As of December, 2004
there are more than 5,000 clinical research
studies having to do with hypnosis and its
benefits currently being conducted worldwide
according to the
National Center for Biotechnology
Information
Journal of Consulting and
Clinical Psychology (1996) Research into
cognitive-behavioral weight loss treatments
established that weight loss is greater
where hypnosis is utilized. It was also
established that the benefits of hypnosis
increase over time.
Journal of Consulting and
Clinical Psychology (1986) A study of 60
females who were at least 20% overweight and
not involved in other treatment showed
hypnosis is an effective way to lose weight.
Journal of Consulting and
Clinical Psychology (1985) 109 people
completed a behavioral treatment for weight
management either with or without the
addition of hypnosis. At the end of the
9-week program, both interventions resulted
in significant weight reduction. At 8-month
and 2-year follow-ups, the hypnosis subjects
were found to have continued to lose
significant weight, while those in the
behavioral-treatment-only group showed
little further change.
Kirsch, Irving (1996).
Hypnotic enhancement of cognitive-behavioral
weight loss treatments--Another
meta-reanalysis. Journal of Consulting and
Clinical Psychology, 64 (3), 517-519. Study
of the effect of adding hypnosis to
cognitive- behavioral treatments for weight
reduction, additional data were obtained
from authors of 2 studies. Averaged across
post treatment and follow-up assessment
periods, the mean weight loss was 6.00 lbs.
without hypnosis and 11.83 lbs. with
hypnosis. At the last assessment period, the
mean weight loss was 6.03 lbs. without
hypnosis and 14.88 lbs. with hypnosis.
Analyses indicated that the benefits of
hypnosis increased substantially over time.
Cochrane, Gordon;
Friesen, J. (1986). Hypnotherapy in weight
loss treatment. Journal of Consulting and
Clinical Psychology, 54, 489-492.
Investigated the effects of hypnosis in
weight loss for 60 females, at least 20%
overweight. Treatment included group
hypnosis with metaphors for ego-
strengthening, decision making and
motivation, ideomotor exploration in
individual hypnosis, and group hypnosis with
maintenance suggestions. Hypnosis was more
effective than a control group 17lbs vs. 0.5
lbs on follow-up.
Smoking
International Journal of
Clinical and Experimental Hypnosis (Jan.
2004) Patients received individualized
hypnosis for smoking cessation over three
sessions. 81% reported they had stopped
smoking completely and 48% reported
abstinence for at least 12 months
post-treatment. 95% of patients were
satisfied with the treatment they received.
Bayot A. Capafons A.
Cardena E. Emotional self-regulation
therapy: a new and efficacious treatment for
smoking. Journal of Clinical Hypnosis.
40(2):146-56, 1997 Oct. Of the 38
individuals who completed treatment 82%
stopped smoking altogether and 13% reduced
their smoking. A follow-up at 6 months
showed that 66% of those who had completed
the treatment remained abstinent and
reported minimal withdrawal symptoms or
weight gain. In a no-treatment comparison
group, only 8% reduced their smoking or
became abstinent.
Irritable Bowel Syndrome
Colgan SM, Faragher EB,
Whorwell PJ Controlled trial of hypnotherapy
in relapse prevention of duodenal ulceration
Lancet 1988; 1(8598): 1299-300 30. The
results of this study suggest that
hypnotherapy may be a useful therapeutic
adjunct for some patients with chronic
recurrent duodenal ulceration.
Whorwell PJ; Prior A;
Colgan SM. Hypnotherapy in severe irritable
bowel syndrome: further experience. Gut,
1987 Apr, 28:4, 423-5. This report summed up
further experience with 35 patients added to
the 15 treated with hypnotherapy in the 1984
Lancet study. For the whole 50 patient
group, success rate was 95% for classic IBS
cases, but substantially less for IBS
patients with atypical symptom picture or
significant psychological problems. The
report also observed that patients over age
50 seemed to have lower success rate from
this treatment.
Prior A, Colgan SM,
Whorwell PJ. Changes in rectal sensitivity
after hypnotherapy in patients with
irritable bowel syndrome. Gut 1990;31:896.
