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Monday, May 21, 2012

Comments on Mental Health and Hypnosis


Hypnosis -- or hypnotherapy -- uses guided relaxation, intense concentration, and focused attention to achieve a heightened state of awareness that is sometimes called a "trance". The person's attention is so focused while in this state that anything going on around the person is temporarily blocked out or ignored. In this naturally occurring state, a person may focus his or her attention -- with the help of a trained therapist -- on specific thoughts or tasks.

How Does Hypnosis Work?

Hypnosis is usually considered an aid to psychotherapy (e.g., counseling or simply therapy), rather than a treatment in itself. It helps with psychotherapy because the hypnotic state allows people to explore painful thoughts, feelings, and memories they might have hidden from their conscious minds. In addition, hypnosis enables people to perceive some things differently, such as managing their awareness of pain.
Hypnosis can be used as a suggestion therapy.
  • Suggestion therapy: The hypnotic state makes the person better able to respond to suggestions. Therefore, hypnotherapy can help some people change certain behaviors, such as to stopping smoking or nail-biting. It can also help people change perceptions and sensations, and is particularly useful in treating pain.

What Are the Benefits of Hypnosis?

The hypnotic state allows a person to be more open to discussion and suggestion. It can improve the success of other treatments for many conditions, including:
  • Phobias, fears, and anxiety
  • Sleep disorders
  • Depression
  • Stress
  • Post-trauma anxiety

Are there Drawbacks of Hypnosis?

Hypnosis might not be appropriate for a person who has psychotic symptoms, such as hallucinations and delusions, or for someone who is using drugs or alcohol. It should be used for pain management only after a physician has evaluated the person for physical disorder that might require medical or surgical treatment.
As a therapist I do not use hypnosis to recover repressed memories that they believe are linked to a person's mental disorder. However, hypnosis may also pose a risk of aiding to create false memories.  This can occur as a result of unintended suggestions by any therapist. For this reason, the use of hypnosis for certain mental disorders, such as dissociative disorders, remains controversial. As a result, I agree with this position. 

Is Hypnosis Dangerous?

In my opinion, hypnosis is not a dangerous procedure. It is not mind control or brainwashing. A therapist cannot make a person do something embarrassing or that the person doesn't want to do. The greatest risk, as discussed above, is that false memories can be created.

Who Performs Hypnosis?

Hypnosis is performed by a licensed or certified mental health professional who is specially trained in this technique. A Ch.t or any other "title", is not a state licensed mental health professional.

WebMD Medical Referenced