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Other common
name(s): hypnotherapy, hypnotic suggestion, self-hypnosis
Scientific/medical
name(s): none
Description
Hypnosis is a state of restful alertness during which a person
uses deeply focused concentration. The person can be relatively unaware
of, but not completely blind to, his or her surroundings, and he or she
may be more open to suggestion. It is considered to be a type of
complementary therapy.
Overview
Hypnosis is one of several relaxation methods that was
evaluated and found to be of possible benefit by an independent panel
convened by the National Institutes of Health (NIH). The panel found it
may be useful for treating chronic pain when used with standard medical
care. Hypnosis may also be effective in reducing fear and anxiety,
reducing the frequency and severity of headaches, and controlling
bleeding and pain during dental procedures. Available scientific
evidence does not support the idea that hypnosis can influence the
development or progression of cancer. However, it may help to improve
quality of life for some people with cancer.
How is it promoted for use?
Practitioners say that hypnosis creates a state of deep
relaxation, quiets the conscious mind, and leaves the unconscious mind
open to suggestions that can help to improve health and lifestyle.
People who are hypnotized have selective attention and are able to
concentrate intensely on a specific thought, memory, feeling, or
sensation while blocking out distractions.
Hypnosis is commonly used to reduce stress and anxiety and
create a sense of well-being. It is also promoted to change undesirable
behaviors, such as smoking, alcohol dependence, and bedwetting. It is
used along with other methods by some mental health professionals to
help patients overcome common fears, such as the fear of flying or of
meeting new people. Hypnosis is sometimes used to help relieve pain
caused by cancer. Supporters generally do not claim that hypnosis can
cure cancer or any other disease or that it always attains the desired
results. However, they say that it can be a useful addition to
conventional therapy for some conditions.
Hypnosis is occasionally used instead of anesthetic drugs
during minor surgical and dental procedures and during childbirth. Some
supporters also believe hypnosis speeds recovery after operations, can
reduce the amount of surgical bleeding, and enhances the
body’s immune system.
What does it involve?
There are many different hypnotic techniques. One method
involves leading patients into a state of hypnosis by talking in
gentle, soothing tones and describing images meant to create a sense of
relaxation, security, and well-being. People under hypnosis may appear
to be asleep, but they are actually in an altered state of
concentration and can focus intently when asked to do so by the
hypnotherapist. While a patient is under hypnosis, the hypnotherapist
may suggest specific outcomes, such as pain control, more peaceful
emotions, and less stress, fear, or anxiety.
Contrary to what many believe, people under hypnosis are not
under the control of the hypnotherapist. They cannot be made to do
something they do not want to do. Quite the opposite is true. Hypnosis
is used to help patients gain more control over their behavior,
emotions, and even some physical processes that cause problems for
them. People cannot be hypnotized unless they wish to be, and not
everyone can be put into a hypnotic state. Success depends upon whether
the patient is willing and receptive to the idea of hypnosis. Some
people can enter into a deeper hypnotic state than others and are said
to be more hypnotizable. With training, many people can learn to
hypnotize themselves. This is called self-hypnosis or autohypnosis.
What is the history behind it?
Hypnosis and hypnotic suggestion have been a part of healing
practices for thousands of years. The word comes from the Greek word hypnos, which means
sleep. The use of trance-like states and positive suggestion was an
important feature of the early Greek healing temples. Variations of
those techniques were practiced throughout the ancient world.
Modern hypnosis can be traced back to the German physician,
Franz Anton Mesmer, who believed that imbalances in magnetic forces in
the human body were responsible for illness. Mesmer applied a therapy,
which he called mesmerism, involving the use of tranquil gestures and
soothing words to relax patients and restore the balance to their
magnetic forces. The evolution of Mesmer's ideas and practices led the
Scottish neurosurgeon James Braid to coin the term hypnosis in 1842.
Called the "father of modern hypnotism," Braid rejected Mesmer's theory
of magnetic forces and instead ascribed the "mesmeric trance" to a
physical process that resulted from prolonged attention to an object of
fixation. Sigmund Freud, the father of psychotherapy, found hypnosis
useful for treating hysteria, but later abandoned the practice after
observing that he stirred up powerful emotions within his patients.
Eventually, the notion of using a state of altered awareness
gained greater acceptance in conventional Western medicine. Today,
hypnosis is used widely in the United States and other Western
countries. People who practice hypnosis are generally licensed and are
often trained in several psychological techniques.
What is the evidence?
Many reports demonstrate that hypnosis can help patients
reduce blood pressure, stress, anxiety, and pain. Hypnosis can create
relaxing brain wave patterns, although reports on how much it helps to
change behaviors such as smoking, alcohol consumption, and overeating
are mixed. Most researchers who reviewed clinical trials on the use of
hypnosis to help people stop smoking found that the evidence did not
support its effectiveness.