This study found IBS patients to be less
sensitive to pain and other sensations
induced via balloon inflation in their gut
while they were under hypnosis. Sensitivity
to some balloon-induced gut sensations
(although not pain sensitivity) was reduced
following a course of hypnosis treatment.
Koutsomanis D.
Hypnoanalgesia in the irritable bowel
syndrome. Gastroenterology 1997, 112, A764.
This French study showed less analgesic
medication use required and less abdominal
pain experienced by a group of 12 IBS
patients after a course of 6-8
analgesia-oriented hypnosis sessions
followed by 4 sessions of autogenic
training. Patients were evaluated at 6-month
and 12-month follow-up.
Vidakovic Vukic M.
Hypnotherapy in the treatment of irritable
bowel syndrome: methods and results in
Amsterdam. Scand J Gastroenterol Suppl,
1999, 230:49-51.Reports results of treatment
of 27patients of gut-directed hypnotherapy
tailored to each individual patient. All of
the 24 who completed treatment were found to
be improved.
Galovski TE; Blanchard
EB. Appl Psychophysiol Biofeedback, 1998
Dec, 23:4, 219-32. Eleven patients completed
hypnotherapy, with improvement reported for
all central IBS symptoms, as well as
improvement in anxiety. Six of the patients
were a waiting-control group for comparison,
and did not show such improvement while
waiting for treatment.
Harvey RF. Hinton RA.
Gunary RM. Barry RE. Individual and group
hypnotherapy in treatment of refractory
irritable bowel syndrome. Lancet 1989;
1(8635): 424-5. 33 patients with refractory
irritable bowel syndrome were treated with
four 40-minute sessions of hypnotherapy over
7 weeks. 20 improved, 11 of whom lost almost
all their symptoms. Short-term improvement
was maintained for 3 months without further
formal treatment.
Klein KB. Spiegel D.
Modulation of gastric acid secretion by
hypnosis. Gastroenterology 1989; 96(6):
1383-7. We have shown that different
cognitive states induced by hypnosis can
promote or inhibit gastric acid production,
processes clearly controlled by the central
nervous system. Hypnosis offers promise as a
safe and simple method for studying the
mechanisms of such central control.
Whorwell PJ. Prior A.
Colgan SM. Hypnotherapy in severe irritable
bowel syndrome: further experience. Gut
1987; 28(4): 423-5. Patients below the age
of 50 with classical irritable bowel
syndrome exhibited a 100% response rate.
This study confirms the successful effect of
hypnotherapy in a larger series of patients
with irritable bowel syndrome and defines
some subgroup variations.
Whorwell PJ. Prior A.
Faragher EB. Controlled trial of
hypnotherapy in the treatment of severe
refractory irritable-bowel syndrome. Lancet
1984; 2(8414): 1232-4 30. The hypnotherapy
patients showed a dramatic improvement in
all features, the difference between the two
groups being highly significant. In the
hypnotherapy group no relapses were recorded
during the 3-month follow-up period and no
substitution symptoms were observed.
Pain Relief
Research using positron
emission tomography (PET) scans, shows that
hypnosis might alleviate pain by decreasing
the activity of brain areas involved in the
experience of suffering. Scientists have
found that hypnosis reduced the activity of
the anterior cingulate cortex, an area known
to be involved in pain, but did not affect
the activity of the somatosensory cortex,
where the sensations of pain are processed.
Anderson JA, Basker MA,
Dalton R Migraine and hypnotherapy
International Journal of Clinical &
Experimental Hypnosis 1975; 23(1): 48-58.
Compared the treatment of migraine by
hypnosis and autohypnosis with the treatment
of migraine by the drug prochlorperazine (Stemetil)
Results show that the number of attacks and
the number who suffered blinding attacks
were significantly lower for the group
receiving hypnotherapy than for the group
receiving prochlorperazine. For the group on
hypnotherapy, these 2 measures were
significantly lower when on hypnotherapy
than when on previous treatment. It is
concluded that further trials of
hypnotherapy are justified against some
other treatment not solely associated with
the ingestion of tablets. (German, French, &
Spanish summaries)
Dahlgren LA. Kurtz RM.
