercises and suggestions to keep your thoughts on the positive side.

Only use positive words when talking. If you’re constantly telling yourself “I can’t” you may convince yourself that’s the truth. Replace these negative words with positive ones instead. Tell yourself you will do your best or that you will try your hardest instead.

Push out all feelings that aren’t positive. Don’t let negative thoughts and feelings overwhelm you when you’re feeling down. Even if it’s only for a few hours a day, push your negativity aside and only focus on the good things in your life.

Use words that evoke strength and success. Try filling your thoughts with words that make you feel strong, happy and in control of your life. Make a concentrated effort to focus on these words rather than those that make you feel like you are failing or incompetent.

Practice positive affirmation. One of the most popular positive thinking exercises is positive affirmation. This means you repeat a positive phrase to yourself on a regular basis like “I deserve to be happy” or “I am worthy of love”. Believing that these things are true, and reminding yourself of it can help give you a more positive outlook on life.

Direct your thoughts. This technique, used by psychotherapists, can help you to control your thoughts when you start to feel down or anxious. Create a happy thought, a positive image, or give yourself positive feedback to keep bad feelings in check.

Believe you will succeed. There is nothing like believing in your self to create a successful reality. Give yourself the benefit of the doubt and believe that you will succeed at fulfilling your goals.

Analyze what went wrong. Thinking positively doesn’t mean denying that there is anything wrong. Instead, give yourself some time to think about the things that led up to your current situation so you can avoid future mistakes and look toward a more positive tomorrow.

Give yourself credit. Often when we feel frustrated or upset we only concentrate on the bad things or the mistakes we’ve made instead of giving ourselves credit for what we do right. Allow yourself to feel confident about the things you have accomplished, even if you’ve messed up in other areas.

Forgive yourself. Constantly beating yourself up about things that have gone wrong won’t change them. Tell yourself that you’re forgiven for your mistakes and allow yourself to move on.

Learn from the past. The past is behind you and no matter how badly things went there is nothing you can do to change them. Whenever you feel negative thoughts about the past come up, replace them with positive thoughts about the future.

Remember things could be worse. No matter how bad things get remember that they could be worse and be grateful for all the good things that are in your life, even when it seems there’s more bad than good.

Think of it as an opportunity. Sometimes even the seemingly negative things in our lives present us with opportunities we wouldn’t have been strong enough to pursue otherwise. Maybe losing your job is just the chance you need to start your own business or go back to school.

Come up with ideas of how to turn negative thoughts into positive ones. If you find yourself thinking you should have done this or that differently, try changing your thoughts around. Instead give yourself credit for what you did do, remember that you are not perfect or that you can do better next time.

Work on visualization. Picturing what you want to accomplish or the person you’d like to be can be a great motivator to getting you there and helping you feel more positive about the distance you have to go yet.

Think of ways to turn visualization into action. The next natural step of this is to think of just how you’re going to get to where you see yourself. Just picturing it isn’t going to make it happen, so create a plan to take it one step at a time until you’ve made it.

Practice self-hypnosis. Self-hypnosis brings about a highly conscious state of mind that is willing to follow instructions. This means you’ll be more open to positive suggestions that will allow you to be happier and hopefully healthier in your life.

List the reasons you will get what you want. If you are having trouble believing that you’ll get that big promotion or that your book will get published try sitting down and coming up with a list of reasons that you will get what you want rather than focusing on the reasons you might not.

At Work
Work can be a stressful place but use these techniques and ideas to keep you looking on the bright side.

Be constructive. Giving yourself cruel and unwarranted criticisms will not only put you in a bad mood it surely won’t help you improve either. Be constructive in your criticisms of yourself so you can grow and learn.

Visualize a successful outcome. Sometimes it can be helpful to picture yourself completing a project successfully or getting the promotion you desire. This can encourage you and make you feel better about the situation.

Sit up straight. Slouching down in your chair isn’t going to make you feel any better about anything that’s bothering you. Sit up straight in your chair and see if it improves your thinking.

Surround yourself with positive images. Make your desk your own private happy getaway. Put up pictures of things that make you happy or that remind you of your goals to create a calming and positive environment.

Relax and let things happen. Sometimes the best way to deal with problems is to relax and let them take their course. Things can often appear to be a bigger deal than they really are and reminding yourself of this can help you to relax and not feel so stressed.

See it from another point of view. Change your pattern of thought by trying to see things from another point of view, whether it’s your coworkers, your bosses or just someone impartial. It can help you see where you went wrong and understand why others might be upset.

Keep track of your thoughts. When you catch yourself thinking negative thoughts, try jotting them down. You may find a pattern and figure out some ways to reverse how you’re seeing yourself or negative situations.

