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What is hypnotherapy?
Hypnotherapy is a technique that uses the hypnotic state, which enables
changes in perception and memory, a major increase in response to suggestion,
and the potential for controlling many physiologic functions that are usually
involuntary. Hypnotherapy uses guided relaxation, intense concentration, and
focused attention to achieve a heightened state of awareness that is sometimes
called a trance. The person’s attention is so focused while in this state that
anything going on around the person is temporarily blocked out or ignored. In
this naturally occurring state, a person may focus his or her attention—with
the help of a trained therapist—on specific thoughts or tasks.
How does hypnotherapy work?
Hypnotherapy is usually considered an aid to psychotherapy (counseling),
rather than a treatment in itself. It helps with psychotherapy because the
hypnotic state allows people to explore painful thoughts, feelings, and memories
they might have hidden from their conscious minds. Hypnosis enables people to
perceive some things differently, such as blocking an awareness of pain.
Hypnotherapy can be used in two ways:
- Suggestion therapy — The hypnotic state makes the
person better able to respond to suggestions. Hypnotherapy can help
some people change certain behaviors, such as to stop smoking or
stop nail-biting. It can also help people change perceptions and
sensations, and is particularly useful in treating pain.
- Analysis — This approach uses the relaxed state to
find the root cause of a disorder or symptom, such as a traumatic past event
that a person has hidden in his or her unconscious memory. Once the trauma
is revealed, it can be addressed in psychotherapy.
What are the benefits of hypnotherapy?
The hypnotic state allows a person to be more open to discussion and
suggestion.
It can improve the success of other treatments for many conditions,
including:
- Phobias, fears, and anxiety
- Sleep disorders
- Depression
- Stress
- Post-trauma anxiety
- Grief and loss
It also might be used to help with pain control and to overcome habits, such
as smoking or overeating. It also might be helpful for people whose symptoms are
severe or who need crisis management.
What are the drawbacks of hypnotherapy?
Hypnotherapy might not be appropriate for a person who has psychotic
symptoms, such as hallucinations and delusions, or for someone who is using
drugs or alcohol. It should be used for pain control only after a doctor has
evaluated the person for any physical disorder that might require medical or
surgical treatment.
Some therapists use hypnotherapy to recover repressed memories they believe
are linked to the person’s mental disorder. However, hypnosis also poses a
risk of creating false memories—usually as a result of unintended suggestions
by the therapist. For this reason, the use of hypnosis for certain mental
disorders, such as dissociative disorders, remains controversial.
Is hypnotherapy dangerous?
Hypnotherapy is not a dangerous procedure. It is not mind control or
brainwashing. A therapist cannot make a person do something embarrassing or
something the person doesn’t want to do. The greatest risk, as discussed above, is
that false memories can be created
Who performs hypnotherapy?
Hypnotherapy is performed by a licensed or certified mental health
professional who is specially trained in this technique.
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