Hypnosis. Does it really work, or is it just the power of suggestion?

Despite the knock it’s taken due to stage hypnotists getting people to cluck like chickens in front of audiences of hundreds, the fact is that there’s a growing body of evidence that hypnosis is a technique that can benefit people.

Particular areas where the use of hypnosis shows demonstrated benefits are pain reduction in breast cancer and burn patients. See Guy H. Montgomery’s research in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute (Vol. 99, No. 17) and Health Psychology (Vol. 28, No.3).

However, hypnosis is not a stand-alone treatment, nor does it work for particular problems. For instance, there is no science at this point that warrants the use of hypnosis for smoking cessation. Also, hypnotic suggestions can produce distorted or false memories, so hypnosis should be avoided as a means for retrieving memories.

If you are considering hypnosis as a treatment option, be sure to check the certification of your treatment provider, and remember that, at best, it is meant to be an adjunct to other treatments, such as cognitive-behavioural therapy.