From American Health
Lenox, who was then living in Gulf Breeze, Fla., discovered that Stephen Lankton, president of the American Hypnosis Board for Clinical Social Workers and the author of several books about hypnosis, lived in nearby Pensacola. She thought about setting up an appointment and consulted her psychotherapist, who agreed that hypnosis used in conjunction with regular therapy could help.
The first visit was more successful (and more straightforward) than Lenox had imagined. "I sat in a big comfortable chair in Lankton's office," Lenox says. "He asked me to close my eyes and let my unconscious mind retrieve experiences that were relevant for me." After a few minutes, Lenox slipped into a state of mind she characterizes as extremely relaxed but at the same time very aware.
Lankton started asking Lenox questions, and before long they were talking about how she had put up her newborn baby for adoption 27 years earlier. Lenox had discussed the issue in therapy, but this was different. "Lankton gently asked me to visualize the 19-year-old girl I had been and what happened in the delivery room," Lenox recalls. "It became clear that I was repulsed by own fear and helplessness. Then Lankton suggested I view my younger self as someone I could care for and feel compassion for.
"When I came out of the session, my husband said I looked like a completely different person," Lenox remembers. "I had released so much pain." Lenox visited Lankton three more times. "My anxiety finally just melted away," she says. "I felt cleansed and rejuvenated."
Lenox is one of a growing number of people who are turning to hypnotherapy for relief from a range of psychological and physical ailments. More and more psychotherapists are incorporating hypnosis into their practices, as are dentists and obstetricians. Why? Because studies are pointing out the benefits of hypnosis, especially when it comes to controlling pain, curbing addictions, and reducing stress.
The Truth About Trances
While hypnosis was deemed medically valid by the American Medical Association in 1958, a precise definition remains sketchy. According to the American Society of Clinical Hypnosis (ASCH) in Bloomingdale, Illinois, entering hypnosis means shifting into an altered state of mind that's relaxed, focused, and marked by a heightened receptivity to suggestions compatible with a person's goals and desires. "It's not unlike daydreaming or being so caught up in a good book that the rest of the world falls away," Lankton says.
While hypnotherapists' styles may vary, they tend to follow a basic blueprint: First help the patient focus her attention internally, not on her external environment -- by, for example, focusing on her breathing. Then offer suggestions for how she can olve her problem.
Does it work for everyone? According to the ASCH, about 15% of people are highly hypnotizable, 60% are moderately hypnotizable, and about 25% have difficulty being hypnotized. "The greater the person's capacity for imagination and the more willing she is to enter hypnosis, the greater the chances of success," says Fred Frankel, M.D., a professor emeritus of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School.
Healing the Mind
One of the popular uses of hypnosis is for breaking habits and addictions such as overeating and smoking. A study by David Spiegel, M.D., a professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at Stanford University School of Medicine, found that 23% of people who underwent one hypnosis session didn't smoke for two years, compared with 11% who participated in a traditional smoking-cessation program.
Hypnosis has also been shown to be effective in providing quick stress relief. J. Henry Clarke, D.M.D., chair emeritus at Oregon Health Sciences University School of Dentistry, has been using hypnosis for more than 30 years to ease patients' anxiety during dental procedures. He gently instructs his patients to focus on their breathing and imagine a peaceful place, often while he plays a tape of soothing nature sounds.
Healing the Body
Probably the most compelling use of hypnosis is for reducing pain. Dozens of clinical studies have shown that it can be extremely effective in a variety of situations, often bringing as much relief as medication does.
Helen Crawford, Ph.D., a professor of experimental psychology at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University in Blacksburg, has successfully taught patients to reduce back pain with self-hypnosis (see: Do-it-Yourself Hypnosis, below). In a small study done by Dr. Crawford in 1998, about 70% of patients were able to significantly reduce their pain after practicing self-hypnosis for three weeks. The technique was simple: Any time they felt discomfort, patients were supposed to imagine they were somewhere peaceful and relaxing, or to envision flipping off switches to symbolize putting an end to pain.
Researchers aren't sure how the mind can so effectively control the body, but Dr. Crawford theorizes that hypnosis affects our perception of pain. "It's almost as if the patient shuts a series of trapdoors, stopping pain impulses from reaching her conscious mind," she says.
Another benefit of hypnosis, Dr. Spiegel has discovered, is reducing the emotional distress that often accompanies severe pain and a poor prognosis. In fact, evidence suggests that it may profoundly affect survival: Breast cancer patients who participate in Dr. Spiegel's weekly group sessions live an average of a year and a half longer than those who don't.
Still feeling skeptical? Maybe it's time to relinquish the clichéd image of the wizened old man with the pocketwatch. "The biggest problem with hypnosis is the cultural baggage it carries," says Melvin Gravitz, Ph.D., director of the American Psychological Association's division on hypnotherapy in Washington. "We should approach hypnosis with an open mind. When used responsibly, it's a very powerful tool."
* Name has been changed
| Do-It-Yourself Hypnosis |
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You've probably experienced a trance before but not known it. Think of
your last trip to the movies: At first you noticed the sounds of people
eating, but these distractions vanished as you became involved in the
film. To achieve a relaxed, focused state of mind on your own, D. Corydon
Hammond, Ph.D., of Salt Lake City, past president of the American Society
of Clinical Hypnosis, suggests this exercise.
1) Sit in a comfortable chair and close your eyes. Focus on your breathing, paying attention to your breath entering and leaving your nostrils. Take slow, smooth, deep breaths without pausing; let your inhalations and exhalations flow into each other. 2) As you inhale, think the word calm in your mind, during the entire inhalation. With each exhalation, think relax. 3) After about three minutes, mentally repeat a positive self-suggestion or use positive imagery. If you suffer from back pain, try saying, "I'm becoming more comfortable," or envision your back relaxed. For stress relief, say, "I feel serene," or imagine yourself in a peaceful place. 4) Slowly repeat the suggestion three times, or allow your mind to rest on the image for 20 to 30 seconds. 5) Finish by counting backward from 10 to zero as you gradually become aware of your surroundings. -- Patty Onderko |
How to Find a Hypnotherapist
To locate a certified practitioner in your area, go to the website of the American Society of Clinical Hypnosis,140 N. Bloomingdale Rd., Bloomingdale, Illinois 60108-1017.