What is Hypnotherapy?
Hypnotherapy is a technique used by trained health professionals to improve the health and well being of their clients. Hypnotherapists use hypnosis, which is the technique of guiding someone into a trance-like state of calm and suggestibility. Hypnotherapy is not exactly a form of therapy – rather, it’s a technique or skill that trained professionals may use to enhance their practice. This means that hypnosis is best used as an adjunct to other forms of psychotherapy or medical practice.
What Does the Word “Hypnosis” Come From?
The word “hypnosis” comes from the Greek word “hypnos,” which simply means, “sleep.”
The Definition Of Hypnotherapy
According to the American Psychological Association (APA, which endorses hypnotism for pain management), hypnosis is “a set of techniques designed to enhance concentration, minimize one’s usual distractions, and heighten responsiveness to suggestions to alter one’s thoughts, feelings, behavior, or physiological state.”
Used to facilitate other types of treatment, hypnotherapy cannot cure chronic conditions. However, it can greatly reduce the intensity of pain patients feel by tuning out certain thoughts that magnify discomfort, allowing the subconscious mind to take over and bringing a patient’s mind and body into a more connected state so he or she can begin to feel a sense of control over their health condition and the pain it creates.
Pioneers in Hypnotherapy
Sigmund Freud – Credited as the father of psychoanalysis, Freud was enthusiastic about the use of hypnotism to recover repressed memories. Freud adopted this technique due to the influence of his mentor Josef Breuer, who believed that hypnotism could be used therapeutically. Later, however, Freud stopped using hypnosis, focusing rather on the use of free association.
Franz Mesmer – Mesmer lived from 1734 until 1815. He believed that the movements of the planets influenced human behaviour and that an energy exchange existed between animate and inanimate objects. He also proposed that moving one’s hands across a person’s field of vision could induce this energy change. This technique, still used by hypnotists to this day, was named mesmerism.
What is the Hypnotic Trance ?
Hypnosis is an altered state of awareness where the person in TRANCE tends to get absorbed in the object of awareness with relative suppression of peripheral awareness. There is a change in the brain wave activity similar to that moment after which one drifts into deep sleep. This state just before drifting into deep sleep is called ALPHA STATE. Brain’s waking state is BETA, just as you are going to sleep it changes to ALPHA, then to THETA and onward to DELTA, the state of DEEP SLEEP.
The ALPHA STATE is the TRANCE STATE and is a very dreamy & pleasant state in which the mind is very open to suggestions/visualization and creating a rich sensory experience. Hypnotherapy is therapy provided under trance state by way of giving necessary affirmations and suggestions for bringing about desired behavioral changes in the patient.
The therapist induces a deep hypnosis, where the conscious mind steps aside, giving control to the subconscious mind, which has tremendous powers. Under hypnosis our sensory faculties become more alert, the hearing, understanding and creative powers becoming keener and more acute. The healing is actually done by the person himself/herself, the therapist only helping in the process by appropriate verbal suggestions.
A hypnotized person retains his/her control, even though his/her suggestibility increases manyfold and he/she becomes more open to verbal suggestions. So he/she visualizes or imagines as guided by the therapist through suggestions and these images become real to his/her mind. As an example, a person may visualize the pain being washed away by the waves as he/she stands on a beach and this becomes real to the mind; as a result, on being awakened the person realizes that the pain has disappeared; and this feeling becomes reinforced when the same process is repeated in a couple of sessions.
But some problems like depression may need more than simple suggestions, and more number of sessions. What is done is positive changes are brought about in the perception regarding the problem in the mind of the patient. Once the mind accepts it, the change is incorporated and the old negative feeling/perception is replaced by the new positive one.
As a result, next time the person encounters the same or a similar problem, his/her reaction is changed to a more positive one under the influence of the changed perception.
Hypnosis produces deep relaxation, releases tension and stress, and promotes neuro-secretions that control the moods in a positive way. Actual measurements in laboratories have shown that certain neuro-humors like serotonin and norepinephrine (pleasure hormones) are enhanced during relaxation.