Don’t dwell. So you made a mistake. It happens to everyone. Don’t dwell on your mistakes. Make peace with yourself and move on to other projects.

Stop being your own worst critic. There’s no one else who knows just how to make you feel terrible like you can. Lay off on the harsh criticism and think good things about yourself when you feel you’re at your worst.

Look at yourself rationally. It’s easy to get down on yourself for messing up at work, even on the little things. But try taking a step back and looking at the situation. You may find that what you thought was a big deal really doesn’t matter that much.

Believe in yourself. Want that promotion? Hoping to get that huge account? Believe that you can do it and it just might come true.

Avoid negative coworkers. Nothing can ruin a positive attitude like coworkers who bring out the negatives in everything. Avoid talking to those you know will only make you feel worse.

Truly believe you are the best at your job. If you’re constantly looking for failures in your work and put on a sour attitude you’re much more likely to actually be putting in a poor performance. If you think that you’re good at your job you’re much more likely to put in the effort and performance that will make you good.

Look for opportunity. In every failure there’s an opportunity to improve. Spend time thinking of ways you can turn your setbacks at work into ways you can get ahead in the future.

Family and Personal Life
Whether you’re struggling with keeping a positive attitude about yourself or about issues within your family, try these positive thinking techniques.

Associate yourself with those who think positively. Positivity is contagious, so find friends and family members who look on the bright side to surround you with.

Be glad your life isn’t boring. If nothing good or bad ever happened to you, likely you’d start to get pretty bored with your life. Take everything that is coming to you as a challenge and a way to keep yourself busy and interested in your life.

Look at the big picture. Is that parking ticket you got a bummer? Of course. Will you still feel bad about it later this week? This month? Learn to let go of the things that don’t really matter.

Let go of the past. It does not determine your future so why focus on it? If you feel yourself ruminating on the past make a conscious effort to take your thoughts in another direction.

Benefit from the attitudes of others. Have a friend that always knows just what to say to make you feel like things will be alright? Take comfort in those around you that have positive attitudes and can make you feel better about anything going on in your life.

Develop a personal mantra. No matter what you choose to repeat to yourself, make your mantra words you want to live by each and every day that can remind you to be positive and take whatever life has to offer.

Find someone to share with. Knowing you are not alone can be a healing experience. Share your negative feelings with a friend, a family member or a even a mental health professional. You’ll likely feel better after you’ve gotten things off your chest and had someone to sound off with.

Do something nice. Want to feel better? Try doing something nice for someone you care about. You’ll get to feel good for being nice and you just might make someone else’s day.

Indulge yourself. One way to remind yourself of the positive things that life has to offer is to indulge yourself in whatever it is you love. Whether it’s a box of chocolates, a massage or a new video game, give yourself a break to relax.

Remind yourself of your blessings. Whether you feel blessed by your family, your friends or even that you just have food to eat each day remind yourself of these things, however small you may feel they may be.

Say thank you. Most of us have a lot to feel grateful for that we simply take for granted. Thank those in your life that make it better and happier to get a positivity boost for yourself as well.

Come up with positive things about those you love. Making someone else feel good about them can strengthen relationships and give you a positive thought to concentrate on, instead of the negative.

Avoid laying blame. So the water bill didn’t get paid. You could get mad and start a fight with your spouse or roommate. Or, you could let it go, take it in stride and work together to remedy the situation. Be playful. There’s nothing to lift your mood and change your thinking like taking some time to embrace playfulness and your inner child.

Fun and Relaxation
Don’t spend your free time feeling bad about things that have happened. Change your thoughts from the bad to the good with these helpful tips.

Read an inspiring book. If you’re having trouble finding something inspiring about your life right now try getting inspired by the life of someone else by reading a book meant to inspire and uplift.

Watch your favorite sappy movie. Get a quick pick me up by watching your favorite movie or just your favorite scenes. You’ll get a smile or a laugh and forget whatever was getting you down.

Take a break from the news. The news is often filled with all kinds of depressing information. If you’re already in a bad mood take a night off from the news and do something that you find enjoyable instead.

Engage in physical activity; working out releases chemicals that give you a mood lift. Take a jog, play a sport or just walk around the block to improve your outlook.

Listen to something upbeat. Music can be a great mood enhancer. Whether you’re driving in your car or hanging out at home, crank up the tunes with something that makes you feel happy.

Monitor your stream of consciousness. When you’re just sitting and thinking do negative thoughts overtake everything else? Monitor where your mind goes when it’s at rest and learn to redirect your thoughts towards happier memories.

