Effectiveness of Hypnosis

Does hypnosis really work?

A research conducted by the Stanford University School of Medicine in 2016 suggested that the power of hypnosis to transform people thoughts and behaviours, as well as physical conditions, relates to changes that happen in some specific areas of the brain. Scientists could observe such changes after 57 brain scans took during guided hypnosis sessions.

The study senior author, Dr David Spiegel, MD, Professor and Associate Chair of Psychiatry and Behavioural Sciences, considers hypnosis to be a serious science that reveals the brain ability to heal medical and psychiatric conditions. “In hypnosis, you’re so absorbed that you’re not worrying about anything else” Spiegel explained. He also concluded his study by affirming: “It’s a very powerful means of changing the way we use our minds to control perception and our bodies.”

This study clearly shows how effective hypnosis is: it helps people to make lasting changes by observing their life from another point of view and transforming their perception of events and issues.

The hypnosis approach is remarkably fast compared to more ‘traditional’ therapies. It isn’t, however, a magic wand and still requires work and commitment on your side and puts you absolutely in charge of your own mind and outcomes.

Some statistics on the effectiveness of Hypnosis

Stop Smoking

  • 90.6% success rate when using Hypnosis to Stop Smoking and are twice as likely to remain smoke free.

Source: University of Washington School of Medicine, Depts. of Anaesthesiology and Rehabilitation Medicine, Int J Clin Exp Hypn. 2001 Jul;49(3):257-66. Barber J.

  • 81% Reported They Had Stopped Smoking After Hypnosis

Source: Texas A&M University, System Health Science Center, College of Medicine, College Station, TX USA. Int J Clin Exp Hypn. 2004 Jan;52(1):73-81​

  • Hypnosis Patients Twice As Likely To Remain Smoke-Free After Two Years

After a two-year follow up, patients that quit with hypnosis were twice as likely to remain smoke-free than those who quit on their own. Guided health imagery for smoking cessation and long-term abstinence. 

Source: Wynd, CA. Journal of Nursing Scholarship, 2005; 37:3, pages 245-250

Weight Loss

Those who received the hypnosis lost more weight than 90% of those not receiving hypnosis and maintained the weight loss two years after treatment ended.

Source:- University of Connecticut, Storrs Allison DB, Faith MS. Hypnosis as an adjunct to cognitive-behavioural psychotherapy for obesity: a meta-analytic reappraisal. J Consult Clin Psychol. 1996;64(3):513-516.

Reduce Anxiety/Stress

Hypnosis reduces preoperative anxiety in adult patients. On entrance to the operating rooms, the hypnosis group reported a significant decrease of 56% in their anxiety level.

Source:- Saadat H1, Drummond-Lewis J, Maranets I, Kaplan D, Saadat A, Wang SM, Kain ZN. Anesth Analg. 2006 May;102(5):1394-6.

These are just few research to show that hypnotherapy has a strong impact on people lives. More medical studies available on the internet.