How Does Hypnosis Work?
Hypnotherapy allows you to access and explore the parts of yourself which you might not otherwise be entirely aware of. By bringing you into a state of calm suggestibility, a hypnotherapist can guide you to connect with your subconscious mind. Any distressing experiences, memories or emotions that are causing your symptoms can then be identified and worked on using hypnotherapy or other forms of psychotherapy. By accessing your subconscious mind, you’re also better equipped to change your perceptions and experiences in a way that serves you. In the case of someone who wants to stop smoking, for example, you might be guided to re-interpret cigarettes as being disgusting rather than desirable. This is different from simply choosing to think about smoking in a different way, which any person can choose to do consciously. Through hypnosis, you’re granted access to the deeply held ideas and emotions which you attach to behaviors such as smoking.
Myths: Is Hypnosis Real?
We’ve all seen TV shows where a self-proclaimed “hypnotist” waves a pendulum and gets volunteers to quack like ducks or dance like ballerinas. With a snap of the hypnotist’s fingers, the volunteers apparently awaken and have no memory of having made a spectacle of themselves. This depiction of hypnosis, however, is little more than a media-driven myth.
But that doesn’t mean that hypnosis doesn’t exist. It’s just that hypnosis looks a lot subtler than grown adults acting like farm animals! In fact, brain science research has reinforced the idea that hypnosis is real. For example, researchers found that during hypnosis the brain behaves differently, with those areas that are linked to focus and bodily self-awareness being more active. Despite this, many people continue to think of hypnosis as being a magic trick rather than a medical tool. But the idea of hypnosis is not as far-out and enigmatic as people tend to assume. In fact, hypnosis is a common and natural phenomenon. Chances are, you experience hypnotic states as a part of your day-to-day life without even realizing it.
Several myths about hypnotherapy are in circulation, mostly because of the stage shows, where people act funny and do ridiculous things under the magician’s command. Some of the myths include:
- It is black magic and the effects are not real, but only illusions.
This is not true. Hypnotherapy is an accepted and proved form of treatment.
- The person may get stuck and may not wake up from hypnosis.
Not true. No one has so far been known to be stuck in hypnosis. The hypnotized person might drift off into natural sleep, but then will wake up into full consciousness, without any effect of the trance.
The hypnotist can make a person jump like a monkey or bark like a dog or do other ridiculous things under hypnosis.
This is not true. The fact is that a person never loses control of self and he/she cannot be made to do or say things against his/her will.
- Hypnosis can damage the brain.
Not true. Hypnosis does not damage the brain or any other organ; in fact, under hypnosis, one’s concentration becomes more focused and it is possible to recall events/persons that are otherwise forgotten.
- It is not safe and can disturb mental balance.
Not true. It is absolutely safe in the hands of a qualified hypnotherapist.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Is hypnosis dangerous?
Hypnosis is a normal state of mind, one which most people go in and out of every day. When you are watching a movie that you are engrossed in, driving down a long monotonous road, listening to music that captures a mood or engrosses you, you are in partial hypnotic trance. Every night while going to sleep, you pass through different stages of hypnosis and the reverse happens when you wake up in the morning. We experience hypnosis every day and don’t even know it. In fact hypnosis is as normal as breathing.
When you are in a hypnotic trance, you have an observer self, the “protective part of mind” that is always aware and watching out for you. This protective part of the mind always remains in present and keeps us safe, even when asleep. During hypnosis you can trust that your protective part of the mind will watch over you. During a hypnosis session you would instantly get up and leave the room if it caught on fire, even if it had previously felt like your arms and leg were too heavy to move.
Hypnosis is a relatively safe modality, and side effects are uncommon. Its effectiveness has been backed by thousands of studies focusing on issues ranging from pain control to smoking cessation to weight management.
Is Hypnosis sleep ?
No not all. Hypnotic trance is completely different from a state of sleep. In sleep state, a person cannot communicate with other person. Any attempt to interact or communicate would break the sleep and a person would return back to waking awareness. But in hypnosis, a person remains in trance and smoothly communicates with the hypnotist. The hypnotic trance does not break even with prolonged conversations. The trance state is a state of altered awareness meaning a state of awareness which is different from waking awareness, sleep and unconsciousness.