Strube MJ. Malone MD. Differential effects
of hypnotic suggestion on multiple
dimensions of pain. Journal of Pain &
Symptom Management. 1995; 10(6): 464-70.
Analysis of the simple-simple main effects,
holding both group and condition constant,
revealed that application of hypnotic
analgesia reduced report of pain intensity
significantly more than report of pain
unpleasantness.
Melis PM. Rooimans W.
Spierings EL. Hoogduin CA. Treatment of
chronic tension-type headache with
hypnotherapy: a single-blind time controlled
study. Headache 1991; 31(10): 686-9. The
improvement was confirmed by the subjective
evaluation data gathered with the use of a
questionnaire and by a significant reduction
in anxiety scores.
Patterson DR. Ptacek JT.
Baseline pain as a moderator of hypnotic
analgesia for burn injury treatment. Journal
of Consulting & Clinical Psychology 1997;
65(1): 60-7. The post treatment pain scores
of the 2 groups did not differ significantly
when all patients were considered. However,
when a subset of patients who reported high
levels of baseline pain were examined, it
was found that patients in the hypnosis
group reported less post treatment pain than
did patients in the control group. The
findings are used to replicate earlier
studies of burn pain hypnoanalgesia, explain
discrepancies in the literature, and
highlight the potential importance of
motivation with this population.
Oakley DA, Whitman LG,
Halligan PW.Department of Psychology,
University College London, UK. oakley@the-croft.demon.co.uk
OBJECTIVE: Treatment of phantom limb pain
using hypnotic imagery. CONCLUSION: Hypnotic
procedures appear to be a useful adjunct to
established strategies for the treatment of
phantom limb pain and would repay further,
more systematic, investigation. Suggestions
are provided as to the factors which should
be considered for a more systematic research
program.
Stress and Phobias
In a research study done with 60 college
student volunteers (Spring of 2004 at
Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff,
Arizona), using hypnosis with
ego-enhancement suggestions showed
"significantly dramatic effects" in
brain-wave patterns, subjective sense of
self-confidence, and test scores.
In an ongoing pilot study
being done by University of Florida
counseling psychologist Paul Schauble,
preliminary results show hypnotized patients
with hypertension are more easily able to
make lifestyle improvements that can lower
blood pressure.
Faymonville ME. Mambourg
PH. Joris J. Vrijens B. Fissette J. Albert
A. Lamy M. Psychological approaches during
conscious sedation. Hypnosis versus stress
reducing strategies. 1997; 73(3): 361-7.
This study suggests that hypnosis provides
better perioperative pain and anxiety
relief, allows for significant reductions in
alfentanil and midazolam requirements, and
improves patient satisfaction and surgical
conditions as compared with conventional
stress reducing strategies support in
patients receiving conscious sedation for
plastic surgery.
Stanton HE Overcoming
fear of public speaking with the diagnostic
trance Australian Journal of Clinical &
Experimental Hypnosis 1991 May; 19(1): 41-7.
Subjects in both the experimental group of
the 1st stage and the control group of the
2nd stage were able to reduce their fear of
public speaking level significantly through
use of the diagnostic trance procedure.
Three months later, this improvement had
been maintained.
Stanton HE Self-hypnosis:
one path to reduced test anxiety
Contemporary Hypnosis 1994; 11(1): 14-8.
Results indicate a significant reduction of
TASC scores in the experimental group,
maintained over a 6-mo period, which was not
matched by the control group.
Hammarstrand G. Berggren
U. Hakeberg M. Psychophysiological therapy
vs. hypnotherapy in the treatment of
patients with dental phobia. European
Journal of Oral Sciences 1995; 103(6):
399-404. The PP group reported a
statistically significant decrease in dental
fear as well as a rise in mood during dental
situations, as opposed to the HT group.
Treatments, became less fearful of dental
care and were able to manage conventional
dental care, including changing dentist.
Taylor DN. Effects of a
behavioral stress-management program on
anxiety, mood, self-esteem, and T-cell count
in HIV positive men. Psychological Reports.
1995; 76(2): 451-7. Analysis showed that
compared with the no-treatment group, the
treatment group showed significant
improvement on all the dependent measures,
which was maintained at a 1-mo. follow-up.
