Hypnosis and Chronic
Fatigue Syndrome
by Maurice Kouguell, Ph.D., BCETS
This article is in response to one of our readers, a hypnotherapist,
from Australia who is requesting help in finding scripts for helping
sufferers of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.
Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS) is a debilitating fatigue described as
exhaustion, poor stamina (if any) and flu-like symptoms. The symptoms
include extreme fatigue, general pain, mental fogginess and at times
gastro-intestinal problems. It is also referred to as chronic fatigue immune
dysfunction syndrome (CFIDS). In the past the syndrome has been known as
chronic Epstein-Barr virus(CEBV).
The treatment of the syndrome is primarily in the province of the medical
field and must remain in the good hands of an internist or endocrinologist.
However, hypnosis or other forms of altered states such as meditation or
guided imagery are a welcome addition to the welfare of the patient.
Perhaps one of the better sources for the understanding of CFS is a book
by William Collinge, Ph.D. Recovering from Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.
It is published by Putnam/Perigee in the US and by Souvenir Press in the UK
and Commonwealth. This is an excellent source of insight and is recommended
to patients as well as therapists.
ALTERED STATES AND HEALING
In cooperation and consultation with the physician,
patients can benefit from one or all the approaches discussed below:
HYPNOSIS
Patients with CFS may also have one or more of the
following issues: depression, self-directed anger, poor self-esteem, loss of
self-confidence, stress. All these can be approached by using standard
protocols or inductions. Ego-strengthening and stress reduction and
confidence building can all be approached with standard scripts.
(Although I appreciate that some hypnotists like to use other people's
scripts
or inductions, I choose to approach my clients with the idea that each
person is unique and the reaction to each symptom is unique.)
LISTEN TO THE PATIENT
Listen to the patient's verbal and non-verbal
communication. The patient will reveal consciously what needs to be done in
order to alleviate his discomfort and proceed towards health. Always access
the patient's unconscious, for there lies the key to the problem. If you are
a psychologist you can of course use projective techniques.
Before hypnosis or guided imagery is initiated, 3
questions need to be considered:
1.Is hypnosis safe in this instance?
2.Is it indicated?
3.What do we know about the unconscious of our client?
One technique which can offer answers to the above is based on
the house-tree-person test, the
DAPTH.
SUGGESTED SCRIPT
Start by making the client comfortable and then you can use all or part or
any
adaptation you wish from the following induction. Some modifications are
left to your good judgment in order to incorporate the client's symptoms.
"...Suspend your judgment...be accepting... I would like for you to take as
much time as you need and...find your own place, your own space...make
yourself comfortable and...before you enter an altered state of awareness,
it is fine if you decide to move to make yourself more and more comfortable
and only you know when you reach that state...that state of comfort which
is.... necessary... for you...to start your journey toward achieving peace,
relaxation, quietness.
Let your mind go wherever it wants to go.... Let your feelings go wherever
they want to go, let your sensations go wherever they want to go....and....I
would like for you to accept yourself... whatever your mind, body, spirit
are doing. Should you be standing on top of the mountain, you may choose to
imagine a soft gentle glow of a rainbow. And... for a moment...you feel
that the rainbow contains all the answers you need...all the secrets of
life... Giving yourself permission to take another deep comfortable breath,
you find yourself drifting deeper and deeper... into a profound hypnotic
sleep. And...you feel drawn towards the rainbow. In just a moment or so you
feel you will finally fulfill your wishes of touching the rainbow, of
accessing it, of enveloping yourself with its colors... and something very
special will happen to you as I guide you through this wonderful healing
journey...And now imagining, picturing yourself so light...so full of energy
as you enter the rainbow...The first color you enter is the red band...the
beautiful red band...feel it...experience it...feel it all around you
enveloping you...feel the redness against you...breathe in the redness and
begin to notice how good you are beginning to feel....REDNESS IS
STRENGTH.... PHYSICAL STRENGTH... EMOTIONAL STRENGTH...MENTAL STRENGTH...the
strength you call upon to replenish your strength, to achieve your goals of
"______"(To hypnotist: fill in the blank
as per the needs of the individual patient)....and now...from
now on, anytime you need to replenish your strength all you need to do...
is close your eyes and surround yourself, visualize yourself surrounded,
enveloped by the color red of the rainbow...and...now, allowing yourself to
go into a deeper level of mental relaxation, see yourself now...leaving the
red band and entering the orange one....feel the color against your
skin...as you breathe in...smell it, fill your lungs with it see it
entering your blood stream....
ORANGE REPRESENTS HEALING.....Physical healing, mental
healing and emotional healing....as a matter of fact, the healing process is
taking place within you right now.....see and feel the orange molecules as
millions of microscopic “Scrub Brushes” cleaning you of any impurities...
stress... tension....anxiety... worry.... and discomfort...orange can heal
you from any assaults that you may encounter in your life's experience...by
simply closing your eyes and breathing deeply into the color orange...Take
one final breath of the color orange and allow yourself to float into the
yellow band...as you enter the yellow band feel how warm the yellow
is....feel how energetic you feel...feel this energy circulating through
your body...the yellow represents...POWER....sense the power ...and now
combine the power of the yellow with the strength of the red and the healing
of the orange...simply let it fill you...let it rejuvenate you...notice how
much better you are beginning to feel... now... whenever you feel
“run-down”...or you need your “battery” recharged... just close your eyes
and breathe yourself into the power of the yellow...blending in the strength
of the red...and the healing of the orange...and your needs will be met.
