Clinical hypnosis: what is it and how does it work?

Now that they are on the lips of all the television programs perform "hypnosis" live, it is time for psychologists to raise our voices. Throughout this article I will try to break down the myths and erroneous beliefs that create this type of program. In addition, we will see in which clinical settings its use is beneficial.

The hypnosis that we psychologists in consultation call it clinical hypnosis. Using it as an emotional disinhibitor, it is defined as the use of suggestion to provoke changes in the cognitive, physiological, emotional and behavioral processes of the patient. Clinical hypnosis is a facilitator of therapeutic change; It will always, always, be accompanied by other treatment techniques, it will be included in a therapeutic package made to measure for the patient and their problem in question.

Myths and wrong beliefs

Let's go over some false beliefs about clinical hypnosis.

1. "With hypnosis I will lose consciousness"

He is never going to lose consciousness. The hypnotized patient actively participates in the process

. Having to concentrate on the suggestions that the therapist is saying, imagining and emotionally involved in them. If at some point the patient loses consciousness, it is simply that he has fallen asleep.

2. "If you hypnotize me I will tell you everything, I will not be able to lie to you"

Fake. As in any other psychological technique, the patient can lie, it does not serve to extract the truth. With hypnosis cognitive flexibility is promotedAs long as the patient lets himself go, things will happen, if he doesn't let himself go, nothing remarkable will happen. The important point so that the patient does not lie to us and tell us the truth, as in any treatment, will be the trust and therapeutic relationship that we have established with the patient.

3. "Hypnotists have special powers"

Absolutely not, expert hypnosis therapists weren't born with special power under a full moon. A good hypnotist, like a good therapist, applies the right techniques at the right time, adapting everything to the reality of the patient. As in any relaxation technique, the important thing here will be the management of the voice.

4. "When you hypnotize me I will do whatever you ask of me, whether I want to or not, I will lose control of what I do"

Of course this is false As we have mentioned before, hypnosis is about letting yourself go, if you don't let yourself go there is no hypnosis. The patient will allow himself to be influenced by hypnotic suggestions to the extent that they themselves deem appropriate. Like starting the process, if the patient wants, they can finish it.

Areas of application of clinical hypnosis

In what cases and settings is it possible to apply this therapeutic tool?

1. Pain management

The use of hypnosis in both acute pain and chronic pain it is without a doubt the clinical field par excellence of hypnosis.

Hypnotic analgesia techniques help the patient not pay as much attention, as they usually do, to the area that hurts. It also helps to implant the idea that the intensity of this pain can be managed and modulated by themselves. It also favors the reinterpretation of painful sensations, causing them to be more tolerable and less disabling. Therefore, hypnosis favors the idea that the patient can exercise some control and regulation over your pain.

2. Anxiety management

In addition to all the types of relaxation that exist for the anxiety management, the efficacy of clinical hypnosis in anxiety disorders such as specific phobias is remarkable (for example, fear of dogs or fear to fly), panic disorder, agoraphobia and the social phobia. The relationship between the degree of suggestibility (the more suggestible you are, the better hypnosis will be for you) and anxiety is bidirectional, so the use of this technique will be very beneficial.

3. Psychophysiological disorders

We include in these disorders those physical alterations that, either in their condition and / or maintenance, are influenced by psychological factors. We are talking about cardiovascular, gastrointestinal, respiratory, dermatological disorders… etc. Hypnosis as a complementary technique can help reduce symptoms through suggestion and reduce stress level general of the patient thanks to the relaxation. In addition, they favor strategies for coping with this stress.

4. Trauma

With clinical hypnosis access to the sequence of traumatic memories, fostering exposure and coping with these memories progressively.

These are some of the uses and applications of clinical hypnosis in the field of Psychology. Please don't fall for cheap tricks like the ones shown on TV shows. Hypnosis will always be performed by an expert psychologist or doctor within a therapeutic package.