Worldwide, medical hypnosis is being increasingly accepted to ease acute and chronic pain arising from burns, cancer, and rheumatoid arthritis and reduction of anxiety associated with surgery.
What is hypnosis?
- Hypnosis is a state of increased suggestibility with constriction of peripheral awareness and increased focal concentration on task at hand. Heightened suggestibility is an essential characteristic in hypnosis.
- Hypnosis is like a meditative technique that encourages inner search and the understanding that many forms of anxiety and certain physical conditions have an emotional or psychological origin.
- Hypnotherapy is psychological therapy using hypnosis in order to enable clients to accept positive suggestions far less critically than in an awake and alert state. A skilled hypnotherapist can then suggest constructive ideas which can then help the client to change his thinking, feelings and behaviours.
- Clinical Hypnosis involves hypnotherapy with targeted treatment protocols designed for treating or alleviating certain specific mental or physical conditions.
What can be treated by Clinical Hypnosis?
ANY physical condition that has an emotional origin (e.g. psychosomatic disorders)
ANY mild to moderate psychological disorders (neuroses) :
Here are some common conditions that can be helped by Clinical Hypnosis
* Acne * Asthma (mild) * Anxiety disorders * Bruxism* Depression (mild)
* Eating Disorders * Eczema and certain skin disorders * Fear of Negative Evaluation
* Migraine and other headaches * Irritable Bowel Syndrome * Insomnia and other sleep disorders
* Nail Biting * Negative experience or trauma from the past * Obsessive Compulsive Disorders
* Pain management * Panic Attacks & Panic disorder * Performance Anxiety
* Performance related stress * Phobias * Pregnancy and Hypno-birthing * Relationship problems
* Repetitive learned behaviours (habits) * Self-confidence * Sexual problems
* Smoking cessation * Stammering * Stress Management
For Cancer:
- Managing symptoms of the cancer itself
- Managing nonspecific symptoms such as fatigue, malaise, irritability, and insomnia.
- Hypnotic treatment for side effects of chemotherapy like nausea and vomiting
- Preparing patients for medical procedures and operations
- Psychological adjustments to Cancer
- Visualizing the regression of the disease process through mental images
Can hypnosis help in pain management?
Hypnosis is important to relieve pain for the following reasons:
- Greater self-control and greater personal responsibility for their own level of well-being.
- Letting go of the feeling of helplessness
- Advances the experience of comfort and lessens anxiety and fear. This is done by giving relaxation training under hypnosis
- Helps get back to work and decrease financial burden
How does hypnotic analgesia work?
- Hypnotic suggestions can affect pain at multiple levels, including its generation at the periphery, secondary sensory neurons sensitization, and modulation of endocrine/ immune responses through the modulation of autonomic activity.
- Functional imaging studies have identified activation in mid-cingulate cortex as directly mediating the changes in pain perception rather than just altering the response to pain.
- Hypnosis helps by alteration of physical sensations:
- In weight- heaviness/ lightness
- In degree of sensation- numbness/ analgesia/ anasthaesia
- In temperature- warmth/ coolness (In case of burn patients)
Is self-hypnosis easy to learn? What are its (health) benefits?
Self-hypnosis is a highly suggestible self-induced state in which suggestions can be directed to the self. Positive thinking exercises, self-affirmations and other similar techniques are all modifications of Self-hypnosis. Its effectiveness depends upon strong motivation and intelligent application of suggestions. It is better to learn from a trained Hypnotherapist.
Self-Hypnosis is useful for:
- Bolstering self-esteem
- Creating a positive self-image
- Overcoming bad habits
- Enhancing creativity
- Motivation
- Moving beyond loss, separation or grief
- Increasing relaxation and managing stress
- Sports and education
Contraindications:
(Self-Hypnosis should not be used under these circumstances)
- Psychosis
- Severe depression with hallucinations
- Manic episodes of bipolar disorder
- Severe distress immediately after a severe trauma
(Dr. Deepali S. Ajinkya is a Physician, Psychotherapist, EMDR Therapist, Clinical Hypnotherapist and Director, Master Your Mind Institute of Clinical Hypnosis)
