Hypnotherapy

Hypnotherapy is a trance-like state in which heightened focus and concentration is

used, a technique that uses hypnosis to support a specific treatment with certain symptoms
or health conditions. It is most commonly used as a method for coping with stress and
anxiety, as well as commonly done by using verbal repetition and mental images by the
therapist. The practice of hypnotising patients helps them with either a mental or physical
illness, such as addiction, weight loss, and pain management.

Hypnotherapy can be used for a variety of different conditions, such as behaviour

changes,insomnia, smoking, etc. It can also be used for hot flashes to relieve symptoms
associated with menopause, and to ease the side effects of chemotherapy or radiation
treatment in cancer patients. However, hypnotherapy may not be suitable for people with
severe mental illness, as this practice causes strong emotions and there is a risk of the
creation of false memories.

The origins of hypnosis came from the 18th century by a German physician, Franz
Mesmer. He utilised the method of mesmerism by using hypnosis for treating patients in
Vienna and Paris. He believed in the concept of the balance of magnetic power in the body
with animal magnetism, that hypnosis used an occult force that flowed through the hypnotist
into the object. His theory of animal magnetism was later rejected as there was no scientific
evidence, but his methods interested medical practitioners after him.

Today, hypnotherapy is used to treat a variety of disorders, such as depression,

anxiety, addictions, and PTSD. Unlike in the past, hypnosis is now understood and
integrated into modern medical technology. It is used to directly treat both physical and
mental conditions. In many areas around the world, hypnotherapy is regulated in the same
way that they do other types of medicine, and doctors will often recommend these types of
‘alternative’ treatments.

Hypnotherapy has a wide range of applications in various fields. A common one is

weight loss, being found that it is over 30 times more effective for weight loss than other
therapy types. By investigating the effects of hypnosis in weight loss for 60 females, with at
least 20% of them being overweight. The treatment was done by group hypnosis with
metaphors for ego-strengthening, decision-making and motivation, ideomotor exploration in
individual hypnosis, and group hypnosis with maintenance suggestions. It was found that
hypnosis was more effective than the control group, with an average of 17 lbs lost by the
hypnosis group versus an average of 0.5 lbs lost by the control group. Another study that
was done during a longer period of time of two years, where 109 participants completed a
9-week behavioural treatment program for weight management either with or without
hypnosis. At the end of the course, both interventions resulted in significant weight loss.
There were also 8 month and 2 years follow-ups, where the hypnosis patients were found to
have continued to lose significant weight, while those without hypnosis and the behavioural
control group showed little further change.

Additionally, hypnosis is used to overcome addiction, especially for cocaine. A female

patient in her twenties was taking 5 grams of cocaine per day. After 8 months of addiction,
she decided to use hypnosis as an attempt to overcome the addiction. Throughout the next 4
months, she used hypnosis three times a day and at the end of this period, she had
overcome her addiction. Hypnosis was the only intervention in the process, and no support
network of any kind was done.

Hypnotherapy is a useful treatment for people struggling with sleep, such as

sleepwalkers or people that struggle with either falling asleep or staying awake. Patients
suffering from insomnia can use hypnosis to relax their minds and bodies so they can sleep
more easily. On the other hand, for sleepwalkers, hypnosis can be used to help them wake
up when they subconsciously feel that their feet hit the floor. In addition, learning
self-hypnosis techniques can increase the amount of time a person sleeps and the amount
of time spent in deep sleep. All of this is done by verbal cues that put the person in a
trance-like state and then the patient falls asleep either after the therapy or even during it.

Lastly, another common example of hypnotherapy in the medical field has shown
effectiveness in treating Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) Symptoms. IBS is abdominal pain in
the bowels, and hypnosis is often used to help with the symptoms such as constipation,
diarrhoea, and bloating. Extreme symptoms like nausea, fatigue, backache, and urinary
problems can also be reduced. This works by hypnosis leading the patient through
progressive relaxation imagery and sensations to combat the symptoms.

Sources:

Cochrane, Gordon; Friesen, J. (1986). Hypnotherapy in weight loss treatment. Journal of

Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 54, 489-492.

Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology (1985)

https://www.hypnoresults.com.au/hypnosis-statistics/#

https://www.pennmedicine.org/updates/blogs/health-and-wellness/2019/january/hypno
sis
https://study.com/academy/lesson/what-is-hypnotherapy-definition-benefits.html