Month: January 2019

Instant Self-Confidence by Peter Zapfella

Self-confidence is a self-evaluation or judgement of one’s own confidence in oneself. The level of one’s own self-confidence can be observed in the way you carry yourself – behaviour, body language, what you say and how you say it. 

Confidence is a belief in one’s own ability to successfully perform a task. However, it does not necessarily mean there is an emphasis upon the outcome of the task, as much as the enjoyment and experience of it.

 

Confident individuals inspire other’s. They are often perceived as successful role models, because people admire them. Related words include: self-assurance, braveness, boldness, buoyancy, self-confidence, poise, self-reliantly, and tenacity, 

A lack of self-confidence can become a self-fulfilling prophecy as one may self-sabotage one’s self and not attempt to win, when the ability and opportunity are accessible. Low self-confidence is negative. It can be self-destructive. Related words include: apprehension, cowardice, distrust, doubt, fear, hesitation, timidity, uncertainty, and weakness. 

Arrogance is over confidence, a sense of superiority, haughtiness and egotism. The conceited, egotistical individual expects to be rewarded for simply existing. This level of unmerited confidence is likely to be an illusion or subterfuge to over compensate for a lack of real confidence in one’s self. We see this in narcissists and sociopaths. Related words include: Condescension, big-headed, hubris, narcissism, presumptuousness, and selfishness. 

Over-confidence is an excessive or blinded belief in one’s own abilities without regard for the consequences. 

Healthy self-confidence is founded upon a good balance between ability, and the reality of informed risk. While their glass is not full, they see it as an opportunity to add some vodka to the mix.

Under-confident people are either not prepared to take risks or are self-defeatist. They under rate their own ability and over rate the risk. They are ‘glass half empty’ people.

Over-confident people overrate their own ability, while under estimating the risk. Their glass is not only full, it is overflowing with excess.

Self-confident people do not need to ‘win’ to feel fulfilment. They understand that ‘failure’ is only ‘feedback’ – a learning experience. 

Arrogant people need to ‘win’ at all costs. They may be prepared to cheat to ‘win’. Failure is not an option for them.

Confidence bias can be explained by the conversion of objective memories into subjective judgment to create learnings. We now know that the unconscious mind mixes both true and false evidence to create these objective memories. We unconsciously, and to some extent consciously “look inside our own memory”to evaluate our own level of confidence. 

The good news is: instant self-confidence is possible because these objective memories can be adjusted to develop confidence.

Peter Zapfella employs ‘advanced behavioural change technologies’, designed to make fundamental variations to the negative emotions, beliefs, and habits of behaviour at your deep unconscious level of mind, which is responsible for one’s own self-perception.

Self-efficacy and self-esteem are the keys to a healthy self-confidence.

We gain a sense of self-efficacy when we witness our role models mastering relevant skills and achieving goals. We then powerfully reinforce this when we achieve those same skills and goals. Peter Zapfella demonstrates that self-efficacy can be achieved the hard way: through (perhaps eventually) succeeding at difficult challenges in the face of persistent setbacks; or through creating hypnotic false memories, which are accepted as real by the unconscious mind. This is not to say that positive affirmations can change your perspective on life; it is more complicated than that.

Self-esteem is the sense that we can emotionally handle the challenges we face in our lives, and we can be happy. We know without a shadow of doubt that people in our lives love and accept us, and approve of us. It also comes from the sense that we’re competent at what we do, and that we can compete successfully when we put our minds to it.

Peter Zapfella employs ‘advanced behavioural change technologies’, designed to make fundamental variations to the negative emotions, beliefs, and habits of behaviour at your deep unconscious level of mind, responsible for one’s own self-perception.

These include:

• The Neuro Linguistic Self Esteem Building Method.
• The Neuro Linguistic Self Confidence Anchoring Method (sometimes called a Bridging Method). 
• The Beyond Lack of ConfidenceNLP Therapy.

Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP) explores the relationships between how we think (neuro), how we communicate (linguistic) and our patterns of behavior and emotion (programs).

