Written By 

Frances Gatta

Health Writer

Judy Ho, PH.D., A.B.P.P., A.B.P.d.N.

Medically Reviewed | Clinical Psychology / Neuropsychology / Mental H…

If you’re familiar with the terms “hypnotherapy” or “hypnosis,” much of what you know may come from its stereotypical portrayal in movies and television as a tool used to control someone, often for malicious intent. However, much of this portrayal is grounded in myths—in fact, experts have been using hypnosis to help treat medical conditions since the late 1700s.

Hypnotherapy is a mind-body therapy that uses hypnosis—a mental state of heightened attention, reduced awareness of the immediate environment and enhanced willingness to accept suggestions—to manage health issues like chronic pain, obesity, bedwetting and side effects of cancer treatments.

Here’s what you need to know about hypnotherapy.

Hypnotherapy Definition

Hypnotherapy is a therapy that uses hypnosis to help treat and manage psychological and physical health issues.

According to the American Psychological Association (APA), hypnosis is “a state of consciousness involving focused attention and reduced peripheral awareness characterized by an enhanced capacity for response to suggestion.”

Another way to think of hypnosis is “nothing more than a naturally focused state you may find yourself in several times a day,” explains Michael Pulman, a U.K.-based clinical hypnotherapist. “If you have found yourself daydreaming while driving or so engrossed in a book so that you can vividly see and almost hear the characters,” you’ve experienced hypnosis, continues Pulman.

Hypnotherapy can help certain people overcome mind and body-related issues, claims Pulman. While the mechanisms of action around hypnotherapy are still being studied, recent research points to a combination of biological, psychological and social factors that work together to create a helpful hypnotherapy session. A few variables that might facilitate a successful session include higher levels of theta bandwidth activity in the brain for the client (which are brain waves that experts think are important for learning, and which occur when we are sleeping, dreaming or in a very relaxed state), motivation of the client, rapport between the client and the hypnotherapist and the client’s expectations of the session.

During hypnotherapy, a hypnotherapist—a trained professional who is qualified to practice hypnosis—helps a person get into a state where they can focus, ignore distractions, listen and hopefully accept suggestions such as feeling comfort, relaxation, or numbness rather than pain. According to experts, these suggestions can help treat physical and mental health issues like stress, addiction, chronic pain and anxiety disorders.

People can also learn to put themselves under hypnosis with the guidance of their hypnotherapist.

What Can Hypnotherapy Help With?

A non-exhaustive list of health issues hypnotherapy may help, according to the World Health Organization (WHO), includes:

• Obesity
• Bedwetting
• Side effects of cancer treatments
• Irritable bowel syndrome
• Skin conditions like warts and psoriasis
• High blood pressure
• Migraine headache
• Pain
• Insomnia
• Depression
• Eating disorders
• Posttraumatic stress disorder
• Unhealthy habits like smoking

While research is still ongoing on the benefits of hypnosis, a few recent studies do add credibility to the WHO’s list.

When it comes to anxiety, a 2019 abstract of a meta-analysis found that while a majority of individuals treated with hypnotherapy did seem to feel improvements around their anxiety, the method was more effective in reducing anxiety when used in combination with other psychological treatments than when used alone.

A 2018 review analyzing how helpful hypnotherapy might be when it comes to sleep outcomes found that 58% of the studies available indicated that hypnosis provided benefits to individuals dealing with sleep disturbances.

Studies around obesity and hypnotherapy remain scarce, but according to a review from 2021, there is evidence that hypnotherapy may be useful in promoting weight reduction, improving eating habits, and even increasing physical activity—although researchers caution that further research needs to be done before any conclusions can be made.

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I am a trained hypnotherapist & past life regressionist devoted to enhancing the well-being of our community through excellent services. I am dedicated to a mission to craft innovative solutions addressing health issues, spanning from weight management to chronic conditions.