There are a lot of differing opinions on the soundness of hypnosis as a form of treatment. Nevertheless scientific studiesappear to have found that hypnosis is not only a genuine form of therapy but that it also has an impressive success rate.
It is only to be expected that before experiencing a complimentary therapy, such as hypnotherapy, that a person would wish to be provided with evidence that it really works. There have been a number of scientific studies since the 20th century and they all seem to arrive at the same conclusion, hypnosis most definitely does work. Within this article I will disclose just a couple of the many pieces of research about hypnosis and how they show that hypnosis works.
Ahead of this though I’d like to describe how hypnosis worksas many people are unaware of this. People who have not been hypnotized often picture it to be a type of sleep where you may be made to do things against your will. This common thought is brought about by street hypnosis where the hypnotist “manipulates” their volunteer. The important word in that previous sentence was volunteer. A street hypnotist will ask for volunteers, and merely by volunteering they’re already agreeing to do what the hypnotist asks them to do. It’s easy to “hypnotize” a person into acting like a chicken in front of a crowd but if the hypnotist then asked them to murder someone, do you think the volunteer woulddo so? Certainly not because the volunteer is there to enjoy themselves, not get themselves put in jail.
Hypnotherapy (therapy from hypnosis) is quite different from street hypnotism. Before a therapeutic hypnosis session begins the hypnotist and the client will talk about the aims of the client and decide on the topics the session will focus on.
It is understood that hypnosis works fundamentally by opening the unconscious mind to suggestion. From here the hypnotherapist can place suggestions to assist the client to achieve their goal, whether it be to lose weight, quit smoking or another thing entirely.
At this point you should have a reasonable knowledge of how hypnosis works so now I shall provide proof that hypnosis works as a kind of treatment.
Hypnosis and Weight Loss
In research to test the effectiveness of hypnosis on weight loss over one hundred subjects (ranging from the age of 17 to 67) completed a behavioral treatment either with or without the addition of hypnosis. This treatment lasted 9 weeks and after follow ups both 8 months and 2 years later the people who used hypnosis enjoyed a long-term weight loss rate much higher than those who didn’t. It was also found that those who used hypnosis were much better at achieving and maintaining their ideal weight goals.
Journal for Clinical Psychology January 1985 41(1):35-41
Effectiveness of Hypnosis as an Adjunct to Behavioral Weight Management
Hypnosis Effects Can Be Scanned
In 2009 at Hull University scientists discovered that hypnosis had a detectable effect on brain patterns when examined. This shows that hypnosis is not merely a sop therapy as many cynics state it to be.
Dr. Michael Heap, a psychologist involved in the research, concluded that hypnosis primes the mind for suggestion. Not only has this study shown proof that hypnosis works it has also adequately explained how it works.
Once the mind is open to suggestion a hypnotherapist can then assist their client achieve their goals. I have just discussed a couple of the many studies into hypnosis however their they have been many more. There is proof that hypnosis works for pain relief, IBS relief, skin problems, increased fertility and much more.
Maybe the ultimate evidence that hypnosis works though is to experience it for yourself as personal accounts also appear to indicate that hypnosis does actually work. Even A-List stars such as Matt Damon and Ben Affleck have admitted that they have used hypnosis to successfully stop smoking.
So if you are thinking about using hypnosis, please do so with confidence, as all the evidence dictates that hypnosis really does work.
–
About the Author:
If you want to read about more scientific hypnosis studies please visit The Guide To Hypnosis.
Article Source
