From the Guidelines
Hypnosis is a highly effective and safe therapeutic technique for managing various symptoms, including pain, anxiety, and depression, when conducted by qualified professionals. It's a non-pharmacological approach that involves a trance-like state of focused attention and heightened suggestibility, allowing individuals to access their subconscious mind and make potential changes in perception, sensation, thought, and behavior 1. The effectiveness of hypnosis varies among individuals, with some being more susceptible to hypnotic suggestion than others.
Key Points to Consider
- Hypnosis has been consistently found to be effective for a wide range of symptoms in cancer care, including pain, fatigue, anticipatory and chemotherapy-related nausea and vomiting, mood, and mental and overall well-being 1.
- Clinical hypnosis, when provided by appropriately trained individuals, is an adjunctive therapy that can be used by pediatric health care providers to assist in managing conditions such as enuresis, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), or anxiety 1.
- Hypnosis is not recommended for people with certain psychiatric disorders like psychosis, and a small percentage of patients may experience dizziness, nausea, or headache, usually resulting from inexperienced hypnotherapists 1.
- The World Health Organization cautions that hypnosis should not be performed on those with psychosis or certain personality disorders 1.
Therapeutic Applications
- Hypnosis can be used to help individuals dealing with anxiety, depression, or posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) 1.
- Gut-directed hypnotherapy is also a well-tested therapy for a range of pediatric and adult GI disorders, including IBS, heartburn, and IBD 1.
- Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) is another effective brain-gut psychotherapy that can be used in conjunction with hypnosis to manage digestive disorders 1.
Important Considerations
- Hypnosis is not mind control or a loss of consciousness, but rather a collaborative therapeutic process requiring the participant's willingness and cooperation 1.
- It's essential to establish a direct referral and ongoing communication pathway with qualified mental health providers to ensure access to evidence-based brain-gut psychotherapies 1.
From the Research
Hypnosis
- Hypnosis is mentioned in the study 2 as a treatment method for generalized anxiety disorder (GAD).
- The study 2 suggests that combining hypnosis with mindfulness and cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) can be an effective integrative treatment protocol for GAD.
- However, there is limited information available on hypnosis as a standalone treatment in the provided studies.
- Other studies focus on mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR), mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT), and CBT as treatment methods for various conditions, including depression, anxiety, and chronic pain 3, 4, 5, 6.
Related Concepts
- Mindfulness is a key component of MBSR and MBCT, and is described as a practice of learning to focus attention on moment-by-moment experience with an attitude of curiosity, openness, and acceptance 3.
- CBT is a type of therapy that is often used in conjunction with mindfulness and hypnosis to treat various conditions, including GAD and chronic pain 2, 5, 6.
Treatment Efficacy
- The studies suggest that MBSR, MBCT, and CBT can be effective in reducing symptoms of anxiety, depression, and chronic pain, and improving overall mental health 3, 4, 5, 6.
- However, more research is needed to fully understand the efficacy of hypnosis as a treatment method, particularly in comparison to other therapies 2.