| Well, that depends on what you want to use it for. This | | | | with depression. Those researchers did note that there |
| article will help you cut through the marketing hype and | | | | was limited evidence that relaxation therapies (which |
| find out what the scientific evidence is for the | | | | include hypnosis) can help with depression, but more |
| effectiveness of the most commonly sought-out | | | | research is needed for conclusive results. |
| hypnosis treatments. The information in this article is | | | | Does Hypnosis Work for Anxiety? Yes, hypnotherapy |
| based on a review of current mainstream scientific | | | | significantly reduces anxiety and can reduce the need |
| research. | | | | for anxiety-related medications. |
| Is Weight Loss Hypnosis Effective? Yes, | | | | Several studies have addressed the treatment of |
| hypnotherapy does help long-term sustained weight | | | | anxiety with hypnosis. |
| loss. | | | | A 1978 study "Self-hypnosis training in anxiety |
| The study "Hypnotic Enhancement of | | | | reduction" by Davidson, Farnbach and Richardson |
| Cognitive-Behavioral Weight Loss Treatments" | | | | found that patients given self-hypnosis tapes were |
| investigated the effectiveness of adding weight loss | | | | able to reduce their anxiety levels significantly. So, yes, |
| hypnosis to cognitive-behavioral treatments. The study | | | | this study concluded that self-hypnosis using a |
| came to the conclusion that hypnosis improves the | | | | hypnosis tape is an effective method for anxiety |
| effectiveness of a weight loss program. | | | | reduction. |
| Does Hypnosis Help Quitting Smoking? Yes, | | | | How Can Hypnosis Benefit Cancer Patients? |
| hypnotherapy does help long-term success in quitting | | | | Hypnotherapy helps with pain management and with |
| smoking. | | | | reducing chemotherapy side effects. |
| There have been many scientific studies conducted to | | | | There have been many studies designed to address |
| investigate the effectiveness of smoking hypnosis. The | | | | the use of hypnosis with cancer patients. Most of |
| evidence is positive that it does help people quit | | | | these studies have addressed pain management and |
| smoking. | | | | reducing the adverse side effects of chemotherapy. |
| In 2007, Science Daily published a study that | | | | The evidence is overwhelmingly positive. |
| determined that hospital patients who were given | | | | Does Hypnosis Work for Pain Management? Yes, |
| hypnosis sessions for quitting smoking were more likely | | | | hypnotherapy can significantly reduce pain. |
| to quit smoking than people who used other methods. | | | | A review of 18 studies that investigated hypnotherapy |
| Dr. Faysal Hasan, who conducted the study, said | | | | for pain management found that it is effective in |
| "hypnotherapy appears to be quite effective and a | | | | reducing pain. The review was published in the |
| good modality to incorporate into a smoking cessation | | | | International Journal of Clinical and Experimental |
| program after hospital discharge." The study included | | | | Hypnosis in 2000 and concluded by recommending |
| the use of self hypnosis tapes as part of the follow-on | | | | broader application of hypnosis for pain management. |
| treatment. | | | | Can Hypnosis Treat Irritable Bowel Syndrome? Yes, |
| Is Relaxation Hypnosis Effective? Yes, hypnotherapy | | | | hypnotherapy is highly effective for treating irritable |
| does help with increasing relaxation. | | | | bowel syndrome. |
| Several scientific studies have investigated relaxation | | | | The International Journal of Gastroenterology and |
| hypnosis, and have found it to be effective. | | | | Hepatology, GUT, has reported that in patients under |
| In summary, the British Medical Journal's article "Does | | | | 50 hypnosis can have a 100% success rate in treating |
| Hypnosis Work for Relaxation?" states that there is | | | | irritable bowel syndrome. |
| good evidence that hypnosis can help promote | | | | Summary |
| relaxation and reduce anxiety. | | | | Self hypnosis has been proven to be very effective |
| Can Hypnotherapy be Used to Treat Depression? | | | | for many physical and psychological conditions. Before |
| Maybe, but more research is needed. | | | | choosing a hypnotherapist or self hypnosis program, |
| In a 1998 study published in the Archives of General | | | | make sure that the person or product has a track |
| Psychiatry to research the effectiveness of | | | | record of success for the things you want to change |
| complementary therapies for depression, researchers | | | | in your life. |
| found no conclusive evidence that hypnotherapy helps | | | | |