NLP is an incredibly powerful collection of techniques that can quickly change emotions, beliefs and behaviors at the unconscious level of mind. Thereby people can think, communicate and manage themselves, and others, more effectively. They usually do not need a hypnotic trance to effectively make fundamental changes at the unconscious.

NLP is aimed at enhancing the healing process by changing the conscious and unconscious beliefs of clients about themselves.

That’s why NLP is one of the most powerful skills used in business management, psychology, sales, sports coaching and all forms of personal development.

The logical conscious mind is the goal setter, while your unconscious mind is the goal getter.If things are not working out for you, chances are your conscious and unconscious are not working from the same page. NLP removes the unconscious ‘blocks’ and motivates it to ‘create’ in alignment with the conscious mind.

• The Neuro Semantic Power Confidence Method

Peter studied with the originators of Neuro Semantics’ Dr Michael Hall Ph.D Psych (USA), Rev. Dr. Bodenhamer Ph.D Theo (USA), in 2001. Both Neuro-Semantics and NLP operate as interdisciplinary approaches, utilizing models from many psychologies. This includes cybernetics, computer science, neuro-biology, family systems, anthropology, etc. However the focus of Neuro Semantics’ is upon Multiple Meta-Level Processing and Vertical Logical Level Analysis.

• The Subliminal Confidence Affirmations
• The Subliminal Self Acceptance Affirmation

Subliminal (/sʌbˈlɪmɨnəl): literally means “below threshold” of conscious perception, below normal conscious recognition, yet within the range of hearing of our deep unconscious.

Peter Zapfella has created an exciting range of specific SUBLIMINAL AFFIRMATION products, for a wide range of life’s day-to-day challenges. These are available at www.PeterZapfella.com

These downloadable MP3’s consist of positive affirmations, which are repeated every minute, and accompanied by pleasant sounds of nature or music. Importantly, the affirmations can clearly be heard when the background (masking) sounds are not there.

• They may safely be used in the back ground while driving, at work, in the home and while sleeping. They are suitable for children, and adults of all ages.
• They are most effective when listening following one-on-one therapy with Peter Zapfella, and therefore their unconscious ‘intent’ and ‘emotional feelings’ are consistent with the SUBLIMINAL messages. 
• They ‘prime individual responses and stimulate mild emotional activity’. However they will not force a client to do anything they do not consciously want to do.

The secret of success is the way they are repeated over and over many, many times, at normal speed, just below the background (masking) sounds. You may even be able to hear Peter Zapfella’s spoken words from time-to-time.

This wide range of MP3’s are long term maintenance, to be used following therapy – not as a substitute for it. They can be used at your convenience almost anywhere and at any time, for your ongoing, long-term success.

• The Better Self ConfidenceAdvanced Hypnosis. 

Hypnosis is the experience of a hypnotic trance, some where between sleep and wakefulness. Research suggests that those experiencing hypnosis are awake and focusing their attention, with a corresponding decrease in their peripheral awareness. They show an increased response to suggestions by the hypnotist.

Hypnosis is a method for achieving trance, but it is not the only method. Trance researcher Dennis R Wier has been studying and experimenting with trance for more than 35 years. He defines trance as “a state of mind being caused by cognitive loops where a cognitive object (thoughts, images, sounds, intentional actions) repeats long enough to result in various sets of disabled cognitive functions.” … “at least some cognitive functions such as volition are disabled; as is seen in what is typically termed a ‘hypnotic trance’.(Dennis R Wier. Trance: from Magic to Technology. 1995)

A hypnotist guides or leads a person to create the trance state in them self. “All hypnosis is self hypnosis”

Meditation, addictions, charisma and ecstasy are trance states. We also see trance states in native and religious peoples drumming, chants and dance. While people are usually guided into trance by a hypnotist, a shaman, a mystic, a priest, or yogi, individuals can choose to achieve trance, with practice, by themselves through some forms of meditation and prayer etc.

