How Hypnosis Works, According to Science

When you think about hypnosis, what do you visualize? For many, it’s a clock-swinging magician or a comedy act that forces an unwitting volunteer to make embarrassing public admissions on stage. But hypnosis has a surprisingly robust scientific framework. Clinical research has shown that it can help relieve pain and anxiety and aid smoking cessation, weight loss, and sleep. It can help children and adolescents better regulate their feelings and behaviors. Some people can even use “self-hypnosis” to manage stress, cope with life’s challenges, and improve their physical and emotional health. [time-brightcove not-tgx=”true”] Hypnosis creates “a non-judgmental immersive experience,” says Dr. David Spiegel, a Stanford University psychiatrist and leading researcher of hypnosis. It’s been used in various forms for centuries, but it wasn’t until 1843 that the Scottish surgeon Dr. James Braid popularized the term “hypnosis.” Braid’s central discovery—that concentration can guide the brain toward a more suggestible state—was and remains controversial. But physicians have continued to test and teach the technique over the centuries with great success, Spiegel says. Today, a psychologist, psychiatrist, or other healthcare professional certified in hypnotherapy will first screen a potential client for their ability to be hypnotized using a validated suggestibility scale. (Not everyone is equally su...
Source: TIME: Health - Category: Consumer Health News Authors: Tags: Uncategorized healthscienceclimate Mental Health Source Type: news