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The Science of Hypnosis

Last updated: July 23, 2022

The amount of research published about and including hypnosis & hypnotherapy has almost tripled in the last 20 years. Why? Because

Interest in Hypnosis is growing rapidly

Since 2002, there have been almost 1,000 studies published investigating how hypnosis can help: pain management, managing anxiety, depression, PTSD and other mental health issues, & sleep.

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Hypnosis is real, it's effective & here's some scientific research demonstrating results

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1 Systematic review, meta-analysis with subgroup analysis of hypnotherapy for irritable bowel syndrome, effect of intervention characteristics

2 The use of hypnotherapy as treatment for functional stroke: A case series from a single center in the UK

3 Long-Term Follow-up of Individual Therapist Delivered and Standardized Hypnotherapy Recordings in Pediatric Irritable Bowel Syndrome or Functional Abdominal Pain

There is a vast, ever-expanding, collection of evidence-based research available, citing its efficacy.

Last updated: May 24, 2023

Research.webp

Want to check out the research?

YOU CAN START HERE:

  1. American Psychological Association. (n.d.). Hypnosis for the relief and control of pain. Retrieved from https://www.apa.org/research/action/hypnosis

  2. Elkins, G. R., Jensen, M. P., & Patterson, D. R. (2007). Hypnotherapy for the management of chronic pain. International Journal of Clinical and Experimental Hypnosis, 55(3), 275-287.

  3. Gabriel Tan PhD, D. Corydon Hammond & Joseph Gurrala (2005). Hypnosis and Irritable Bowel Syndrome: A Review of Efficacy and Mechanism of Action. American Journal of Clinical Hypnosis, 47(3), 161-178. DOI: 10.1080/00029157.2005.10401481

  4. Glaesmer, H., Geupel, H., Haak, R. (2015). A controlled trial on the effect of hypnosis on dental anxiety in tooth removal patients. Patient Education and Counseling, 98(9), 1112-1115. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0738399115002281

  5. Golden, W. L., & Dowd, T. (1981). Effects of hypnosis on immune system functioning: A brief review. International Journal of Clinical and Experimental Hypnosis, 29(3), 221-228.

  6. Hammond, D. C. (2010). Hypnosis in the treatment of anxiety- and stress-related disorders. Expert Review of Neurotherapeutics, 10(2), 263-273. DOI: 10.1586/ern.09.140

  7. Harvard Medical School. (n.d.). Hypnosis: Harnessing the power of the mind. Retrieved from https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/hypnosis-harnessing-the-power-of-the-mind-2020070720539

  8. Heid, M. (2023). Is hypnosis real? Here's what science says. Time Magazine. Retrieved from https://time.com/5380312/is-hypnosis-real-science/

  9. Henriques, M. (2022). The medical power of hypnosis. BBC. Retrieved from https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20220519-does-hypnosis-work

  10. Jensen, M. P., & Patterson, D. R. (2014). Hypnotic treatment of chronic pain. Journal of Behavioral Medicine, 37(4), 1-13.

  11. Kirsch, I., & Lynn, S. J. (1997). Altered state theories: A social psychological perspective. In D. Chaves (Ed.), Hypnosis: Psychological, Physiological and Societal Models (pp. 167-182). Springer.

  12. Lynn, S. J., Green, J. P., & Kirsch, I. (2011). Hypnosis and neuroscience: Implications for the altered state debate. In M. Nash & A. Barnier (Eds.), The Oxford Handbook of Hypnosis: Theory, Research, and Practice (pp. 105-129). Oxford University Press.

  13. Mayo Clinic. (n.d.). Hypnosis: Does it work? Retrieved from https://www.mayoclinic.org/tests-procedures/hypnosis/about/pac-20394405

  14.  Mendoza, M. E., & Capafons, A. (2009). Efficacy of clinical hypnosis: A summary of its empirical evidence. Papeles del Psicólogo, 30(2), 98-116.

  15. Montgomery, G. H., DuHamel, K. N., & Redd, W. H. (2000). A meta-analysis of hypnotically induced analgesia: How effective is hypnosis? International Journal of Clinical and Experimental Hypnosis, 48(2), 138-153.

  16. Nash, M. R., & Barnier, A. J. (Eds.). (2011). The Oxford Handbook of Hypnosis: Theory, Research, and Practice. Oxford University Press.

  17. National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health. (n.d.). Hypnosis for health. Retrieved from https://www.nccih.nih.gov/health/hypnosis

  18. Psychology Today. (n.d.). The power of hypnosis: What it is and how it works. Retrieved from https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/the-hypnotic-gaze/202002/the-power-hypnosis-what-it-is-and-how-it-works

  19. Sutton, J. (2021). Does hypnotherapy really work? 10+ scientific findings. Retrieved from https://positivepsychology.com/hypnotherapy/

  20. Valentine, K. E., Milling, L. S., Clark, L. J., & Moriarty, C. L. (2019). The efficacy of hypnosis as a treatment for anxiety: A meta-analysis. International Journal of Clinical and Experimental Hypnosis, 67(3), 336-363. DOI: 10.1080/00207144.2019.1613863

  21. Wolf, T. G., Schläppi, S., Benz, C. I., & Campus, G. (2022). Efficacy of hypnosis on dental anxiety and phobia: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Brain Sciences, 12(5), 521. https://doi.org/10.3390/brainsci12050521

Even in studies where the results are less clear, the most consistent criticism relates to the difficulty in controlling variables. It can be hard to compare apples to apples when you're looking at a hypnotic study because there can be a great many factors to consider.


What do you mean? How?
 
aPPLES.jpeg

  • Were the hypnotists using the same method to induce a trance?

  • How do you compare the results of a gifted or experienced hypnotist with those of someone less skilled?

  • Did the subjects trust the hypnotist?

  • Were the subjects resistant or open?

  • How do you decide if the hypnosis "worked" or not? How to do you measure success?

  • Were all of the experiments of the same design?

BUT...
NO ONE QUESTIONS THAT HYPNOSIS WORKS!

From the blog...

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