Evidence That Hypnosis Works

It is only normal that before experimenting with a complimentary therapy, such as hypnotherapy, that anyone would wish to be provided with evidence that it really works. There’s been a variety of controlled studies over the last several decades and they all seem to agree, hypnosis really does work. Within this piece I will write about just a couple of the many pieces of research about hypnosis and how they show that hypnosis works.

Before I begin though I would like to explain how hypnosis worksas many people are unaware of this. Individuals who have not been under hypnosis often imagine it to be a kind of sleep where you may be forced to perform certain actions against your will. This belief is brought about by stage hypnosis where the hypnotist “controls” their volunteer. The important word in that last sentence was volunteer. A street hypnotist will ask for volunteers, and merely by volunteering they’re already agreeing to do whatever the hypnotist asks of them. It’s not hard to “hypnotize” a person into acting like a chicken in front of a crowd but if the hypnotist then asked them to murder someone, do you suppose that the volunteer woulddo so? Of course not because the volunteer is there to enjoy themselves, not commit a serious crime.

Hypnotherapy (the name for hypnosis when used for therapeutic reasons) is very different from stage hypnotism. Prior to a hypnotherapy session begins the hypnotist and the client will talk about the desires of the client and agree on the areas the session will concentrate on.

It is thought that hypnosis works first by priming the unconscious mind to suggestion. Once the mind is open the hypnotist can implant suggestions to aid the client to succeed with their aims, whether it be to trim down, quit smoking or something else entirely.

By now you should have a strong understanding of how hypnosis works so now I will provide proof that hypnosis works as a form of therapy.

Hypnosis and Weight Loss

In research to test the effectiveness of hypnosis on slimming down over one hundred subjects (who were aged between 17 to 67) finished a behavioral treatment either with or without the addition of hypnosis. The therapy lasted 9 weeks and after return check ups both 8 months and 2 years after the treatment the subjects who used hypnosis experienced a continued weight loss rate much higher than the people who didn’t. It was also found that those who used hypnosis were much better at achieving and maintaining their ideal weight goals.

Journal for Clinical Psychology January 1985 41(1):35-41
Effectiveness of Hypnosis as an Adjunct to Behavioral Weight Management

Hypnosis Shows On Brain Scans

At Hull University in 2009 researchers found that hypnosis had a visible effect on brain activity when examined. This shows that hypnosis is not only a placebo treatment as some sceptics claim it to be.

A psychologist named Dr. Michael Heap involved in the study, concluded that the mind opens up to suggestion while under hypnosis. This piece of research shows proof that hypnosis works and also exactly how it works.

When a mind is primed to suggestion a hypnotist can then help their client achieve their goals. I have just touched upon a couple of the different pieces of research into hypnosis however their they have been many more. There is proof that hypnosis works for blocking pain, IBS relief, skin problems, increased fertility as well as many other problems.

Perhaps the ultimate evidence that hypnosis works however is to experience it for yourself as personal accounts also seem to fall on the side of hypnosis working. Even celebrities such as Matt Damon and Ben Affleck have gone on the record as saying hypnosis helped them to quit smoking.

So if you are thinking about using hypnosis, please do so with confidence, as all the evidence dictates that hypnosis really does work.

By: Jake Rhodes

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If you want to read about more scientific studies on hypnosis please visit The Hypnosis Guides.