Do I lose control?
Hypnosis does not require the subject to give up control. Control does not come in the hands of hypnotist. The hypnotist can’t make you say or do anything you don’t want to. All you are required to do is to follow the instructions with complete willingness, relax and enjoy the procedure.
Will I experience total loss of awareness?
No, you will not experience “Total Loss of Awareness”. Total loss of awareness occurs in a state of unconsciousness due to generalized anesthesia, coma or head injury. This is an organic condition produced by a chemical, injury to the brain or pathological changes in the brain. A person with total loss of awareness cannot sense, perceive, attend or participate in any communication or interaction. In hypnosis a person can hear, interact and respond to the suggestions of the hypnotist. So if a person remains aware of the hypnotist’s voice then he cannot be considered in a state of “Total Loss of Awareness”. For psychotherapy and healing under hypnotic trance, a person must remain aware of the hypnotist’s suggestions, else it would not be possible to do any kind of therapy. Infact there will be a ” Duality of Awareness” in hypnotic trance, which means along with the hypnotists communications you will also have peripheral awareness ie you’ll be aware of your surroundings but will not get disturbed by external sounds as you’ll be completely focusing on hypnotist’s voice.
Can Hypnotist make me do something against my will under trance?
Absolutely not. Protective part of mind is always on guard and will immediately stop you from doing anything, or accepting any suggestion that is unethical by your own moral standards. As a hypnotist, I can’t make you say or do anything you don’t want to. If that was possible, all the hypnotists in the world could make you go rob the banks and bring back the money. We would be rich, and rule the world. Obviously, this is not the case. This is probably the biggest myth of all propagated by movies, television and stage hypnosis shows, which more often than not are scripted.
Can hypnosis make me tell secrets?
Not at all. You will not divulge any information that you would not ordinarily divulge.
What if I don’t wake up or don’t exit?
No one has ever got stuck in a hypnotic trance. It simply cannot happen. If the hypnotist left the room, either your subconscious mind will detect that there is no voice guiding you and bring you out of trance to conscious awareness, or you would fall asleep and wake up naturally. People who cannot “exit” trance state are usually the ones who are unwilling to emerge, as they are feeling extremely good, and are not because they are unable to.
Can anyone be hypnotized?
Yes, any person with normal functioning brain and average intelligence can be hypnotized. It simply requires that the subject focuses, suspends critical thinking and uses his imagination. On the other hand persons with a brain damaged due conditions like cerebral palsy or victims of head injury or suffering from and on medication for conditions like Schizophrenia, Alzheimer etc are the ones who will not go into trance as they are not able to follow hypnotists instructions correctly.
In fact hypnotizability is often a learned trait. You can teach your body and mind to go into trance, and get better and better at it as you practice your self-hypnosis. Most people don’t think they are hypnotized after a session. What they do notice is that some things have changed – maybe that day, maybe the next week. Sometimes the effects are subtle and sometimes profound.
Will I forget everything during the session?
It occasionally happens that there is amnesia for the session. Sometimes the hypnotist will suggest that you forget what transpired, and occasionally this may have that effect. Most hypnotists want you to be aware of the session. You will be aware of everything around you, and remember most, if not all, that happened in the session. Usually, you will remember it better than a conversation we had, because your mind is in such a focused state.
Is Hypnotherapy Magic?
The acquisition of the skill of hypnotherapy does not require any kind of magic, mantra or tantra sadhana. There are specific scientific procedures to perform these therapies. Any professional with an adequate background can learn and perform these therapies.
The truth about hypnosis is this.
It can be the one most important tool to change the way your mind experiences your world. If there ever was a magic wand, that could help you change anything about your life, your health or your behavior, this might be it. Good Hypnotherapists know how to gently release blocks and fears, and create a new inner belief that will set the wheels in motion to make changes in the way you think, feel and behave.
Does Hypnotherapy Really Work?
