I read an article in the UK press a little while ago which referred to a rather unusual use of hypnosis in the area of weight loss. Most people who have used weight loss hypnosis will be aware that the most usual type of suggestion centers around the changing of habits - eating more slowly, only eating when seated at a meal table, etc - with additional suggestions aimed at altering taste preferences and motivation to exercise. This, broadly speaking, is what we are used to in terms of successful weight loss hypnosis.

This article referred to something quite different, although clearly equally effective. The subject was given suggestions not to feel less hungry or to change habits, but instead to believe that they had undergone surgery; to believe that their stomach size had been reduced with the insertion of what is called the "gastric band", so that effectively their stomach size had been reduced and that they could now only eat small meals. They could simply not eat too much - it is impossible after this type of intervention.

Although the type of suggestion is very different, the result is the same. The subject ate less at meal times and lost weight very effectively. I was not at all surprised at the effectiveness of this suggestion, and was pleased to see that the hypnotherapist in question had adapted the suggestion to suit the clients mind set and had not simply made a "standard" set of suggestions. It is important in everything in life to "think outside the box".

Everyone after all comes to therapy with their own unique beliefs and expectations. There is a definite trend towards abrogating responsibility for ones weight gain and desired weight loss. As a community there is a tendency to make justification for weight gain and then to look for an easy answer when one feels "fat". Far more people turn to surgery these days than ever before. And the medical profession answers this "need" by creating ever more diverse types of surgical interventions.

One who is overweight tends to first try dieting. These diets are too numerous to cite here, and most people try a good number of them, and sometimes make several attempts at each one. The next step tends to be pills. Again, there are dozens of different weight loss pills, and most people try one or two brands, possibly more, before giving up once again. Then there are the meal replacement systems. And then there are the companies which will provide individually calorie counted meals for you. And then there is surgery, including the gastric band.

It seems to me that the majority of people are disillusioned with "dieting" and just go looking for an easier option. Not only do we look for an easy option, we want to see results today, we want to be slim and healthy RIGHT NOW! We haven't got time to diet, and we've come to believe that diets don't work, or that they are too difficult. It's easier to go for surgery and have a gastric band operation and then we just cannot eat too much - it's impossible. And we don't have to do anything at all ourselves about our weight. The surgeon is going to do it for us. We have, as I said before, abrogated responsibility, for our dietary choices and resulting weight gain.

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