BBC News
23-4-1999
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Health ‘No link between hypnotism and madness’

Hypnotic facts
Variations of hypnosis used in ancient times
1775
Dr Franz Mesmer in Vienna uses “animal magnetism”, basis of modern-day hypnotism
1821
magnetism first used in dentistry in France.
1845-1853
hypnotism used as form of anaesthesia in surgery by James Esdail.
1914
new era of hypnosis due to shortage of psychiatrists in World War One
1950s
the British Medical Association backs hypnosis
1962
brain operation performed under hypnosis in US
1993
Large survey shows hypnosis is best way to give up smoking

Hypnotist Paul McKenna was cleared of causing mental illness

Hypnosis cannot cause mental illness, a conference on hypnotherapy will hear.
Dr Graham Wagstaff, a researcher and member of the British Society of Experimental and Clinical Hypnosis, will tell its annual conference in Birmingham on Saturday that there is no proof that hypnosis can cause severe mental illness such as schizophrenia.

Stage hypnotist Paul McKenna was recently cleared of causing a man to become schizophrenic after he appeared in his show.

Dr Wagstaff told News Online: “If people have an underlying mental health problem, a whole variety of things could make it worse, such as an accident.

“But that is not a peculiar characteristic of hypnosis.

“It depends what the hypnotist does. Hypnotists should take the normal safeguards that any good therapists does.”

There are currently few regulations regarding hypnotherapy.

Anyone can advertise as a hypnotherapist in the Yellow Pages and they may have only the most minimum of knowledge of the subject.

Some hypnotherapists are calling for the regulations to be tightened, but Dr Wagstaff says this should apply to other therapies as well, such as counselling, where there are also few regulations.

“There is nothing particularly unusual about hypnotherapy,” he said. “Bad therapy is bad therapy wherever it is found.”

He added: “A lot of the fears over hypnosis are due to an outdated concept of hypnosis related to entertainment.

“A lot of people think it makes you enter a strange state where you lose control and are controlled by the hypnotist who can cause strange neurological effects.”

Education

He said there was a great need for education about what hypnosis involved.

“Most people who have been hypnotised say it is a situation where they imagine and relax and go along with suggestions made to them unless they are violently opposed.

“They do not zonk out and lose consciousness.”

He believes people do stupid things when hypnotised on stage because of social pressure rather than as a result of hypnosis.

“It would be embarrassing if they did not join in. That is not hypnosis,” he said.

He added that there were great differences between stage and clinical hypnosis.

“Stage show hypnosis is for entertainment. There is no preparation, no relaxation and no case history is taken.”

He said most hypnotherapists would do a risk assessment before subjecting a person to hypnosis.

BBC News
29-06-1998
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Hypnosis ‘doubles IVF success

Summary: Women who are hypnotised before undergoing the transfer of an embryo as part of fertility treatment are twice as likely to become pregnant as women who are not, according to Israeli researchers.

Dr Eliahu Levitas and his team at Soroka Hospital in Beersheva found that 28% of women who were hypnotised became pregnant, compared with 14% of those who were not.

The researchers studied 185 women who were undergoing embryo transfer.

Twelve of the 98 who were not hypnotised became pregnant, compared with 28 out of 87 who were hypnotised.

Dr Levitas said: “This shows that hypnosis can be used to improve embryo transfer, and also to reduce the anxiety of women waiting for that single crucial moment of implantation.”

Embryo transfer is a crucial stage in in-vitro fertilisation (IVF) treatment.

It involves placing the embryos that have been fertilised in the laboratory into the woman’s womb.

Dr Levitas believes hypnosis helps women to relax, and that this may make the lining of the womb more receptive to receiving the embryo.

The hypnotised women were more relaxed and optimistic after embryo transfer, the researchers found.

They also needed less sedation during the transfer procedure.

Dr Levitas said hypnosis could be used to treat infertility in general, not just during IVF treatment.

He said: “We don’t know why, but we know that the chances of getting pregnant are reduced when a woman is stressed.

“Maybe hypnosis helps to reduce stress in these cases too.”

The research was presented to the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology conference in France.

U.S. News & World Report
26-01-1998
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Unlocking the Mind: Hypnotherapy Gains Respect

In the quiet confines of a therapist’s office, a patient lies back in a comfortable chair, eyes closed, breathing deeply. The hypnotist’s soothing voice guides them into a state of deep relaxation. As the conscious mind drifts away, the subconscious becomes more receptive to suggestion.

This scene, once relegated to the realm of stage shows and mystical practices, is now gaining respect in the medical community. Hypnotherapy, the use of hypnosis for therapeutic purposes, is finding its place alongside other established treatments.

Research has shown that hypnotherapy can be effective in managing pain, reducing anxiety, and even aiding in smoking cessation. By tapping into the power of suggestion, hypnotherapists help patients address issues ranging from phobias to chronic pain.

Dr. Elizabeth Montgomery, a leading hypnotherapist, explains, “Hypnosis allows us to bypass the critical conscious mind and access the deeper layers of the psyche. It’s like unlocking hidden potential within ourselves.”

While skeptics remain, the growing body of evidence supporting hypnotherapy’s efficacy is hard to ignore. From surgical procedures to stress management, hypnosis is becoming a valuable tool in the modern healthcare arsenal.

For those curious about exploring this alternative approach, reputable hypnotherapists can be found across the country. It’s essential to work with a trained professional who understands the nuances of hypnosis and tailors the sessions to individual needs.