Engage in activities that work towards your goals. If you’re trying to lose weight don’t spend the weekend baking cookies that will only tempt you towards falling off the low-cal wagon. Instead, pump yourself up by going on a hike, playing tennis with a friend or just getting active.

Concentrate on breathing. When things just seem to be too much to deal with, try concentrating on simply breathing. It will relax you, eliminate some of your anxiety and allow you to focus on more positive elements in your life.

Focus on all the fun in your life. While you might spend 40 hours a week slaving away behind a desk you likely has some things in your life that are fun and enjoyable as well. Focus on these things and spend time thinking of new and exciting ways to have fun when you’re feeling down.

Explore the world around you. Distract yourself from your negative feelings by embracing your sense of adventure. Check out a part of town you have never been to, take a day trip to a local winery, or just spend time reliving the happy memories from things around your house.

Get excited. Even if there are a million things you’re dreading doing come Monday try to find one thing that you’re excited about. Even that one thing can have a big impact on how you feel and how you approach your day.

Find something to laugh about. If you don’t have anything in your day that’s been particularly funny, think about a memory that never fails to make you laugh. It’s hard to be negative when you’re laughing and smiling.

Count down to total relaxation. All of us have been so upset or frustrated at some point that we just feel like we want to explode. If you feel yourself reaching this point, stop, and start counting. For an additional bonus, try relaxing each body part in turn as you count so you end up completely relaxed and ready to think logically.

Meditate. The benefits of meditation are many, and one of them can be encouraging positive thinking. By clearing your mind and relaxing you can push out a large amount of negativity that may be troubling you.

Think of 100 things you enjoy doing. Feeling like your life is one big, horrible sinkhole at the moment? Sit yourself down and try to come up with a list of things that you enjoy doing. Even small things like taking a hot shower or enjoying a walk in the snow can make you realize that your life isn’t so bad after all.

Create something. Negativity inspires a lot of destructive feelings and one way to counter that is by working to create something instead. Paint or draw, sew some new curtains, build a model or even put together a puzzle.

Imagine yourself in a happy place. Visualization can be a powerful tool and you can use it to remove yourself from whatever situation you feel unhappy in to one that makes you smile. Just close your eyes and imagine whatever makes you feel best.

Facing Challenges
Everyone has to face challenges in their lives from time to time. Whether they’re difficult personal goals to meet or unexpected problems these tips can help you make it through with a smile on your face.

Fake it till you make it. One way to deal with a challenge is to create a feeling of confidence and happiness in you. At first this feeling might not be real, but over time you’ll start to actually feel happier and maybe even closer to your goal.

Believe you will get well. Those facing illnesses can feel a sense of hopelessness and fear. These feelings aren’t going to help anything. Concentrate on getting better and living each moment as if you will soon be well.

Understand the obstacles are there to challenge you. Along your path to success you’re going to encounter some roadblocks. Understand that these aren’t necessarily there to stop you from doing what you want, just to ensure that you truly want it.

Picture yourself at the weight you want to be. Losing weight can be a huge challenge, even for the most determined. Picturing yourself at the weight you want to be can be a great motivator to getting you on the track to success.

Start small. Working at a huge goal all at once can be overwhelming and sometimes discouraging. Take things one step at a time and chip away at your ultimate goal until you get there.

Don’t let yourself quit. Giving up is usually taking the easy way out of a situation. No matter how negative you’re feeling; never let yourself quit pursuing something you truly want. You’ll thank yourself in the long run if you don’t give up.

Don’t expect change to be easy. No one ever promised that making a big change in your life would be easy or that overcoming obstacles would be a walk in the park. It’s not supposed to be. Don’t let opposition let you lose your confidence and adapt a negative attitude.

Find the bright side. Every cloud has a silver lining and you just need to find yours. Try finding the bright spot amidst all the turmoil surrounding a situation and focus on that to get you through.

Understand that the situation is not forever. Even if you’re dealing with the grief of a lost loved one, remember that in time you will feel better. You may always feel sad about a loss, but it will only get easier as time goes on. Take it day by day and keep in mind the transience of any bad situation.

Truly believe you will succeed. If you want an extra edge on success, believe that you will be successful. This may give you the confidence and assurance you need to make the difference.

Face up to change. The world is constantly changing and you and those around you are changing as well. Make peace with these changes and understand they don’t always mean the end of happiness just because they’re something different.

Make a conscious decision to be resilient. In life you can either let a challenge break you down and make you see the world in a negative light or you can draw on strength you didn’t even known you had and rise above it. Choose the latter– it’s never too late.