Hypnotherapy, also referred to as guided hypnosis, is a form of psychotherapy that uses relaxation, extreme concentration, and intense attention to achieve a heightened state of consciousness or mindfulness. In other words, it places the individual into a “trance” or altered state of awareness.
This form of therapy is considered alternative medicine with the purpose of utilizing one’s mind to help reduce or alleviate a variety of issues, such as psychological distress, phobias, and unhealthy, destructive, or dangerous habits (i.e. smoking and/or drinking). The aim of hypnotherapy is to create a positive change in an individual, while he/she is in a state of unconsciousness or slumber (sleep).
What is a Hypnotic State?
A hypnotic state is a mode of consciousness in which a person is very relaxed, highly focused and more suggestible than usual. Suggestibility is a state of mind in which you’re more open and accepting of suggestions and other information coming from another person.
We’ve all experienced hypnotic states. For example, have you ever been so deeply involved in a task – such as reading a book, watching a movie or driving to work – that you seem to get lost in what you’re doing? In this state, time tends to fly by and you’re largely unaware of what’s going on around you because of how deeply focused you are. This, essentially, is a hypnotic state – the same mindset that a hypnotherapist helps you to tap into during therapy.
What Happens During Hypnosis?
During hypnosis, a trained hypnotherapist or psychologist uses guided relaxation techniques to elicit feelings of extreme relaxation, focus, and concentration in the individual with the goal of helping him/her achieve a heightened state of consciousness.
General procedure
A general hypnotic session can be divided into three parts:
- Induction of hypnosis: Different methods are available for inducing hypnosis. Hypnosis can be induced by progressive relaxation through suggestions or using devices like pendulum, etc. along with verbal suggestion.
- Treatment/giving suggestions: Desired change is effected through suggestions given under deep hypnosis. Guided imagery (imagining that the changes suggested by the therapist are actually happening) is also being used, for example, for improvement in performance (e.g. sports, facing interview, examination, etc.).
- Bringing out of hypnosis: Afterwards the person is brought out of hypnosis, by appropriate suggestion. Most of the time, on waking up, the person is able to remember everything that is said during the hypnotic state. Since hypnosis relaxes the body and mind, he/she will feel good and relaxed on waking up.
What Happens in a Hypnotherapy Session?
- Just like any therapy session, hypnotherapy begins with a conversation about what the client would like to achieve in the process. Once the goals have been clarified and the therapist has learned a little bit more about who you are a person, the hypnosis can begin.
- The therapist is likely to use specific techniques – talking in a calming voice or asking you to visualize relaxing imagery, for example – to bring you into a calmer and more receptive state.
- Once you are sufficiently calm and focused, the therapist will make statements and ask questions which are designed to guide you toward achieving your therapeutic goals.
- Many people are hesitant about seeing a hypnotherapist because they fear embarrassing themselves or coming under the control of another person. Fortunately, these fears are unfounded – that’s not how hypnosis works. During hypnotherapy, you’re in control of what you’re doing, and you will have a clear memory of the session once you emerge from the hypnotic state. In other words, you cannot be made to do anything that you don’t want to and you’ll be completely aware of what’s happening throughout the process.
What Methods Are Commonly Used in Hypnotherapy?
The two main methods of hypnotherapy are suggestion therapy and analysis.
What is suggestion therapy?
Suggestion therapy relies on an individual’s ability to respond to suggestions and guidance from the hypnotherapist or psychologist, while he/she is in a “trance-like” or altered state. This method is commonly used to control or stop unwanted or unhealthy behaviors like smoking, gambling, nail-biting, and excessive eating. Studies have suggested that it may also be beneficial for those with chronic pain. Moreover, research indicates that suggestion therapy may encourage positive and healthy behaviors like self-motivation and self-confidence.
Furthermore, this method may help clients or patients “uncover” the psychological root of a problem or symptom, for instance, the root of one’s social anxiety, depression, and/or past trauma. It is important to understand that feelings or memories associated with trauma tend to “hide” in one’s unconscious memory so that the individual doesn’t remember (on a conscious level) the trauma he/she experienced.