Since stress is known to compromise the
immune system, these results suggest that
stress management to reduce arousal of the
nervous system and anxiety would be an
appropriate component of a treatment regimen
for HIV infection.
Surgical
A study being done by a
team of University of Florida researchers is
finding that learning self-hypnosis gives a
patient greater control over the stress,
anxiety and pain of medical operations and
childbirth, overall. "Training patients in
hypnosis prior to undergoing surgery is a
way of helping them develop a sense of
control over their stress, discomfort and
anxiety," says Dr. Paul Schauble,
psychologist. "It also helps them better
understand what they can do to bring about a
more satisfying and rapid recovery." He also
said, "We've found, in working with
individual patients, that they often feel
literally stripped of control when they go
into the hospital. The surgeon may do a good
job of explaining the surgery, but patients'
anxiety may make it difficult for them to
absorb or comprehend. This can result in
undue apprehension that can create
complications or prolonged recovery."
Disbrow EA. Bennett HL.
Owings JT. Effect of preoperative suggestion
on postoperative gastrointestinal motility
Western Journal of Medicine. 1993; 158(5):
488-92. The suggestion group had a
significantly shorter average time to the
return of intestinal motility, 2.6 versus
4.1 days. Time to discharge was 6.5 versus
8.1 days. An average savings of $1,200 per
patient resulted from this simple 5-minute
intervention. In summary, the use of
specific physiologically active suggestions
given preoperatively in a beleivable manner
can reduce the morbidity associated with an
intra-abdominal operation by reducing the
duration of ileus.
Eberhart LH. Doring HJ.
Holzrichter P. Roscher R. Seeling W.
Therapeutic suggestions given during
neurolept-anaesthesia decrease
post-operative nausea and vomiting. European
Journal of Anaesthesiology 1998; 15(4):
446-52. We conclude that therapeutic
suggestions heard during
neurolept-anaesthesia are processed and
decrease post-operative nausea and vomiting
in patients after thyroidectomy.
Enqvist B. Bjorklund C.
Engman M. Jakobsson J. Preoperative hypnosis
reduces postoperative vomiting after surgery
of the breasts. A prospective, randomized
and blinded study. Acta Anaesthesiologica
Scandinavica 1997; 41(8): 1028-32. RESULTS:
Patients in the hypnosis group had
significantly less vomiting, 39% compared to
68% in the control group, less nausea and
less need of analgesics postoperatively.
Preoperative relaxation and/or hypnotic
techniques in breast surgery contribute to a
reduction of both PONV and postoperative
analgesic requirements.
Enqvist B. Fischer K.
Preoperative hypnotic techniques reduce
consumption of analgesics after surgical
removal of third mandibular molars: a brief
communication. International Journal of
Clinical & Experimental Hypnosis 1997;
45(2): 102-8. Anxiety before the operation
increased significantly in the control group
but remained at baseline level in the
experimental group. Postoperative
consumption of analgesics was significantly
reduced in the experimental group compared
to the control group.
Enqvist B. von Konow L.
Bystedt H. Pre- and perioperative suggestion
in maxillofacial surgery: effects on blood
loss and recovery. International Journal of
Clinical & Experimental Hypnosis 1995;
43(3): 284-94. The patients who received
preoperative suggestions exhibited a 30%
reduction in blood loss. A 26% reduction in
blood loss was shown in the group of
patients receiving pre and perioperative
suggestions, and the group of patients
receiving perioperative suggestions only
showed a 9% reduction in blood loss. Lower
blood pressure was found in the groups that
received pre and and perioperative
suggestions only. Rehabilitation was
facilitated in the group of patients
receiving perioperative suggestions only.
Evans C, Richardson PH
Therapeutic suggestions during general
anesthesia Advances 1988; 5(4): 6-11. Tested
the hypothesis that the quality and duration
of recovery from surgery would be improved
by therapeutic suggestions made while
patients were under general anesthesia.
Results support the hypothesis.
Goldmann L. Ogg TW. Levey
AB. Hypnosis and daycase anaesthesia. A
study to reduce pre-operative anxiety and
intra-operative anaesthetic requirements.
