5 Most Common Uses of Hypnosis
While pop culture might suggest that you need a swinging pendulum to get someone hypnotized, hypnosis isn’t like that. Hypnotherapists don’t use it to brainwash or control people’s minds. In this post, we’ll discuss the most common uses of hypnosis today.
Most Common Uses of Hypnosis
This mind-body technique, which in Greek means sleep, involves putting someone in a trance-like state and helping them achieve a better quality of life by using suggestions. It’s an alternative or complementary treatment that comes without harsh side effects.
Here are some conditions that hypnosis helps treat:
Pain
Pain relief is probably one of the most common uses of hypnosis. Known as hypno-analgesia, hypnosis for pain may use suggestions of being pain-free, having reduced pain, or even guided imagery.
In a 2014 study, hypnosis has been shown to be clinically effective in managing various types of pain including “chronic oncological pain, HIV neuropathic pain, pain during extraction of molars, pain associated to physical trauma, pain in surgical procedures, pain associated to temporomandibular joint disorder, phantom limb, fibromyalgia, pain in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, acute pain in children, lumbago and pain in childbirth.”
Fears, Phobias, and Anxiety
When you have any of these conditions, you might feel helpless and trapped. It might feel like you’re stuck inside your fears and happiness is so elusive.
Hypnosis may help release you from being grappled by fear, whether known or unknown. Through hypnosis, you’d be able to gain more focused attention and emotional control as evidenced by a 2016 study. Also, your heart rate and blood pressure may go down since you are in a calm and relaxed state.
Depression
As for depression, hypnosis has been shown in a 2019 study to work as well as other psychological interventions such as cognitive therapy and interpersonal psychotherapy.
Also, according to a 2020 study, hypnosis for depression is effective even when done in groups.
Weight Loss
Struggling to win the fight against those pounds? Hypnosis for weight loss works by helping you uncover the roots of your weight problem and come up with strategies to make healthier choices.
And this treatment has promising potential as noted by a 2022 study. The study showed that those who underwent hypnosis lost more weight compared to the participants who got health education on diet, exercise, and healthy habits.
Negative Habits
Some people might go for hypnosis to help curb negative habits like smoking and drinking too much alcohol.
For these conditions, the hypnotherapist may suggest unpleasant effects of smoking such as poisoning the body or leaving the mouth very thirsty.
Preparing For A Hypnosis Session
While you don’t need much preparation for hypnosis, it’s better if you wear comfortable clothes to feel at ease. Plus, remember to get good sleep the night before so you won’t snooze during the session.
When you’re choosing a hypnotherapist always look for one who’s certified and experienced.
Ask them:
- How long have you been practicing?
- What kind of training did you go through?
- Which professional organizations are you a member of?
Everybody in Mind Wellness Center owner and founder, Carla Chalah, is a certified clinical hypnotherapist with more than a decade of professional experience. She can help you live a life worth celebrating. You can simply book a session with her and get started.
Hemisphere Hypnotherapy also offers other talented online hypnosis practitioners and offers an 8-week ICBCH hypnosis certification class.