What is analysis in hypnotherapy?
Analysis, on the other hand, has proven extremely effective for “digging deep” into the subconscious mind to retrieve repressed memories or past trauma(s) – all of which could be causing psychological distress, mental health conditions, and/or problematic behaviors.
This method also referred to as “regression therapy,” is more exploratory in nature. In fact, the main goal of the analysis is to determine the root cause, issue, disorder, and/or symptom of an individual’s distress.
During analysis, a psychologist first hypnotizes the individual by putting him/her into a relaxed state. Then, he/she helps this individual explore past event(s) in his/her life. The goal is to probe the individual’s unconscious memories of said event(s), so he/she can move past them.
Disclaimer: This method is not meant to cure or directly “change” an individual’s behavior. Rather, the goal is to determine the main cause of the individual’s distress and treat it through psychotherapy.
Limitations of Hypnotherapy
Generally, hypnotherapy is considered an extremely safe technique. However, at times it can leave you with a headache or feelings of dizziness and nausea. Furthermore, hypnotherapy should not be performed on people who have ever experienced symptoms of psychosis. These typically occur in the case of disorders such as schizophrenia, brief psychotic disorder, and bipolar disorder.
It’s also important to remember that hypnosis should be used to complement other forms of medical or psychiatric treatment, rather than being used instead of them. Finally, hypnosis has been criticized for potentially creating ‘false’ memories when it’s used to uncover repressed experiences from your early life.
This is because the person under hypnosis is in a suggestible state and may sometimes develop a belief that certain events occurred, even if they didn’t necessarily happen. In the case of uncovered memories, it’s important to acknowledge that these may hold symbolic or metaphorical value, rather than representing literal events.
What is Hypnotherapy Used For?
Most problems treated under psychiatry/psychology are amenable to hypnotherapy; the results are faster and more lasting. It is used successfully in the following areas:
- Anxiety, depression, insomnia.
- Antisocial behaviour in children stealing, telling lies, fighting, creating tantrums.
- Eating disorders anorexia, bulimia, overeating, nausea, vomiting.
- Fears and phobias: fear of animals, spiders, etc.; fear of darkness, closed spaces, flying, heights, water etc.
- Pains: Migraine and other headaches, joint pains, back pain, menstrual pain, pain from cancer, arthritis, surgery, dental extraction, piles, fractures, burns and other injuries.
- Ease child birth.
- Induce anesthesia and analgesia in surgery; tooth extraction, etc.
- Paediatric problems: Bedwetting, nail biting, stammering, timidity, etc.
- Students’ problems: Increase concentration and memory, improve study habits and performance in exams, overcome examination fear, stage fear, etc.
- Build selfconfidence and selfimage, personality development, improve sports performance, social interaction, public speaking skills.
- Deaddiction: smoking and other tobacco habits; drug abuse, alcoholism.
- Solving marital discords.
- Coping with bereavement, loss of status and position, failure in business.
- Relief from chronic diseases, e.g. asthma, diabetes, etc
Studies Show Hypnosis Brings Pain Relief To 75% Of Patients
Many people are skeptical of hypnosis, but 18 published studies by psychologists Guy Montgomery, PhD, Katherine DuHamel, PhD, and William Redd, PhD, showed that 75% of clinical and experimental participants with different types of pain experienced substantial pain relief from various hypnotic techniques. Only a small minority of people are resistant to hypnotic interventions, says the APA, and studies done by David Patterson, PhD, and psychologist Mark Jensen, PhD, “indicate that hypnotic strategies are equivalent or more effective than other treatments for both acute and chronic pain, and they are likely to save both money and time for patients and clinicians.”
More Proof That Hypnosis For Pain Relief Works
If you’re still dubious that hypnosis is an effective way to manage pain, consider these facts:
- A 1996 panel of the National Institutes of Health found hypnosis is able to significantly ease cancer pain, fatigue, nausea, vomiting and anxiety.
