Hypnotherapy, often shrouded in mystery and skepticism, has been gaining attention as a potential therapeutic tool. From pain management to anxiety reduction, it promises a path to wellness.
What is Hypnotherapy?
Hypnotherapy is a therapeutic practice that utilizes guided hypnosis to help individuals reach a trance-like state characterized by focused attention, concentration, diminished peripheral awareness, and heightened suggestibility. It is often used to address specific symptoms or health conditions, such as phobias, anxiety disorders, pain management, weight loss, and smoking cessation. Unlike stereotypical stage hypnosis, therapeutic hypnosis involves guided visualizations, relaxation, and coping skill development to address various issues and promote well-being.
Is Hypnotherapy Legit?
Yes! Many studies have shown physiological changes in the brain after undergoing hypnosis. Clinical hypnosis is included as an evidence-based treatment in medical guidelines by the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs, the Menopause Society, and the American College of Gastroenterology.
Let’s delve into the fascinating world of hypnotherapy and explore the scientific evidence behind it.
The Brain Under Hypnosis: A Systematic Review
In a 2022 systematic review titled “Functional Changes in Brain Activity Using Hypnosis” by Wolf et al., researchers set out to unravel the neural effects of hypnosis. Here’s what they discovered:
Imaging Techniques:
The study analyzed various imaging methods, including EEG, EMG, fMRI, PET, rCBF, and rTMS.
These techniques allowed researchers to peek into the brain during hypnotic states.
Despite the heterogeneity of the included studies, evidence of functional brain changes during hypnosis emerged. Evidence of Functional Changes:
Electromyography (EMG) revealed increased frontal brain activity. The frontal cortex is responsible for decision-making and top-down processing.
Theta waves on electroencephalography (EEG) were positively associated with response to hypnosis. Meanwhile, less activity was seen in the insula on EEG. The insula is responsible for awareness of bodily sensations and pain perception.
Six studies using imaging techniques such as fMRI and PET scans consistently showed increased activity in the right anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) of the frontal lobe during hypnosis, which is responsible for attention, emotion, decision-making, and self-regulation. The amount of ACC activation was also related to the level of hypnotizability.
One PET study showed significant activation in the right extrastriate area, which is responsible for complex visual perception and scene analysis. Conclusions:
Hypnosis seems to impact brain regions associated with attention, perception, and emotional processing.
The frontal cortex, a hub for executive functions, showed heightened activity.
These changes may explain hypnosis-induced pain relief and altered sensory experiences.
Study: Brain Changes in Patients with Dental Phobia
In this 2015 fMRI study of patients with dental phobia, hypnosis showed a very interesting impact on the amygdala, also called the "fear center" of the brain. Study participants were confronted with audio-visual phobic stimuli while in an fMRI machine. In the phobic group, fear stimuli activated the left amygdala, bilateral anterior cingulate cortex, insula, and hippocampus (memory center of the brain).
During hypnotherapy sessions, phobic patients showed a significant reduction in activation in all of these brain areas. Although healthy controls showed no amygdala activity with the phobic stimuli, and there was less activation in the ACC and insula, healthy controls also showed reduced neural activity during hypnosis. The study authors conclude that hypnosis can be a useful tool for preventing the activation of fear circuitry during fear-inducing situations.
Image showing that hypnotically-induced pain maps much more similarly in the brain compared with physical pain than simple imagined pain compared with physical pain. Accessed on 4/21/2024 at: https://www.semanticscholar.org/paper/Cerebral-activation-during-hypnotically-induced-and-Derbyshire-Whalley/6f7a979b966e63f9602c398484e224b7e64aab90/figure/2
Beyond the Trance: Practical Applications
Clinical hypnosis has shown promise in many areas. In fact, several medical societies have included hypnosis as a recommended treatment in their medical guidelines. Medical guidelines synthesize all of the research on a given topic and are usually quite conservative in recommending any particular treatment as a first-line. The following are medical societies which find that hypnotherapy has sufficient evidence to recommend.
The Menopause Society
The Menopause Society 2022 Position Statement on Nonhormonal Therapy states that clinical hypnosis has Level I evidence for the vasomotor symptoms of menopause (hot flashes and night sweats).
The Veterans Health Administration
The VA actually lists several conditions for which hypnosis has evidence of a positive effect:
Anxiety in cancer patients
Breast cancer care
Obesity/weight loss
They also list several conditions with evidence of a potential positive effect. These include:
Anxiety
Anxiety due to medical procedures
Insomnia
Irritable bowel syndrome
American College of Gastroenterology
Speaking of irritable bowel syndrome, the ACG 2021 Guideline for the Management of IBS recommends gut-directed psychotherapies for the global symptoms of IBS. These include cognitive behavioral therapy, mindfulness, and hypnotherapy. The authors report that even though the quality of evidence for this recommendation is low, there are no known side effects of gut-directed psychotherapies. They also report that out of every four IBS patients treated with gut-directed psychotherapy, at least one will report a significant improvement in IBS symptoms.
Conclusion: The Trance Continues
Hypnotherapy isn’t magic, but it’s far from pseudoscience. The brain responds, rewires, and adapts during hypnosis. So, the next time you hear the word “hypnotherapy,” consider the science behind it. Legit? Absolutely.
Remember, the mind is a mysterious landscape, and hypnotherapy invites us to explore its hidden corners.
Disclaimer: Always consult a qualified practitioner before undergoing hypnotherapy.
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