What is hypnotherapy?

Hypnotherapy is a method by which the patient is guided into a natural state of relaxation and heightened concentration. In this hypnotic state, the powers of positive suggestion and visualization are intensified, enabling a person to achieve goals that may have seemed unattainable in the past. Transformation of destructive thought patterns and behaviors is also achieved more readily in a hypnotic state. It wasn't until the late 1950s that hypnotherapy became accepted as a treatment modality in the U.S. Today, it is widely used to treat everything from asthma and depression, to addictions and phobias.

Various forms of hypnosis, trance, and altered states of consciousness have been documented in a number of cultures throughout history. Hypnosis-like practices can be traced to ancient Egypt, Babylon, Greece, Persia, Britain, Scandinavia, America, Africa, India, and China. Wong Tai, a father of Chinese medicine, made an early written reference to hypnosis in 2600 BC. Hypnotic practices have played roles in religion and religious ceremonies. Mention is made in the Bible, Talmud, and Hindu Vedas, and trance-states are included in some Native American and African ceremonies.

The term hypnosis is derived from the Greek word hypnos, meaning sleep. The origin of modern Western hypnotherapy is often traced to the Austrian physician Franz Anton Mesmer (1734-1815). Mesmer believed that illness is caused by an imbalance of magnetic fluids in the body that can be corrected through "animal magnetism." He asserted that the hypnotist's own personal magnetism can be transferred to a patient. The term "mesmerize" is derived from Mesmer's name.

In the mid 20th Century, the British and American Medical Associations and the American Psychological Association endorsed hypnosis as a medical procedure. In 1995, the U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH) issued a consensus statement noting the scientific evidence in favor of the use of hypnosis for chronic pain, particularly pain associated with cancer.

The degree of susceptibility to hypnosis and suggestion appears to vary between individuals. The therapeutic goals of hypnotherapy also vary, and may include the treatment of psychological or medical conditions or alteration of behaviors/habits. Subjects may seek hypnotherapy to gain control over behaviors or emotions. Self-hypnosis techniques may be used as an adjunct to sessions with a hypnotherapist.

Hypnosis is associated with a deep state of relaxation. Whether this represents a specific altered state of consciousness is the subject of scientific debate. There are reports that suggestion alone, without the process of hypnosis, can achieve many of the same results, although research in this area is not conclusive. It is not known why some individuals are more susceptible to hypnotic suggestion than others.

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Although the term hypnosis comes from Hypnos, the name of the Greek god of sleep, hypnosis is not a form of sleep but a state of deep relaxation. During this trance-like state, the mind is particularly receptive to suggestions, which form the basis of this form of therapy. A session usually involves sitting with eyes closed as you slow your breathing. The therapist then instructs you to calm and clear your mind, which helps you become receptive to suggestions.