Why does hypnotherapy work?
When you are in hypnosis, you are in an altered state of mind, like daydreaming. However, you are fully conscious in a focused way that allows you to access your subconscious. The hypnotherapist guides you into that state of mind and offers suggestions to your subconscious mind. That will help you achieve your goals, whether to lose weight, stop smoking, get over your claustrophobia, or other issues. You will discuss these goals with the hypnotherapist before the session.
It has taken centuries for hypnotherapy to regain credibility with the medical profession after being debunked by a commission put together by King Louis the XIV of France in 1784. However, today it is being used frequently.
More than 6,000 articles have been published about hypnosis in medical and psychological journals. Many have reported excellent results, even those that initially showed skepticism. For example, hypnotherapy can successfully treat phobias, insomnia, weight loss, addictions, stress and anxiety, and even pain and discomfort. Some researchers are even using it to understand how our brains work, especially how we respond to pain.
The Mayo Clinic is a non-profit medical practice dedicated to diagnosing and treating virtually every type of complex illness. It has done several studies showing hypnotherapy to be very helpful in several situations. They found that hypnotherapy works best with clients who have high motivation. An example would be someone who wants to quit smoking. Hypnotherapists see hundreds of people a year for this issue, and many report a strong success rate (as high as 80-90%).
Phobias are another area where hypnotherapy is highly successful. Using hypnotherapy, you can replace your fear with feelings of success, so when you find yourself in a fearful situation again, you feel confident instead.
Does hypnotherapy work for everyone?
Some people are concerned they can’t go into hypnosis. However, in most cases, there’s nothing to worry about. For example, in the late 1950s, researchers at Stanford University learned through subsequent studies that anyone with normal intelligence could go into hypnosis.
Studies on the effectiveness of hypnotherapy show that people who are good subjects for hypnosis are active problem-solvers. By learning how to move in and out of the hypnotic state, these clients are learning an effective method to resolve issues that may have been utterly debilitating before they tried hypnotherapy.
Does hypnotherapy work? It’s one of the most common questions people ask. The answer is yes, and plenty of scientific research supports this.
Hypnosis is a viable therapeutic technique that addresses the subconscious mind. Of course, as with any therapy, it will work better for some than others. However, many will find value in trying hypnotherapy, especially if they are motivated to get the desired results.
