Hypnosis is a state of human consciousness involving focused attention and reduced peripheral awareness and an enhanced capacity to respond to suggestion. Hypnosis is a proven method that can be used in a therapy or medical setting to improve certain aspects of a person’s life. Problems such as addictions, compulsive behavior, phobias are just a few issues that hypnosis can reduce in a therapy setting. Hypnosis is a powerful method of treatment and rarely has unexpected or even dangerous side effects. It is also used in the medical field to be used to reduce pain before, during, and after procedures. Although it has proven to be a positive and successful method to use, not many people fully understand what hypnosis truly is.

In order for the body to enter hypnosis there are important steps that must be followed for it to successfully work. In a therapist setting, the therapist first begins by evaluating the patient and their behavior. This includes evaluating the subconscious motivators of the patient. After the therapist and patient have established the motivators and know the problem to address, hypnosis can begin. During hypnosis the client is consciously aware. Hypnosis is a very natural state of mind, it is similar to when a person drifts into sleep. As this is happening the therapist is guiding the patient into this state of mind all while making suggestions for body changes. These suggestions can be breathing deeper and closed eyelids. This can help the patient relax physically, but not mentally. At this point, the muscles are relaxed but the mind is still fully alert and ready to take in verbal suggestions. This is when the therapist will speak to the patient based on their needs. The therapist can also ask the patient to visualize certain situations and moments. This is a useful technique to be used in addiction, fear and phobia, anger management, and preparing for surgerys.

Hypnosis has proven to be especially helpful when combined with other forms of therapy. In a study done by Empowerment Partnership, an international firm dedicated to personal development by using natural remedies, 93 male and 93 female CMHC outpatients began to stop smoking by combining hypnosis and aversion treatments. At a 3-month follow up, 86% of the men and 87% of the women reported continued to abstain from smoking. A study of 71 smokers showed that, after a 2-year follow up, people who quit smoking using guided imagery were twice as likely to remain smoke-free than those who quit using counseling and educational sessions. It was with the help of hypnosis that these individuals were able to quit a lifetime of addiction.
Not only is hypnosis used in a therapy setting, but it can also be used before and after medical procedures. Hypnosis has been used successfully to calm the nerves in the body that receive pain. When this is used, the mental state of the patient is so relaxed that it does not relay pain to the body. In 1958, The American Medical Association approved the use of hypnosis for medical procedures. Hypnosis has even been recognized by insurance companies and is now covered on many plans. Since then prestigious hospitals such as Stanford University, Harvard Medical, and University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, have used hypnosis in the operating room. Although hypnosis has proven to be very successful, the misconceptions and false ideas have clouded it’s amazing results in the medical field.

Dr. Simon Chiasson, gynecologist and obstetrician of Youngstown, Ohio, said he uses hypnosis in childbirth, including C-section deliveries.

“Hypnosis helps pregnant women avoid of ease nausea and vomiting, and treats headaches, especially migraines, more effectively than any medication,” Chiasson said.

Not only has Chiasson successfully used hypnosis during childbirth, but he also has used it to help thousands of pregnant women stop smoking.

Many people are skeptical about choosing hypnosis over anesthesia when they are about to undergo major surgery. But, many patients swear that hypnosis removed their fear of pain, and cuts down on the amount of medication needed. Doctors even say that patients bleed less with without anesthesia. In a study shown by the Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, 339 patients undergoing thyroid and parathyroid neck surgery, were divided into two groups. One group had hypnosis and an intravenous medication that kept them conscious while the other group was given general anesthesia. The hypnosis group had less pain, used fewer pain medications, and had shorter hospital stays.

In a similar study, 241 patients who underwent invasive medical procedures, and received pre-surgical instruction in self-hypnosis had less pain and anxiety than those who did not receive self-hypnosis instruction. After these studies, and many others, in the year 2000, a review of published articles in the subject of hypnosis concluded that "the research to date generally substantiates the claim that hypnotic procedures can ameliorate many psychological and medical conditions." These studies are hard proof that hypnosis has proven to be a successful technique in many aspects of the medical field.

With all of the thorough and extensive research over hypnosis, it can be concluded that hypnosis is a powerful method to use to improve the mental and physical health of patients. However, there is a stigma surrounding the use of hypnosis. Many people think that hypnosis is only used for entertainment purposes. This is one of the main reasons that people don’t explore the option of using hypnosis as an alternative treatment. Hypnosis should be a more common topic in the medical field to spread the facts about what it really is. The benefits of hypnosis are extremely promising and there is a growing area of specialty specifically for hypnosis. From medical procedures, mental issues, and addictions, hypnosis is a proven method to help improve the lives of people across the world.