Hypnosis is a therapeutic technique in which clinicians make suggestions to individuals who have undergone a procedure designed to relax them and focus their minds.
Although hypnosis has been controversial, most clinicians now agree it can be a powerful, effective therapeutic technique for a wide range of conditions, including pain, anxiety and mood disorders. Hypnosis can also help people change their habits, such as quitting smoking.
Adapted from the Encyclopedia of Psychology
Understanding Hypnosis
- Hypnosis Today – Looking Beyond the Media Portrayal
While you may think of hypnosis as something only in the movies, hypnosis is used in real life to help people with depression, gastro-intestinal disorders and other health problems. Because hypnosis can help people manage and, in some cases, recover from illness, it is becoming a more common part of treatment plans.
Getting Help
- Hypnosis for the Relief and Control of Pain
Hypnosis is likely to be effective for most people suffering from diverse forms of pain, with the possible exception of a minority of patients who are resistant to hypnotic interventions.
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