Anaesthesia 1988; 43(6): 466-9. A
significant correlation was found between
anxiety and perceived knowledge of
procedures. The results suggest that
pre-operative hypnosis can provide a quick
and effective way to reduce pre-operative
patient anxiety and anaesthetic requirements
for gynaecological daycase surgery.
Lambert SA. The effects
of hypnosis/guided imagery on the
postoperative course of children. Journal of
Developmental & Behavioral Pediatrics. 1996;
17(5): 307-10. Significantly lower
postoperative pain ratings and shorter
hospital stays occurred for children in the
experimental group. State anxiety was
decreased for the guided imagery group and
increased postoperatively for the control
group. This study demonstrates the positive
effects of hypnosis/guided imagery for the
pediatric surgical patient.
Maroof M. Ahmed SM. Khan
RM. Bano SJ. Haque AW. Intra-operative
suggestions reduce incidence of post
hysterectomy emesis. JPMA - Journal of the
Pakistan Medical Association 1997; 47(8):
202-4. The difference was statistically
significant. The patients requiring rescue
antiemetic was significantly higher (P <
0.05) in group I (66.6%) as compared to
group II (22.2%). It is concluded that
positive therapeutic suggestion may be
considered as an alternative to antiemetic
therapy.
McLintock TT. Aitken H.
Downie CF. Kenny GN. Postoperative analgesic
requirements in patients exposed to positive
intraoperative suggestions. BMJ 1990;
301(6755): 788-90. CONCLUSION--Positive
intraoperative suggestions seem to have a
significant effect in reducing patients'
morphine requirements in the early
postoperative period.
Rapkin DA. Straubing M.
Holroyd JC. Guided imagery, hypnosis and
recovery from head and neck cancer surgery:
an exploratory study. International Journal
of Clinical & Experimental Hypnosis 1991;
39(4): 215-26. Postoperative
hospitalizations for the hypnotic
intervention group were significantly
shorter than for the usual care group.
Findings suggest that imagery-hypnosis may
be prophylactic, benefiting patients by
reducing the probability of postoperative
complications and thereby keeping hospital
stay within the expected range.
Williams AR. Hind M.
Sweeney BP. Fisher R. The incidence and
severity of postoperative nausea and
vomiting in patients exposed to positive
intra-operative suggestions. Anesthesia.
1994; 49(4): 340-2. Patients who received
positive suggestions suffered significantly
less nausea and vomiting in the 24 h after
surgery.
Preoperative instruction
for decreased bleeding during spine surgery
spinal surgery patients who were given a
preoperative suggestion to decrease blood
loss at surgery had significantly less blood
loss than a relaxation or a control group.
1986 Anesthesiology 65;A245 Bennett HL,
Benson DR Kuiken DA.
Pre and perioperative
suggestion in maxillofacial surgery: effects
on blood loss and recovery. Patients facing
maxillofacial surgery who listened to a
preop tape suggesting favorable outcomes
including decreased blood loss, had a
significant 30% less blood loss than
controls, vs. only 9% less blood loss in a
group than only heard these suggestions
while asleep in the OR. 1995 Int J Clin Exp
Hypn 43;3:284-94 Enqvist, B., von Konow, L.,
and Bystedt, H.
Hypnotic control of upper
gastrointestinal hemorrhage: Case report of
a woman resuscitated from shock with a
positive lavage on her way to endoscopy,
whose bleeding apparently stopped with
hypnosis--script given. 1984 Am J Clin Hypn
27;1:22-5 Bishay, E. G., Stevens, G., and
Lee, C.
The use of hypnosis with
hemophilia. A self hypnosis program for
hemophilia patients at the Univ. of Colorado
has decreased frequency and severity of
bleeding episodes, as well as providing
increased feelings of control and
self-confidence. 1992 Psychiatr Med
10;4:89-98 LaBaw, W.
Oncology
Clinical trials of
therapeutic hypnosis confirm its potential
benefits. Christina Liossi, a psychologist
at the University of Wales in Swansea,
recently conducted a study of 80 cancer
patients aged 6 to 16. She found that those
under hypnosis experienced far less pain
during treatments than control children, who
simply talked to the researchers normally.
Campbell DF. Dixon JK.