Take it head on. Sometimes the best way to deal with negative things in your life is to take them head on. Reaching a resolution or at least working towards one will likely make you feel better about just about any situation.

Focus on finding a solution. Don’t wallow in your problems. Instead, work towards finding a solution and getting them resolved. You’ll be able to feel proactive and feel in control of your life.

Don’t let loss stop you. When pursuing any goal there are bound to be setbacks along the way. Don’t let these stop you from heading towards your ultimate goal.

Keep yourself on track. It’s easy to be weak and get off track to whatever goal you’re pursuing because it’s easier right now. Don’t let weakness get the best of you– you’ll only feel worse later. Provide yourself with reminders to stay in a positive mind set and stay with the program.

Daily Attitude
If you really want to change your outlook on life, try using these techniques to change how you deal with problems and see the world.

See the beauty in everything. Even if you’re in the worst mood, taking the time to look at all the beautiful things that surround you in the world can provide an instant and insightful way to lift your spirits.

Realize that your thoughts do not own you. Stop your negative thoughts in their tracks by realizing that you’re in charge of what you think, not the other way around.

Take time to figure out what you really want. When you feel yourself feeling negative about things that you haven’t accomplished, take time to think if you really want those things. Finding out what is really important to you can help eliminate bad feelings over things that you don’t truly want.

Accept the good things. Sometimes we get so caught up in the bad stuff coming our way that we forget to appreciate the good things. Take a minute to sit down and think of all the positive things that happened in your day, no matter how small.

Get excited about all the possibilities that lay ahead. Even in the midst of the biggest disasters there are a multitude of possibilities that await you to make changes or take on the world tomorrow.

Believe the world is a good place. If you look at the world and only seem doom and gloom laid out in front of you you’re not doing yourself any favors. Believe the world is a good place and you’re likely to find many more ways good things can come your way.

Stop making excuses. There are always a million excuses for any person not to do something even if that something can make them feel happier. Stop putting up obstacles to your happiness and ditch those lame excuses when you hear yourself making them.

Don’t play the victim. Bad things happen to everyone from time to time. Pitying yourself and wanting others to feel sorry for you isn’t going to make things better. Pick yourself up and start working towards a happier future.

Don’t place your future in someone else’s hands. Your future is yours alone to shape. Remember this and take control of where you’re going in life.

Create realistic goals. Of course you’re going to feel frustrated if you make your goals so unattainable that you can’t reach them no matter how hard you work. Create smaller or more realistic goals so you can feel accomplished instead of defeated each day.

Choose joy. Every day when you wake up you make the choice whether to be happy or miserable. Make the choice to be happy and you’ll live a much more joyful life.

Believe you can change. Everyone has qualities they don’t like about themselves and that sometimes make them feel bad about themselves. Believe you can change these things and you’ll start to see little ways that you can.

Start immediately. Want to make a positive change in your life? Do it now. Putting it off just gives you time to make excuses so get started as soon as possible.

Believe you deserve good things. If you don’t truly believe that you deserve good things in your life you likely aren’t going to encounter many. Believe that you are worthy for good fortune to come your way and it just might.

Stop letting negative thoughts control you. Negativity can be an overwhelming emotion, one that can make you feel out of control and unhappy in every aspect of your life. Put a stopper on these negative thoughts and take control of how you’re feeling.

Smile. Sometimes all it takes to feel good is to put a smile on your face. Practice putting on a happy face even when you just feel so-so.

Take control of your decisions. You’re the boss of what is going on in your life, even when you feel like you don’t have a choice. Take back control of your decisions and make the choice to be happier and more positive. Change your vibe. Some people think that you get back what you put out, so stop putting out bad energy and change to a more positive outlook. Whether it truly works or not doesn’t matter, you’ll feel better either way.

Keep the bad out. You’re in control of the good and bad you choose to let into your life. When you can, limit the amount of negative things you let into your life, including your thoughts.

Make positive thinking a habit. Don’t just practice thinking positively when you’re feeling down. Make it an everyday occurrence whether you’re in a good mood or bad.

Decide why you want what you want. If you’re feeling upset because you feel like you aren’t achieving the things you want in life, take a moment to sit back and figure out the reasons you actually want those things. You may find you’re not as attached to them as you think.

Look at things with fresh eyes. Sometimes the best thing you can do is to sleep on a problem so you can look at it the next day when you’re not feeling so emotional.

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In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, any copyrighted work in this message is distributed under fair use without profit or payment for non-profit research and educational purposes only.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Maximum Power,

Dr. Dave Hill, DCH
http://www.drdavehill.com

“All our dreams can come true, if we have the courage to pursue them.” -Walt Disney