Trance is also created in people through television, trauma, panic attacks, psychosis, euphoria, and some drugs, such as the psychedelics (LSD, peyote, and psilocybin).

When we think of hypnotic trance we think of a sleep like state, however trance can be very active too. People can achieve trance states while exercising, dancing and facing real or imagined threats to their survival.

Trance is natural. A healthy, balanced self-esteem and confidence is natural too.

© Copyright 2010-2019 Peter Zapfella.com

The Placebo Effect by Peter Zapfella

No doubt you have heard of something called ‘the placebo effect’, but what is it? 

In Latin the word ‘placebo’ means “I shall please”. 

The ‘placebo effect’ is a strange phenomenon whereby treatment for a disease or condition is affected by false information, a ‘sham’ medication, using an inert substance. Deceptive placebo’s have been used widely in the healing arts and sciences for thousand’s of years, and are still widely used today.

How many prescribed medications are actually placebo’s?

Researchers tell us that when a trusted medical authority, such as the family doctor recommends and prescribes a drug, it comes with a certain level of psychological influence. That influence has now been measured in studies at around 55 per cent effect. In other words, more than half of the beneficial effect is in the mind, not the drug itself.

Research psychologist Fredrick Evans says there are three factors involved in the placebo response. 

Evans said hypnotic responsiveness is specifically a capacity to change the patterns of mind-body communication by psychological suggestion. While the placebo response is a mind-body communication linked to a physical treatment, resulting in reduction of anxiety. This helps facilitate healing because of powerful beliefs and expectations in the treatment.

“We hypothesize that a heightened, positive sense of fascination, emotional arousal and expectation associated with a novel, brightly colored sugar pill can be just as effective as a new, mysterious therapeutic ritual introduced by a healer coming from a far away country,” said Dr Ernest Lawrence Rossi, Ph.D.

The placebo response is taking place, independent of any drugs,  at the psychological or psycho-biological level. Instead, the placebo effect is related to the perceptions and expectations of the patient; if the substance is viewed as helpful, it can heal, but, if it is viewed as harmful, it can cause negative effects.

While the effect of placebos are powerfully influenced by the perception and expectation, various factors that change the perception can increase the magnitude of the placebo response too. Studies have revealed that the colour and size of the placebo pill influences the effectiveness. “Hot-coloured” pills work better as stimulants while “cool-coloured” pills work better as depressants. Capsules rather than tablets seem to be more effective too, and size can make a difference to their placebo effectiveness.

Perhaps, without realising it, our local family doctor and pharmacist are hypnotists, although they are really only telling us what they have been told to say by the drug companies that produce this stuff.

While researching this article, I have discovered a multitude of claims where various products produced by the largest and most profitable drug companies in the world are claimed to assist people quit tobacco smoking. In every case the stated success rate was so low it could easily be explained by the placebo response.  

Everyone has seen those television advertisements for Nicotine Replacement Therapy – the patches, gum, lozenges, pills and sprays.  Yet the independent research proves beyond doubt they all have a failure rate of more than 90 per cent.

In 2003, Dr. John R. Hughes and Dr. Saul Shiffman paid consultants to GlaxoSmithKline, the maker of Nicorette, Nicoderm CQ, and NiQuitin CQ, published a report entitled “A meta-analysis of the efficacy of over-the-counter nicotine replacement.” In it they reported only 1 out of 149 nicotine transdermal patch users were still not smoking six months after using the patch. (Ref:http://whyquit.com/whyquit/A_OTC_NRT_Meta_Analysis.html)

For example, researchers at the Harvard School of Public Health and the University of Massachusetts studied 787 smokers who tried to quit and found the use of Nicotine Replacement Therapy (patches, gum, lozenges, pills and sprays) had no effect upon their success at all.

Since their introduction in the early 1980’s widespread use of NRT products have failed to improve quit smoking rates at all. I have interviewed thousands of people, face-to-face who are motivated to quit tobacco smoking, and have tried these products without success. 

