There are many uses of Hypnosis in Medicine and Psychotherapy. The following is a list of conditions/situations that have been successfully treated by hypnosis, according to documented case studies. The list is not exhaustive and we don't claim that everyone will benefit from hypnosis. The choice of whether hypnotherapy is the correct choice for you is a matter requiring discussion between you and your health care provider.
- Gastrointestinal Disorders (Irritable Bowel Syndrome, Colitis, Crohn's Disease)
- Anxiety and stress management: Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, Phobias, Test Anxiety, Travel Anxiety (including finding unconscious factors involved in the cause; use of self-hypnosis for relaxation; and increasing resistance to stress)
- Depression (with and without medications)
- Dermatologic Disorders (Eczema, Herpes, Neurodermatitis, Pruritus [itching], Psoriasis, Warts)
- Surgery/Anesthesiology (in unusual circumstances where the usual chemical anesthesia is not recommended, or when the patient needs to be conscious during a procedure)
- Pain (back pain, cancer pain, dental anesthesia, headaches and migraines, arthritis or rheumatism, injuries from motor vehicle accidents). Some maintain that hypnosis can “cure” the source of some of these painful conditions, but this has not been definitively demonstrated in the literature. There is good evidence that some people can use hypnosis to mask and alleviate pain.
- Childbirth: the American Society of Clinical Hypnosis claims that, based upon members' anecdotal evidence, approximately two thirds of women have been found capable of using hypnosis as the sole analgesic for labour.
- Sports and athletic performance enhancement. Hypnosis has been found effective by many athletes as a way to deal with improving concentration and alertness, improving adaptiveness in the incorporation of new techniques.
- Smoking cessation. For some people hypnosis can be an effective sole agent, but for most, it will be part of a program used to assist in smoking cessation.
- Weight control. This is another complex problem in which hypnosis can be one of the treatment choices.
- Habit modification: nail biting, hair-pulling (trichotillomania), teeth grinding (bruxism).
The above is a partial list taken both from the American Society of Clinical Hypnosis and a recent literature search.
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