Can hypnosis be effective for long term weight loss?
Shape – 2005 July by Suzanne Schlosberg Question: I’m considering buying a hypnosis CD program for weight loss. What is the success rate for hypnosis? Answer: “There’s no definite proof that it works,” says hypnotherapist Benjamin Kligler, M.D., assistant professor of family medicine at Albert Einstein College of medicine in New York City. “Most studies are short-term, and there is a wide variety of hypnosis techniques used, so it’s hard to say. The literature does suggest that hypnosis works better for smoking than for weight loss. That said, hypnosis has helped some of Kligler’s patients lose weight, though results depend largely on the patient’s motivation. “Hypnosis is not magic. It’s not like someone can hypnotize you and then you don’t want to eat anymore. It’s a tool that can help you change your eating behavior so that certain patterns become easier to undo or resist,” he explains. During an individual hypnosis session, a therapist typically leads the patient into a deep relaxa