Sanderford LD. Denicola MA. Relaxation: its
effect on the nutritional status and
performance status of clients with cancer.
Journal of the American Dietetic Association
1984; 84(2): 201-4. Research has shown
relaxation to be an effective measure in
relation to pain, hypertension, and other
conditions. These preliminary results now
suggest that relaxation may also be
effective in treating the eating problems of
the person with cancer, leading to
improvement in weight and performance
status.
Dahlgren LA. Kurtz RM.
Strube MJ. Malone MD. Differential effects
of hypnotic suggestion on multiple
dimensions of pain. Journal of Pain &
Symptom Management. 1995; 10(6): 464-70.
Analysis of the simple-simple main effects,
holding both group and condition constant,
revealed that application of hypnotic
analgesia reduced report of pain intensity
significantly more than report of pain
unpleasantness.
Enqvist B. Bjorklund C.
Engman M. Jakobsson J. Preoperative hypnosis
reduces postoperative vomiting after surgery
of the breasts. A prospective, randomized
and blinded study. Acta Anaesthesiologica
Scandinavica 1997; 41(8): 1028-32. RESULTS:
Patients in the hypnosis group had
significantly less vomiting, 39% compared to
68% in the control group, less nausea and
less need of analgesics postoperatively.
Preoperative relaxation and/or hypnotic
techniques in breast surgery contribute to a
reduction of both PONV and postoperative
analgesic requirements.
Jacknow DS. Tschann JM.
Link MP. Boyce WT. Hypnosis in the
prevention of chemotherapy-related nausea
and vomiting in children: a prospective
study. Journal of Developmental & Behavioral
Pediatrics 1994; 15(4): 258-64. To study the
effectiveness of hypnosis for decreasing
antiemetic medication usage and treatment of
chemotherapy-related nausea and vomiting in
The hypnosis group experienced less
anticipatory nausea than the control group
at 1 to 2 months post diagnosis (p < .02).
Results suggest self-hypnosis is effective
for decreasing antiemetic medication usage
and for reducing anticipatory nausea during
chemotherapy.
Rapkin DA. Straubing M.
Holroyd JC. Guided imagery, hypnosis and
recovery from head and neck cancer surgery:
an exploratory study. International Journal
of Clinical & Experimental Hypnosis 1991;
39(4): 215-26. Postoperative
hospitalizations for the hypnotic
intervention group were significantly
shorter than for the usual care group.
Findings suggest that imagery-hypnosis may
be prophylactic, benefiting patients by
reducing the probability of postoperative
complications and thereby keeping hospital
stay within the expected range.
Sullivan DS. Johnson A.
Bratkovitch J. Reduction of behavioral
deficit in organic brain damage by use of
hypnosis. Journal of Clinical Psychology
1974; 30(1): 96-8. There was a highly
significant correlation between hypnotic
susceptibility and improvement on the
dependent measures.
Cardiac
A controlled study of 32
coronary bypass patients showed that those
taught self-hypnosis pre-operatively were
more relaxed after surgery and had less need
for pain medication (Journal of
Cardiovascular Surgery, February 1997).
Ashton C Jr. Whitworth
GC. Seldomridge JA. Shapiro PA. Weinberg
AD.Michler RE. Smith CR. Rose EA. Fisher S.
Oz MC. Self-hypnosis reduces anxiety
following coronary artery bypass surgery.
CONCLUSION: This study demonstrates the
beneficial effects self-hypnosis relaxation
techniques on patients undergoing coronary
artery bypass surgery.
Crowther JH. Stress
management training and relaxation imagery
in the treatment of essential hypertension.
Journal of Behavioral Medicine 1983; 6(2):
169-87. Results indicated stress management
plus relaxation imagery and relaxation
imagery alone were significantly more
effective than blood pressure checks in
reducing systolic and diastolic blood
pressures during treatment and in
maintaining diastolic blood pressure
reductions during follow-up. However, no
significant differences were found between
the two treatment procedures. Clinical
implications of these findings are
discussed.
DeBenedittis G. Cigada M.
Bianchi A. Signorini MG. Cerutti S.
Autonomic changes during hypnosis: a heart
rate variability power spectrum analysis as
a marker of sympatho-vagal balance.