In his book “The only way to stop smoking permanently” (Penguin Books), the late Allen Carr (who died from lung cancer) said the only way nicotine transdermal patches can work is if a smoker put’s one nicotine patch over each eye, so they cannot find their cigarettes. I think he was right.

So why do they keep advertising these products on TV, claiming miraculous success rates if they do not work? I asked the government advertising watchdog. They said, and I quote here what they said to my face. “Oh. Well. We do allow them a certain amount of ‘fluff’.” What is ‘fluff’? I think it is a polite word meaning ‘bull-shit’.

Like the tobacco companies, drug companies are some of the most profitable, and influential in the world. Truth is, they ‘own’ politicians through campaign funding. The drug companies have huge advertising and promotional budgets. They focus spending upon their sales staff, by conducting regular medical conferences where medical doctors, your local GP’s are indoctrinated and trained to ‘sell’ particular drugs to their patients. Each year over 300,000 such meetings take place in the USA alone. They also dress up drug promotions through media releases as news items. We see them from time-to-time on the nightly news claiming to be a ‘medical break-through’ when in fact they are nothing new at all. Media are complicit in this fraud because they depend upon the advertising revenue from these companies. Any news to the contrary, such as this article is quickly hidden and buried for fear of upsetting the hands that feed them.

While there are many others, let us look at the Lexapro and Celexa. (The patent for Celexa (citalopram) ran out in 2003, therefore opening it to generic competition. So it’s manufacturer took the so called ‘active ingredient’ found in Celexa, and created the enantiopure drug escitalopram, and marketed it as a new ‘wonder drug’ they called Lexapro.)

“…Federal prosecutors alleged that former top executives at Forest concealed for several years a clinical study that showed that the drugs were not effective in children and might even pose risks to them, including causing some to become suicidal.

From 2001 to 2004, Forest heavily promoted results from another clinical trial it had financed that showed that the drugs were effective, without disclosing the negative study to those researchers, its own medical advisers or its sales representatives, the complaint said.”

Venlafaxine hydrochloride, was marketed as Effexor among other names.

 As a drug to treat major depressive disorder (MDD), generalized anxiety disorder(GAD), panic disorder, and social phobia. Common side effects include loss of appetite, constipation, dry mouth, dizziness, sweating, and sexual problems. Severe side effects include an increased risk of suicide, mania, and serotonin syndrome. Use during the later part of pregnancy could harm the baby. It is also addictive, causing certain withdrawal symptoms such as “electric shock” sensations (also known as “brain shivers” or “brain zaps”), dizziness, acute depression and irritability, as well as heightened senses of akathisia.

Studies show that about one in three people who suffer from depression do not respond to medication at all. Of those that use these drugs, they take weeks and sometimes months before they notice any positive effect at all. Most sufferers never try alternative treatments, including psychotherapy and hypnotherapy, although they have been proven effective, side-effect free and drug free.

The same vast amount of money which is wasted on drug treatments (and government subsidies, such as the Australian Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS)) could be spent better on health education and prevention schemes. Instead, the Big Pharmaceutical companies have been allowed to defraud the general public, with the support of corrupt politicians and so called ‘medical authorities’, who have been protecting their own pockets at the expense of untold millions of people.

We should all be outraged.

• Copyright © 2014-20 Peter Zapfella.com

References:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Placebo.Evans, F. Psychiatry: Areas of promise and advancement (pp215-228) New York, Spectrum) (1977) & Psychopharmacology Bulletin, 17, 72-76 (1981).Ernest Lawrence Rossi, Ph.D. Rossi, E. In Search of a Deep Psychobiology of Hypnosis: Visionary Hypotheses for a New Millennium.  American Journal of Clinical Hypnosis, (2000).  42:3/42:4, 178-207). ‘The Cutting Edge; selling sickness’ SBS TV Australia. Tuesday 5 October 2004. https://psychcentral.com/blog/lexapro-maker-accused-of-fraud/    https://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/26/business/26drug.html