Hypnotherapy: A Useful Treatment?

Hypnotherapy is a therapeutic technique that guides patients through a state of hypnosis, in order to treat certain symptoms or conditions. (1) Research has shown that hypnotherapy can aid in treating various ailments such as anxiety, depression, pain, stress, and even irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).

What is hypnosis?

Hypnosis is an induced trance that enables a patient to connect with the unconscious mind. In a state of hypnosis, the patient “readily” accepts suggestions. (2) This means they can easily be influenced, which carries various implications.

Who can benefit?

Research indicates that hypnotherapy shows potential for various applications. In one study, researchers found that hypnotherapy was as effective a treatment for smoking cessation, as cognitive based therapy. (3) Mounting research also suggests that hypnotherapy can treat IBS. (4) It is known that sensitive nerve endings in the gut cause greater pain and digestive issues. (5) Gut-directed hypnotherapy uses suggestions aimed at calming the digestive tract and shifting focus from discomfort in the body. In a similar way, hypnotherapy can help lower blood pressure by focusing the patient on being calm and relaxed. (6) In a study from 2016, researchers found that hypnosis facilitated changes in the brain that allowed for greater emotional control. (7)

How is it done?

There are four stages to hypnotherapy process. (8)

1. Induction: Begin relaxation by focusing attention, ignoring distractions and controlled breathing.

2.  Deepening: Increase relaxation and focus by imagining vivid images such as being submerged under water or walking down a staircase slowly.

3. Suggestions: The desired changes in behavior or experience. The hypnotherapist gives gentle suggestions on how to respond to something, such as job stress or quitting smoking.

4. Emergence: The therapist guides the patient out of hypnosis by reversing course of the images provided earlier, such as “floating back to the surface.”

Why it is controversial?

While research suggests promise for a variety of ailments through hypnosis, the practice can easily be abused, especially if the hypnotherapist does not possess certifications. There are also reports of sexual assault by hypnotherapists, which has led to efforts to enact stricter regulations and licensure requirements. (9) Hypnotherapy also poses a risk to creating false memories, which further shows the risk with using hypnosis beyond a therapeutic setting.

Moving Forward

Hypnotherapy is a powerful technique that can be used alongside other treatments to achieve a desired change in behavior or habit. In the wrong hands, it can easily be abused, causing harm to patients and their families. However, “as an evidence-based treatment, hypnotherapy can be used as a powerful tool to treat physical and psychological symptoms related to medical ailments.” (10)

References

1 https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/therapy-types/hypnotherapy#:~:text=Hypnotherapy%20(sometimes%20called%20hypnotic%20suggestion,for%20chronic%20pain%20since%201995.

2 https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hypnosis

3 https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/psychology/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2024.1330362/full

4 https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1744388124000148?via%3Dihub

5 https://www.michiganmedicine.org/health-lab/how-gut-directed-hypnosis-helps-ibs-ibd-and-other-gi-disorders#:~:text=Gut%2Ddirected%20hypnosis%20addresses%20this,on%20discomfort%20in%20the%20body.

6 https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/hypnosis-for-anxiety#for-anxiety

7 https://academic.oup.com/cercor/article/27/8/4083/3056452?login=true#113568725

8 https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/treatments/22676-hypnosis

9 https://www.cga.ct.gov/2006/jfr/h/2006HB-05215-R00JUD-JFR.htm#:~:text=NATURE%20AND%20SOURCES%20OF%20SUPPORT,trained%2C%20capable%20and%20possess%20integrity.

10 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38387324/

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