International Journal of Clinical &
Experimental Hypnosis 1994; 42(2): 140-52.
Preliminary results indicated that hypnosis
affects heart rate variability, shifting the
balance of the sympatho-vagal interaction
toward an enhanced parasympathetic activity,
concomitant with a reduction of the
sympathetic tone. A positive correlation
between hypnotic susceptibility and
autonomic responsiveness during hypnosis was
also found.
Pediatric and Prenatal
According to published
results of clinical studies (Am J Clin Hypn.
2004 Apr), the use of hypnosis facilitates a
more uncomplicated birth process. In a
separate research study done by University
of Florida counseling psychologist Paul
Schauble, it was also found that women who
learn hypnosis before delivering babies
suffer fewer complications, need less
medication and are more likely to have
healthier babies than are women without
hypnosis. Schauble's first study involved
adolescents getting prenatal care at a
public health clinic. A group of 20 patients
who received hypnosis preparation were
compared with 20 who were given supportive
counseling and 20 patients in a control
group who received only the standard
prenatal care. None of the women who
received hypnosis required surgical
intervention in their deliveries, compared
with 12 in the supportive counseling group
and eight in the cont! rol group, he said.
"Patients who are prepared for labor and
delivery in hypnosis are more likely to
absorb and benefit from information because
they are in a relaxed, highly focused
state," he said.
Lambert SA. The effects
of hypnosis/guided imagery on the
postoperative course of children. Journal of
Developmental & Behavioral Pediatrics. 1996;
17(5): 307-10. Significantly lower
postoperative pain ratings and shorter
hospital stays occurred for children in the
experimental group. State anxiety was
decreased for the guided imagery group and
increased postoperatively for the control
group. This study demonstrates the positive
effects of hypnosis/guided imagery for the
pediatric surgical patient.
Kohen DP
Relaxation/mental imagery (self-hypnosis)
for childhood asthma: behavioural outcomes
in a prospective, controlled study
Australian Journal of Clinical &
Experimental Hypnosis 1996 May; 24(1):
12-28. Results included: (a) fewer emergency
room visits in the experimental group; (b)
less school missed in the experimental group
compared to the traditional control group
and to the waking suggestion group; (c) no
difference in psychological evaluations
between groups; and (d) surprising findings
regarding hypnotic and hypnotic-like
experiences among subjects.
Addiction
In a research study on
Self-hypnosis for relapse prevention
training with chronic drug/alcohol users,
(Am J Clin Hypn. 2004 Apr;46(4):281-97),
individuals who played self-hypnosis
audiotapes "at least 3 to 5 times a week,"
at 7-week follow-up, reported the highest
levels of self-esteem and serenity, and the
least anger/impulsivity, in comparison to
the minimal-practice and control groups.
Manganiello AJ. A
comparative study of hypnotherapy and
psychotherapy in the treatment of methadone
addicts. American Journal of Clinical
Hypnosis 1984; 26(4): 273-9. Significant
differences were found on all measures. The
experimental group had significantly less
discomfort and illicit drug use, and a
significantly greater number of withdrawals.
At six month follow up, 94% of the subjects
in the experimental group who had achieved
withdrawal remained narcoticfree.
Fibromyalgia
Haanen HC. Hoenderdos HT. van Romunde LK.
Hop WC. Mallee C. Terwiel JP. Hekster GB.
Controlled trial of hypnotherapy in the
treatment of refractory fibromyalgia.
Journal of Rheumatology 1991; 18(1): 72-5.
Results: These feelings showed a significant
decrease in patients treated by hypnotherapy
compared with physical therapy, but they
remained abnormally strong in many cases. We
conclude hypnotherapy may be useful in
relieving symptoms in patients with
refractory fibromyalgia.
HIV
Ruzyla-Smith P. Barabasz
A. Barabasz M. Warner D. Effects of hypnosis
on the immune response: B-cells, T-cells,
helper and suppressor cells. American
Journal of Clinical Hypnosis. 1995; 38(2):
71-9. Significant alteration of the immune
response as measured by B-cells and helper
T-cells was shown only for highly
hypnotizable patients exposed to hypnosis.