Hypnosis can be used by therapists as a tool to help eliminate
phobias or decrease their strength. Research has also shown that
hypnosis can help reduce anticipatory nausea and vomiting.
(Anticipatory or conditioned nausea or vomiting occurs when, after a
few doses of chemotherapy have caused nausea or vomiting, some people
have nausea or vomiting just before the next dose is to be given.)
Hypnosis appears less likely to help nausea and vomiting that happen
after the chemotherapy dose is given. According to a report from the
NIH, there is evidence that hypnosis can help reduce some kinds of
cancer pain. In 2006, researchers reviewed studies of children with
cancer and found that hypnosis appeared to help reduce pain and
distress from medical procedures. In one study published in 2008,
giving breast cancer patients a brief hypnosis session before surgery
reduced the pain, nausea, fatigue, discomfort, emotional upset, and
cost of the procedure.
Another NIH report, which reviewed several scientific studies,
showed that women under hypnosis before childbirth had shorter labors
and more comfortable deliveries. According to the report, hypnosis may
also enhance the immune system. The report looked at one study that
found that hypnosis raised the levels of immunoglobulin (an important
part of the immune system) in healthy children. Another study found
that self-hypnosis led to an increase in white blood cell activity. The
NIH report also looked at twelve different controlled studies: One
showed that hypnosis reduced the intensity or frequency of migraine
headaches in children and teenagers. Another study on chronically ill
patients found a 113 percent increase in pain tolerance among highly
hypnotizable subjects versus those who were not hypnotized. According
to the NIH report, the reasons why hypnosis causes these changes are
not well-understood.
Are there any possible problems or
complications?
Hypnosis done under the care of a professionally trained
hypnotherapist is generally considered safe when used with standard
medical treatment. Emotional distress may happen in some situations.
People who have certain types of mental illness should not be
hypnotized.
Relying on this type of treatment alone and avoiding or
delaying conventional medical care for cancer may have serious health
consequences.
Additional Resources
More information from your American Cancer
Society
The following information on complementary and alternative
therapies may also be helpful to you. These materials may be found on
our Web site (www.cancer.org)
or ordered from our toll-free number (1-800-ACS-2345).
References
Astin JA, Shapiro SL, Eisenberg DM, Forys KL. Mind-body
medicine: state of the science, implications for practice. J Am Board Fam Pract.
2003;16:131-147.
Cassileth B. The
Alternative Medicine Handbook: The Complete Reference Guide to
Alternative and Complementary Therapies. New York, NY:
W.W. Norton; 1998.
Hypnotherapy. Aetna InteliHealth Web site. Accessed at
http://www.intelihealth.com/IH/ihtIH/WSIHW000/8513/31455/346706.html?d=dmtContent
on May 27, 2008.
Levitan AA. The use of hypnosis with cancer patients. Psychiatr Med.
1992;10:119-131.
Montgomery GH, Bovbjerg DH, Schnur JB, David D, Goldfarb A,
Weltz CR, Schechter C, Graff-Zivin J, Tatrow K, Price DD, Silverstein
JH. A randomized clinical trial of a brief hypnosis intervention to
control side effects in breast surgery patients. J Natl Cancer Inst.
2007;99:1304-1312.
National Institutes of Health. Alternative Medicine: Expanding
Medical Horizons: A Report to the National Institutes of Health on
Alternative Medical Systems and Practices in the United States.
Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office; 1994. NIH publication
94-066.
Newell SA, Sanson-Fisher RW, Savolainen NJ. Systematic review
of psychological therapies for cancer patients: overview and
recommendations for future research. J Natl Cancer Inst.
2002;94:558-584.
NIH Technology Assessment Panel. Integration of behavioral and
relaxation approaches into the treatment of chronic pain and insomnia. JAMA.
1996;276:313-318.
Okuyemi KS, Nollen NL, Ahluwalia JS. Interventions to
facilitate smoking cessation. Am
Fam Physician. 2006;74:276.
Richardson J, Smith JE, McCall G, Pilkington K. Hypnosis for
procedure-related pain and distress in pediatric cancer patients: a
systematic review of effectiveness and methodology related to hypnosis
interventions. J Pain
Symptom Manage. 2006;31:70-84.
Villano LM, White AR. Alternative therapies for tobacco
dependence. Med Clin
North Am. 2004;88:1607-1621.
Note: This information may not cover
all possible claims, uses, actions, precautions, side effects or
interactions. It is not intended as medical advice, and should not be
relied upon as a substitute for consultation with your doctor, who is
familiar with your medical situation.
Last Medical Review: 11/01/2008
Last Revised: 11/01/2008
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