Does treating hypoglycemia make hypnotherapy more effective?
Hypoglycemia is a low level of sugar in the blood. There are two types of hypoglycemia. The former occurs in anyone who eats an excessive amount of processed sugars. The second is a medical diagnosis that a person has an unusual tendency for rapid drops in blood sugar without provocation.
When sugar enters the body, it floods the bloodstream with glucose. This stimulates the pancreas to produce more insulin. Insulin causes cells to become more permeable to sugar. As a result, sugar moves in and out of cells and blood, lowering blood sugar. When too much insulin is released, blood sugar drops too low and a person begins to feel weak, shaky, and anxious.
Hypoglycemia can mask, exaggerate, or pattern other symptoms, particularly emotional reactions, and must be addressed first for subsequent therapies to be effective. Physiological symptoms may include fainting, dizziness, weakness, cravings for sweets, lack of hunger, poor concentration, tremors, nausea, emotional instability, mood swings, or a general inability to function clearly.
The alternation of blood sugar drops and adrenaline rushes can create an excessive amount of physical fatigue and stress, including depression. This can influence the way the brain processes information, promoting irrationality, inferential suspicion, suggestibility, exaggerated mood swings, feelings of lack of control, and interference with logical reasoning.
Hypoglycemia can reduce ego feelings, reduce physical suggestibility, produce incongruous behaviors, and affect both short-term and long-term memory. Other physical and psychological problems may include being overweight, exaggerated premenstrual syndrome or menopause, headaches, chronic illnesses, allergies, lack of motivation, or panic attacks.
Treatment should include a change in diet to stabilize blood sugar drops, thereby reducing emotional stress, suggestibility, and irrational behavior. Subsequently, the appropriate behavioral condition and therapeutic approach can be addressed.
© 2006, Life Works.