...Begin to let yourself drift from the yellow into the green band...as you
enter the green band let yourself drift deeper and deeper relaxed...now feel
the green on your skin...it feels cool and refreshing...breathe in the
green...feel the coolness in your body...green represents
SELF-CONTROL...any time you find your temper and anger heating up...in your
personal life...or in your work life...you need only to close your eyes and
breathe yourself into the green...and you will feel your anger and temper
cool with every breath you take.
...Take one final breath of the cooling color green...and let yourself float
into the blue band...as you enter the blue you feel safe and secure...the
blue represents PROTECTION...we are all exposed to times of trial...times of
trouble...times of sadness...and times of stress...and sometimes we need to
withdraw...in order to protect ourselves for short periods of time...so
now, you have the ability to close your eyes...any time anywhere...whether
alone or with others...and breathe yourself into the protective embrace of
the color blue...you will discover that blue will protect you and aid
you...as you continue to achieve your goals.
...I want you to prepare yourself for the most interesting of the colors of
the rainbow...just let yourself now drift from the blue into the purple
band...purple represents TRANSITION...purple will allow you to make the
transition from your conscious mind’s dominance...into your deeper
mind...the purple opens up a whole new world to you...new realizations in
your mind...when you are in the purple band... your conscious mind is at
rest...and your unconscious mind is free to achieve insights very
quickly...so now, any time you wish to achieve insight into a
problem...merely close your eyes and breathe yourself into the color purple.
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The induction may be terminated here. Then say, "... At your own rate, allow
yourself to leave the rainbow with all the wisdom... power and new
knowledge... you have gathered... and take few moments of total
peace...comfort....and tranquillity before you reopen your eyes.
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If the hypnotist chooses to go on and reinforce the above, continue
with...
"...allow your eyes to fall on the next mountain... and go beyond it towards
infinity...be on the highest peak so that nothing obstructs your vision and
begin to feel whatever you feel. Maybe you are becoming aware of slight
changes within yourself, for there is nothing at this time between your
vision, hearing, and sensations that requires your conscious participation
and maybe you would like to choose to look at yourself experiencing this
sensation. That’s right... letting go for a moment of those feelings...
those experiences of being in communion with the universe you may wish to
choose to imagine; visualize yourself the way you would like to be, the way
you would like to feel when everything is comfortably getting together and
offering a well deserved sense of balance. I will be quiet now for a period
of 3 minutes of clock time... a good time for you to take all the time you
need... slowly... comfortably.. for yourself...
And after you have created and found your peace the way you would like it to
be... spiritually, physically, psychologically, take that imprint inside
you... look at the horizon...beyond the fields of flowers or ....the horizon
of the ocean, and in that journey which will begin in a few moments...allow
yourself, allow your deeper mind, allow your intuition... to connect you to
what you need to know. Now I will be quiet for the next 3 minutes...that’s
right...you may wish to allow yourself, your being ...your soul... your
guide to dance a comfortable dance for you... you may find yourself smiling
inside and out... feeling liberated and free and feeling comfortable and
dancing and running and feeling free and liberated... feeling free and
liberated mentally and physically and letting go of pain and hurt and
feeling that you are allowing yourself to feel to just be you.... you may
wish to take some more time to dismiss.... to slow down to turn your back to
all the issues that are not necessary for you....
..with each out breath you may welcome releasing the pressures and taking as
much time as you need allowing yourself to come back... free.. when your
mind and body are reconnected once again you will feel a sense of well
being... again I will stop talking and you may reopen your eyes knowing that
you can always return to that journey.....
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The following is based on HEALING IMAGERY from Dr. Friedberg’s book
COPING WITH CHRONIC FATIGUE SYNDROME:
Your healing can now begin, yes...your healing begins from within
yourself... an inner radiance that begins as a mere speck of light...that's
right, an inner point of light and warmth....radiating strength and
power...that’s right... warm and radiant...inner strength, physical
strength. Feel it, experience it...fully, thoroughly... growing stronger...
and now directing it to yourself, directing the healing towards your
weakened system and watch it slowly....and surely gaining
strength....gaining strength...becoming stronger and stronger,
re-experiencing the vitality, the enthusiasm an the spark in every cell of
your body...
Feel that inner sense of strength beginning, working
within your body. Feeling revitalized, re-energized...strengthening as your
inner radiance strengthens and energizes. Feel the warm, intense energy
doing its work; reactivating, restoring your body....yes, restoring your
body. Experience that strengthening fully, thoroughly, that inner boosting,
growing even stronger now, stronger, more powerful than before. As you feel
that strength, you believe in yourself and your ability to succeed in your
goal of rebuilding your body. Yes, believing in the strength of your
thoughts, images and the totality of your internal powers. You believe so
strongly, feeling that boost even now, yes, yet remaining tolerant, letting
time pass, knowing that any worthwhile goal takes time, any worthwhile
goal. And you have resolved to accomplish your goal, believing that you
can...re-energizing, boosting your system. You hold firmly to that belief;
yes, so firmly...feeling less fatigued...and this message remains with you,
far beyond these words, far beyond these words. Now, slowly bringing
yourself back to wakefulness, eyes opening gradually, feeling relaxed and
refreshed.
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