Clinical hypnosis and hypnotherapy - what does hypnosis work for?
Hypnosis developed as a clinical tool and many skillful clinicians use hypnosis, imagery, and suggestive techniques. Hypnosis is best considered as an adjunct to other forms of therapy: a tool which aids the delivery of a specific therapeutic treatment rather than a treatment in its own right. The ethical guidelines of the International Society of Hypnosis state that practitioners should be professionals in their own right, and should only use hypnosis for purposes in which they are professionally qualified.
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Many clinicians find that using hypnosis complements their normal therapeutic practice. The following is a list of disorders for which hypnosis can help treatment:
- Pain management
- Smoking cessation
- To relieve surgery-related pain and anxiety
- To relieve dental pain and anxiety
- Irritable bowel syndrome
- To aid weight loss
- Depression
- Phobias
- Post-traumatic stress disorder / Survivors of abuse
- Preparation for childbirth
- Coping with infertility
- Therapy for post-termination distress
- Insomnia
- Stress management
- Stuttering / Anxiety
Research evaluating the clinical effectiveness of hypnosis in the treatment of conditions such as these is considered in the remainder of this section.