Healing Through Hypnotherapy: Journey from Anxiety and Autoimmune Challenges

My Journey: Anxiety Since Childhood & Autoimmune Survival

Since childhood, visiting a psychologist was never unusual for me. At almost every milestone in my life, my parents would take me to see one.

When I was 31, I had the chance to speak with an amazing psychologist. He didn’t focus on labels or diagnosis, but after listening to my story, he gently suggested that what I had been experiencing was very similar to Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD). Looking back, the signs had been there all along.

As a child, I carried constant worry—crying during floods or when I saw smoke from burning trash, lying awake at night fearing my parents might not make it home, or questioning whether the people around me were even real when I was in kindergarten. Panic attacks often came out of nowhere, leaving me confused and afraid.

Over time, my body began to mirror this inner struggle. I started developed allergy asthma when I was junior high school and was once hospitalized for three weeks with an undiagnosed illness. During treatment, I had a severe allergic reaction to antibiotics that triggered Stevens–Johnson Syndrome. Later, I was also diagnosed with a rare autoimmune condition called Churg–Strauss Syndrome (EGPA), which left me vulnerable to infections, long recovery times, and severe medication intolerance.

Living with both anxiety and autoimmunity taught me something profound: the body and mind are inseparable. This realization eventually led me to hypnotherapy—a path of transformation that showed me how deep inner shifts can create real healing in both mind and body.

How Anxiety and Autoimmunity Are Connected

Research shows there is a powerful connection between anxiety and autoimmune disorders. In fact, people with anxiety are about 1.3 times more likely to develop autoimmune conditions—especially when anxiety is severe or long-lasting [Gavin Publishers].

One reason is that chronic stress fuels inflammation, which can disrupt the immune system and trigger autoimmune responses. This same inflammation also interferes with mood-regulating brain chemicals like serotonin, which helps explain why anxiety and autoimmune conditions so often occur together [immunizenevada.org].

Studies also reveal that living with autoimmunity nearly doubles the risk of anxiety and depression, with women being disproportionately affected [The Guardian].

On a deeper biological level, research shows that Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) is linked to shifts in immune cell activity—such as changes in B-cells and T-cells—highlighting the two-way dialogue between the nervous system and the immune system [Frontiersimmunizenevada.org].

Overcoming Anxiety and Autoimmune with Hypnotherapy

For me, hypnotherapy became more than just a therapy—it was a turning point. It gave me a safe space to face long-held fears, reprogram my relationship with anxiety, and begin healing from the inside out.

One of the biggest lessons I learned was that acknowledging our feelings without shame or guilt is essential. The past shapes how we see the world, the beliefs we hold, and the values we live by. In hypnotherapy, I was able to explore my thoughts and emotions safely. That process uncovered my triggers and patterns, which became a key to healing. With this awareness, my anxiety began to ease—and I started to understand how my mental state was deeply connected to my autoimmune challenges.

Looking back, I realized I had been living in constant fight-or-flight mode. My body was always bracing for danger, interpreting my endless worries as proof that I wasn’t safe. In response, my body tried to “protect” me, but it overly protective, in ways that actually made me sicker.

I still remember my very first hypnotherapy session. Honestly, I was skeptical. But what surprised me was how quickly I noticed a shift—I began to see situations from new perspectives, perspectives that had always been blocked when I was trapped in my own anxious bubble. Over time, I committed to the process and completed more than 20 sessions, each one helping me rebuild confidence, calm, and clarity.

What is Hypnotherapy

In recent years, hypnotherapy has gained recognition as a powerful tool for improving both mental and physical health. At its core, it uses guided relaxation, deep focus, and gentle suggestion to help you enter a calm, focused state of awareness—sometimes called a trance.

Why does this matter? Because in this state, the subconscious mind becomes more open to positive change. Scientific studies show that hypnotherapy can:

• Ease anxiety by calming the nervous system

• Reduce the perception of pain

• Strengthen emotional resilience

• Shift unhelpful habits and thought patterns

Finding Strength Within

My story is just one example of how hypnotherapy can support healing in ways traditional medicine often overlooks. I’m deeply grateful that I never had to rely on medication to manage my anxiety. For me, this was a huge relief, especially because of my autoimmune condition and my body’s intolerance to many drugs.

But I also know that medication can be life-changing for many people, and there is no shame in needing it. We all have different paths to healing, and what matters most is finding what works for our unique body and mind.

For me, hypnotherapy wasn’t about erasing struggle—it was about finding strength within it. It was about discovering that healing is not always about “fighting” our conditions, but about listening, understanding, and gently guiding the body and mind back into harmony. By reconnecting my mind and body, I not only found relief from anxiety but also created space for my body to restore balance in the face of autoimmune challenges.

If you are living with anxiety, autoimmunity, or simply feeling disconnected from yourself, know this: healing is possible. Sometimes, the answers we seek aren’t outside of us—they’re within us, waiting to be unlocked.