What is the full range of effectiveness of hypnotherapy?
Hypnosis can be used to relax, to relieve pain, to alleviate anxiety and to recall certain events. It has been effectively used to relieve pain in terminal cancer, for minor and major surgery and in childbirth. In dental work, hypnosis is helpful in controlling anxiety and pain and it can help reduce the amount of analgesic drugs in such work. Excessive eating and smoking can be eliminated, as well as such habits as nail biting, etc. Hypnosis can be helpful in treatment of many psychogenic problems – that is, problems without organic cause. We could go on and on, really, for there seems to be no limit to the usefulness of hypnosis, in working with various neuroses. On another front, hypnosis is useful in sharpening recall and, as such, can be of benefit to investigative work. There are factors which can limit the effectiveness of hypnosis. The subject must be fully involved, without apprehension or fear. Ultimately, it is the subject who permits the hypnotic relationship to develop by
