Hypnosis - is it magic?

Hypnosis – is it magic? Not really, but a lot of my patients tell me it is. While hypnosis is not a magic wand, it does become so to paralyzed patients when they find they can walk again, and to patients who have suffered for years with chronic pain, when they find that their pain is gone.

There is no mystery to hypnosis. In fact, everyone has been in hypnosis, every day of his or her life. Whenever we become very engrossed in what we are doing, we slip into hypnosis. Self hypnosis occurs when you watch TV, drive a car, or daydream. You probably can recall many times when you have driven beyond your destination because your mind was on something else. That is because you were in hypnosis.

Most people anticipate a state of unconsciousness when hypnosis occurs. Actually there is never any loss of consciousness, even in the deepest state of hypnosis. Rather, the subject is also not under the control of the therapist, but maintains control at all times. No one will do anything under hypnosis that they really don’t want o do.

Hypnosis is now accepted by physicians, psychologists, and dentists as an effective tool of treatment for many physical and psychological disorders. Typically, habit control disorders associated with weight, smoking, and drug and alcohol abuse, and psychological disorders associated with stress, anxiety or depression symptoms respond well to treatment with hypnosis. It should be noted that hypnosis is most often used as an adjunct to medical and psychological interventions. For example, to provide really successful weight control, a multifaceted approach is taken. Cultural, psychological, activity, lifestyle change, dietary and self-confidence are all aspects of the problem, which need to be integrated with the hypnotherapy.

Another major application of hypnotherapy is to relieve pain. Pain is a complex psychological emotional experience irrespective of the cause. Whatever the origin and whether it is chronic or acute, hypnotherapy can reduce or completely eliminate pain and associated suffering. Body tissues can feel the pain, but once the pain has served its purpose as a signal, why continue to experience the sensations? Undergoing unnecessary surgery to remove pain may have detrimental results whereas hypnotherapy is a successful medical treatment restoring the capacity for productive function.

I pride myself on losing my patients fast! Hypnosis is like taking a shortcut through the woods, it results in considerably shorter treatment times. A patient came to me, referred by her neurologist who had given her a choice between lower back surgery or a series of visits with “Dr. Elly”, which oftentimes my patients call me. I generally suggest six sessions for permanency in pain relief. If the source of the pain is psychological, this allows sufficient time to perform hypnoanalysis to determine why the problem started, although this knowledge is not necessary to achieve pain relief, and to perform my own unique methodology of pain control. The patient was entirely pain free after three sessions and chose to return twice more. This needs mention since, for example, one session could remove the desire for smoking. However, numerous studies have shown that when this is not reinforced by succeeding sessions of “rubbing in” in various ways, the patient will return to smoking within six months if not sooner.

Careful consideration should be given before you choose a hypnosis practitioner. During a hypnotic session, particularly where age regression and hypnoanalysis are undertaken, if some heavy emotional experiences are uncovered, a lay hypnotist may not be equipped to deal with them, whereas a psychologist or physician is trained to handle these situations and turn them into positive therapeutic experiences.

By Eleanor S. Field, Ph.D.
President, Los Angeles Academy of Clinical Hypnosis, on staff AMI Tarzana Regional Medical Center.
Author of “The Good Girl Syndrome” Macmillan 1986.