What does science say about hypnosis?
Science is demonstrating that hypnosis is one of the most versatile and useful of health care tools. In 1955 and 1957, the British and American Medical Associations deemed hypnosis an acceptable medical procedure.
How do clinical practitioners use hypnosis?
Practitioners use clinical hypnosis in three main ways:
Mental imagery. This is very powerful, especially in a focused state of attention. The mind seems capable of using imagery, even if it is only symbolic, to assist us in bringing about the things we are imagining. For example, a patient with ulcerative colitis may be asked to imagine what his/her distressed colon looks like. If she imagines it as being like a tunnel, with very red, inflamed walls that are rough in texture, the patient may be encouraged in hypnosis (and in self-hypnosis) to imagine this image changing to a healthy one.
Suggestions. In a state of concentrated attention, ideas and suggestions that are compatible with what the patient wants seem to have a more powerful impact on the mind.
Unconscious exploration. This method is used to better understand underlying motivations or identify whether past events or experiences are associated with causing a problem. Hypnosis avoids the critical censor of the conscious mind, which often defeats what we know to be in our best interests. The effectiveness of hypnosis appears to lie in the way in which it bypasses the critical observation and interference of the conscious mind, allowing the client's intentions for change to take effect.
What conditions may be treated using hypnosis?
Hypnosis is used in psychotherapy and behavioral medicine to treat conditions such as:
Trauma
Anxiety and stress management
Depression
Obesity and weight control
Sleep disorders
Sexual dysfunction
Concentration difficulties, test anxiety
Bed-wetting (enuresis
Smoking cessation
Self-image and Confidence
Hypnosis is also used to help treat medical issues such as:
Dermatologic Disorder
High blood pressure
Childbirth
Acute and Chronic Pain
Surgery
Nausea and Vomiting associated with chemotherapy and pregnancy
Gastrointestinal Disorders
Creative visualization for healing
Hypnosis can also be used to help patients facing dental procedures in the following ways:
Relaxation, Anxiety Control
Fear Elimination
Control of Saliva and Bleeding
Restorative Appliance Tolerance
Can anyone be hypnotized?
About one person in four isn’t capable of experiencing hypnosis, although most children are. About 5% of the population show extremely high hypnotic ability and can do extraordinary things, such as completely eliminate pain. The majority of the population are somewhere in the middle and for them hypnosis can be very helpful.
Does hypnosis have any side effects?
When administered by a qualified practitioner, the clinical application of hypnosis or hypnotherapy is typically effective and the side effects and risks benign.
For additional information on hypnosis, please visit American Society of Clinical Hypnosis and National Board for Certified Clinical Hypnotherapists.
Will you ever do something against your will during hypnosis?
During hypnosis you do not loose control or consciousness. People often fear that being hypnotized will make them lose control, surrender their will, and result in their being dominated.
Many people base their assumptions about hypnosis on stage acts but fail to take into account that stage hypnotists screen their volunteers to select those who are cooperative, with possible exhibitionist tendencies, as well as responsive to hypnosis.
Stage acts help create a myth about hypnosis which discourages people from seeking legitimate hypnotherapy.
You will never do anything or accept any suggestion that is not in line with your own value system.
Hypnotherapy for kids
Hypnosis has gained credibility in the past five years because of research using the latest brain-imaging technology. Studies show hypnosis can help treat a multitude of disorders."
-Business Week, February 2004
"Hypnosis is not mind control. It's a naturally occurring state of concentration; it's actually a means of enhancing your control over both your mind and your body.”
-Dr. David Spiegel, Assoc. Chair of Psychiatry
- Stanford University School of Medicine
“Hypnosis can help. A growing body of research supports the ancient practice as an effective tool in the treatment of a variety of problems, from anxiety to chronic pain."
Newsweek, September 2004