What is hypnotherapy?
The term "hypnosis" is derived from the Greek word hypnos,
meaning "sleep." Hypnotherapists typically use
exercises that bring about deep relaxation and an altered state
of consciousness, also known as a trance. Many people routinely
experience a trance-like state while they are watching
television or sitting at a red light. A person in a trance or
deeply focused state is unusually responsive to an idea or
image, but this does not mean that a hypnotist can control his
or her mind and free will. On the contrary, hypnosis can
actually teach people how to master their own states of
awareness. By doing so they can affect their own bodily
functions and psychological responses.
What is the history of hypnosis?
Throughout history, trance states have been used by shamans
and ancient peoples in ritualistic activities. But hypnosis as
we know it today was first associated with the work of an
Austrian physician named Franz Anton Mesmer. In the 1700s,
Mesmer used magnets and other hypnotic techniques (hence the
word, mesmerized) to treat people, and while he achieved
a number of dramatic "cures" for blindness, paralysis,
headache, and joint pain, the medical community was not
convinced. Mesmer was accused of fraud and his techniques called
unscientific.
Hypnotherapy regained popularity in the mid-1900's due in to
the notoriety and career of Milton H. Erickson (1901-1980), a
successful psychiatrist who used hypnosis in his practice. In
1958, both the American Medical Association and the American
Psychological Association recognized the therapy as a valid
medical procedure. And since 1995, the National Institutes of
Health has recommended hypnotherapy as a treatment for chronic
pain. Other conditions for which hypnotherapy is frequently used
include anxiety and addiction; see the section entitled What
illnesses or conditions respond well to hypnotherapy?
How does hypnosis work?
When something new happens to us, we remember it and learn a
particular behavior in response to that circumstance. Memories
stored in our brains hold the original physical and emotional
reactions that occurred when the given memory was first formed.
Each time similar events occur again, the physical and emotional
reactions attached to the memory are repeated. These reactions
may be inappropriate or unhealthy. In hypnotherapy, the trained
therapist guides you to remember the event that led to the first
reaction, separate the memory from the learned behavior, and
reconstruct the event with new, healthier associations.
During hypnosis, a person's body relaxes while his or her
thoughts become more focused and attentive. Like other
relaxation techniques, hypnosis decreases blood pressure and
heart rate, and alters certain types of brain wave activity. In
this relaxed state, a person will feel very at ease physically
yet fully awake mentally. In this state of deep concentration
people are highly responsive to suggestion. If you are trying to
quit smoking, for example, a therapist's suggestion may
successfully convince you that in the future you will have a
strong dislike for the taste of cigarettes.
There are several stages of hypnosis. The process begins with
reframing the problem; becoming relaxed, then absorbed (deeply
engaged in the words or images presented by a hypnotherapist);
dissociating (letting go of critical thoughts); responding
(complying whole-heartedly to a hypnotherapist's suggestions);
returning to usual awareness; and reflecting on the experience.
What happens during a visit to the hypnotherapist?
During your first visit to a hypnotherapist, he or she will
ask you questions about your medical history and what brought
you to see them – in other words, what condition it is that
you would like to clear up. The specialist will then, likely,
explain to you what hypnosis is and how it works. You will then
be directed through relaxation techniques with a series of
mental images and suggestions intended to change behaviors and
alleviate symptoms. For example, people who suffer from panic
attacks may be given the suggestion that, in the future, they
will be able to relax at will. The hypnotherapist will also
teach you the basics of self-hypnosis and give you an audiotape
for home use. This enables you to recreate the feelings you
experienced during the session and reinforce the learning on
your own.
How many treatments will I need?
Each session lasts about an hour, and most people begin to
improve within 4 to 10 sessions. Together, you and your
hypnotherapist will monitor and evaluate your progress over
time. Children (aged 9 to 12), because they are easily
hypnotized, tend to respond after only one or two visits.
What illnesses or conditions respond well to hypnosis?
Hypnosis is used in a variety of settings – from emergency
rooms to dental offices to outpatient clinics – to relieve
conditions with an emotional or psychological component. Studies
suggest that hypnosis may improve immune function, increase
relaxation, decrease stress, and ease feelings of anxiety.
Hypnotherapy is effective in reducing the fear and anxiety
that accompany pain and uncomfortable medical or dental
procedures. For example, when used during an operation, hypnosis
may improve recovery time and decrease anxiety as well as pain
following the surgery. Clinical trials on burn patients suggest
that hypnosis decreases pain (enough to replace pain medication)
and speeds healing. Generally, studies indicate that using
hypnosis can lessen your need for medication, improve your
mental and physical condition before an operation, and reduce
the time it takes to recover. Dentists also use hypnotherapy to
control gagging and bleeding.
A hypnotherapist can teach you self-regulation skills. For
instance, someone with arthritis may be told that he or she can
turn down pain like the volume on a radio. Hypnotherapy can also
be an effective tool for managing chronic illness. Self-hypnosis
can enhance a sense of control, which is often eroded by chronic
illness. Children may benefit the most from hypnosis, probably
because they are most easily hypnotized.
Studies on children in emergency treatment centers show that
hypnotherapy reduces fear, anxiety, and discomfort and improves
self-control and cooperation with medical personnel.
In another study, 83 percent of children significantly or
completely recovered from the following:
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