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When many people think of hypnosis, they think of entertainment; specifically people getting invited onto a stage to be soothed into a different state of consciousness, after which they tend to behave in bizarre, sometimes embarrassing ways. But as Stanford professor of psychiatry and author, Dr. David Spiegel, explains in this video, hypnosis is actually a powerful self-help tool.
You can use hypnosis to address challenges such as stress, anxiety, insomnia, pain perception, fear of flying, problem-solving, and the inability to focus, as well as a range of habits, like unhealthy eating, that can hold you back from your goals, and instead work to become your best self.
As he suggests: “When you’re deeply engaged in hypnosis, you’re so focused on the central part of your experience, you’re not thinking about consequences so it’s a kind of cognitive flexibility that can be used for good.”
Today, there’s a rich world of well-reviewed apps to choose from that enable you to practice self hypnosis using audio tracks that help you tap into your subconscious mind to achieve more balance. These help users reach a powerful state of highly-focused attention that can help give them enhanced confidence in their ideas.
In a look at the best hypnosis apps of 2023, Verywell Mind explains the difference between hypnosis and meditation, although many of these apps represent a fusion of these two practices: “Practicing self-hypnosis is very similar to meditation, but self-hypnosis is more goal-oriented and puts you in a trance-like state instead of being present.”
In this article, Goodnet spotlights five popular wellness apps offering hypnosis that you can practice anytime.
Hypnobox
This sought-after app has many users praising its restorative potential. In its review of this app, Justuseapp reports that 67% of reviewers rated it as a positive experience, with reviewers enjoying its empowering and customizable content, and reporting a noticeable difference in energy and positivity.
In its review of the best hypnosis apps for 2023, Mindtastic celebrates this app’s over 600 suggested audio hypnosis sessions to help users achieve their goals, with options to choose their favorite voices and sound effects.
According to its Google Play description, the app can be life changing: “We help you to achieve a natural state of deep relaxation. In this state, your subconscious mind is able to absorb new thoughts and behavioral suggestions.”
Download Hypnobox on the App Store or Google Play.
Harmony Hypnosis Meditation
In an article reviewing hypnosis apps that can give people that extra push needed to achieve their goals, Men’s Health rates this app for its usefulness to those looking to reduce anxiety and stress in a hurry. Its description on Google Play also emphasizes its usefulness in boosting the user’s sense of inner strength and focus.
Given the thumbs up on the App Store, one reviewer, TinaBA, writes: “I’ve been using this app for almost 2 years and I can honestly say it is the best meditation/self hypnosis app I have ever used. I feel like Darren is right here in my living room with a private session. The “bereavement” helped me thru a very low time in my life when I lost my husband.”
Download Harmony Hypnosis Meditation on the App Store or Google Play.
Digipill
Digipill has a captivating tagline of “fast and effective digital pills to change your mind” and seeks to be mind-altering in the transformative sense.
How does it work? The Google Play description reveals that Digipill uses a unique combination of psychoacoustics and neuro linguistic programming coaching (NLP) to help users unlock their subconscious in order to change their mood, perception, and even their behaviour.
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According to the website, “digipills” are often-hypnotic guided meditation audio sessions crafted for specific issues that users would like help with. These include closure, sanctuary, resilience, fear of flying, and study success.
Download Digipill on the App Store or Google Play.
Reveri
Founded by the above-mentioned Dr. Spiegel, this app has a strapline of “The power of your own mind to heal and achieve.” He views hypnosis as the first Western conception of a psychotherapy. As Reveri's App Store description puts it: “In plain terms, self-hypnosis is just a naturally occurring state of highly focused attention.”
Reveri’s short sessions can be used to help users anywhere to address stress, insomnia, and pain perception, while users can track progress and build healthier habits over time.
Download Reveri on the App Store or Google Play.
Relax And Sleep Well Hypnosis
An article in Forbes, “Digitized Self-Hypnosis Comes to the Rescue”, is just one of several articles highlighting the value of hypnosis apps in helping with relaxation and easing yourself into sleep. As Mindtastik explains, the introductory sessions outline self-hypnotic methods, and how they incorporate other types of meditation or deep-breathing exercises.
This app has a high 4.8 average rating on Google Play. Reviewer Jennifer Babb, for instance, writes: “A New Favorite I have used many apps, listened to many meditations… I am always looking for new "tools" to use to help me get through life. This app is rad.”
Download Relax And Sleep Well Hypnosis on the App Store or Google Play.
