Hypnotherapy works.
The following are just a few of the research findings that suggest strong evidence of the therapeutic effectiveness of hypnotherapy for a variety of issues:
Pain relief
- A meta analysis in the year 2000 of 18 published studies by psychologists Guy Montgomery (PhD) Kahterine DuHamel (PhD) and William Redd PhD, showed that 75% of clinical and experimental participants with different types of pain obtained substantial pain relief from hypnotic techniques.This includes both acutue and chronic pain issues.
(Source:American psychological association)
- Professors of Radiology at Harvard Medical school; Ginandes and Daniel Rosenthal published a report on their study of hypnosis to speed up the mending of broken bones. They recruited 12 people with broken ankles that did not require surgery and who received the usual treatment at hospital.Ginandes hypnotised half of these people once a week for 12 weeks whilst the other half received normal treatment at hospital. A radiologist who reviewed the xrays did not know which patients had undergone the hypnotherapy treatments.Results indicated that those who received hypnotherapy healed faster than those who did not recieve hypnotherapy. Only 6 weeks after treatment, the group who had received the hypnotherapy treatment showed the equivalent of 8 and a half weeks healing in comparison to the group that did not receive the hypnotherapy treatment.
(Source: Hypnosis network)]
- The national institute of health technology assessment panel on integration of behavioural and relaxation approaches into the treatment of chronic pain and insomnia reviewed studies on hypnosis with cancer pain and concluded that research evidence was strong and suggested that hypnotherapy was effective with some chronic pain including tension headaches and migraines.
(Source: DC Hammond – Intl.(Journal of Clinical and Experimental Hypnosis, 2007 – Taylor & Francis)
Weight loss
- Researchers analysed 18 studies comparing cognitive behavioral therapy and hypnotherapy for weight loss. Those clients who received the hypnotherapy lost more weight than 90% of the non hypnosis group. They also maintained the weightloss for at least two years after treatment ended.
Source:Allison DB, Faith MS. Hypnosis as an adjunct to cognitive-behavioral psychotherapy for obesity: a meta-analytic reappraisal. J Consult Clin Psychol. 1996;64(3):513-516.
- Two studies compared overweight smoking and non smoking adult women in an hypnotherapy based weight loss program. Both achieved significant weight losses and decreases in body mass index. Follow up studies replicated weight loss findings and a reduction in body mass index.
(Source: Weight loss for women: studies of smokers and nonsmokers using hypnosis and multi-component treatments with and without overt aversion. Johnson DL, Psychology Reprints. 1997 Jun;80(3 Pt 1):931-3.
- A randomised group of two groups who received hypnotherapy vs a group who received just dietary advice and nasal airway pressure treatment alone in 60 obese patients with sleep apnea showed that the stress reduction with hypnotherapy achieved significantly more weight loss than just the dietary advice and nasal airway pressure treatment alone.
(Source: J Stradling, D Roberts, A Wilson and F Lovelock, Chest Unit, Churchill Hospital, Oxford, OX3 7LJ, UK)
Smoking cessation
- In one study, 21 patients received a stop smoking cessation hypnotherapy session. At the end of the session, 81% of those patients that received treatment reported that they had stopped smoking and 48% reported abstinence at 12 months post treatment. 95% of patients reported feeling satisfied with the treatment they received.
Source:Journal of Clinical Exp Hypnotherapy 2004 Jan;52(1):73-81.Clinical hypnosis for smoking cessation: preliminary results of a three-session intervention Elkins GR, Rajab MH.Texas A&M University)
- 226 smokers were referred to a smoking cessation program. They were treated with a single smoking cessation session intervention using self hypnosis. They were then followed up after a two year period. 52% of the group achieved total abstinence from smoking. (from one session!)These results may be modest however they are clearly significant in comparison to other more spontaneous methods to stop smoking.
(Source:Predictors of smoking abstinence following a single-session restructuring intervention with self-hypnosis.Spiegel D, Frischholz EJ, Fleiss JL, Spiegel H. Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University School of Medicine)
Insomnia
22 student volunteers that underwent hypnotherapy and relaxation training for the treatment of insomnia reported substantial improvements in their sleep problem following training.
- The study compared the effectiveness of hypnosis and relaxation training in the treatment of insomnia among the 22 student volunteers. Using a subjective rating scale, subjects in both the hypnosis and relaxation conditions reported substantial improvement in their sleep problem following training.
- In a couple of sessions, Becker reported that 50% of patients suffering from chronic insomnia experienced improvement in their sleep pattern lasting over 16 months after a simple 2 session hypnotherapy treatment course.
(Source: Becker PM. Chronic insomnia: outcome of hypnotherapist intervention in six cases. Am J Clin Hypn 1993;36:98-105.)
Phobias
- Three methods using hypnotherapy techniques were used to treat the fear of snakes in 36 adult female snake phobics. The hypnotherapy methods included relaxation techniques whilst recalling the snake related events, the fear arousal during recalling of snake related event and posthypnotic suggestions about the disappearances of snake phobias. all methods led to a significant decrease in fear towards snake in comparison to controls or non treatment group who showed very little change.
Childbirth/pregnancy
A British study found a statistically significant reduction in the legnth of labour for first and second time mothers in 70 patients who used hypnosis in contrast to 70 patients who underwent relaxation techniques alone.
Source: (Davidson, 1962)
Other research has also indicated a reduction of two to three hours of labour time for women using hypnosis for childbirth
Source: (Abramson and Heron 1950)
In another British study, 55% of 45 patients using hypnosis required no medication for pain releif during labour. In the non-hypnosis group only 22% of 90 women required no medication.
Source: (August 1961)
Irritable Bowel syndrome
- Clinical studies of hypnotherapy used to treat IBS in patients demonstrated over 80% success rate in treating IBS symptoms. This lead to an improved quality of life. reduced dependence on medication and general improved health measures
(Source Bremner H. Complement Ther Clin Pract. 2013 Aug;19(3):147-52)
- A total of 164 patients with IBS were screened and received either supportive talks with medical treatment or supportive medical treatment with Gut directed hypnotherapy. (10 sessions within 12 weeks). 60.8% of clients who received gut directed hypnotherapy showed improvements. over 15 months. This also included general improvement in quality of life, psychological status, and IBS symptoms therefore coming to the conclusion that gut directed hypnotherapy was highly effective in the treatment of IBS .(Source: Moser G, Trägner S, Gajowniczek EE, Mikulits A, Michalski M, Kazemi-Shirazi L, Kulnigg-Dabsch S, Führer M, Ponocny-Seliger E, Dejaco C, Miehsler W.Am J Gastroenterol. 2013 Apr;108(4):602-9. doi: 10.1038/ajg.2013.19. Epub 2013 Feb 19).
Sidra Khan: BSc (Hons), MBPsS, MNCH (Reg), D. Hyp, C.Hyp, CNHS (reg),PNLP
Contact: 07526 000360