- Several studies published in the International Journal of Clinical and Experimental Hypnosishave shown that being put into a hypnotic state can help patients with conditions like anxiety, back aches, burns, chemotherapy, nerve issues related to diabetes, fibromyalgia, migraine headaches, Raynaud’s disease and rheumatoid arthritis.
- A 2003 study by Patterson and Jensen showed that hypnosis is able to decrease sensitivity to pain (known as hypno-analgesia), which significantly reduces a patient’s need for analgesics and sedation, the occurrence of nausea and vomiting, and the length of hospital stays.
Here are six common health issues hypnosis can help:
1. Trouble Sleeping, Insomnia, and Sleepwalking
Hypnosis may be a helpful tool if you sleepwalk or struggle with falling and staying asleep. If you have insomnia, hypnosis can relax you enough to get you to sleep more easily.
If you’re a sleepwalker, hypnosis can also train you to wake up when you feel your feet hit the floor and help you avoid sleepwalking escapades.
And if you just want to sleep a little better, hypnosis can help with that, too. Learning self-hypnosis techniques can increase the amount of time you sleep and the amount of time spent in deep sleep — the type of sleep you need to wake up feeling refreshed.
How it works: Verbal cues put you in a trance-like state, similar to how it feels when you’re so involved in a book or movie that you don’t notice what’s going on around you. After hypnosis — or even during — you’ll fall asleep.
2. Anxiety
Relaxation techniques — including hypnosis — can sometimes ease anxiety. Hypnosis tends to be more effective in people whose anxiety stems from a chronic health condition — such as heart disease — rather than from a generalized anxiety disorder.
Hypnosis may also be able to help if you struggle with a phobia — a type of anxiety disorder where you are intensely fearful of something that does not pose a significant threat.
How it works: Hypnosis works to help anxiety by encouraging your body to activate its natural relaxation response through the use of a phrase or nonverbal cue, slowing breathing, lowering blood pressure, and instilling an overall sense of well-being.
3. Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) Symptoms
The effectiveness of hypnosis on IBS has been consistently supported by clinical studies. IBS is abdominal pain created by your bowels, and hypnosis can help improve symptoms such as constipation, diarrhea, and bloating.
Doctor Grant explains that, “sometimes IBS can cause secondary symptoms, like nausea, fatigue, backache, and urinary problems. Hypnosis has shown to be able to help with these, too.”
How it works: Hypnosis leads you through progressive relaxation, providing soothing imagery and sensations to combat your symptoms.
4. Chronic Pain
Hypnosis can help with pain — like what’s experienced after surgery or from migraines or tension headaches. And it can help with chronic pain, too. People with pain related to conditions like arthritis, cancer, sickle cell disease, and fibromyalgia, — as well as people who have lower-back pain — may experience relief from hypnosis.
How it works: Hypnosis can help you cope with pain and gain more self-control over your pain. Additionally, studies indicate that hypnosis can do this effectively for long periods of time.
5. Quitting Smoking
“Giving up cigarettes is not easy. There are many methods to help you quit, such as nicotine patches or prescription medications. While the research is still out, many people have found that hypnosis has helped them kick the smoking habit,” explains Dr. Grant.
Hypnosis for smoking cessation works best if you work one-on-one with a hypnotherapist who can customize the hypnosis sessions to match your lifestyle.
How it works: In order for hypnosis to work for smoking cessation, you need to truly want to quit smoking. Hypnosis can work in two ways. The first is to help you find a healthy, effective replacement action, and then guide your subconscious toward that habit, rather than smoking. This could be something like chewing a piece of gum or taking a walk. The second is to train your mind to associate smoking with undesirable feelings like a bad taste in your mouth or a foul odor from smoke.
6. Weight Loss
As with smoking cessation, there aren’t many studies yet that can confirm the effectiveness of hypnosis on weight loss, though some studies have found modest weight loss — about 6 pounds over 18 months – through hypnosis. It is usually most helpful when hypnotherapy is used in combination with diet and exercise changes.
How it works: When you are hypnotized, your attention is highly focused. This makes you more likely to listen and respond to suggestions for behavior changes, such as eating a healthy diet or getting more exercise, which could help you lose weight.
