Clinical Hypnosis Flashcards
Why should every clinician know about hypnosis even if s/he does not use it?
To understand and be able to deal with hypnoïdal phenomena (e.g. dissociation)
Hypnosis greatly increases the efficacy of therapies of which it is an adjunct (including faster efficacy)
Hypnosis has been shown to greatly reduce costs in surgical procedures including childbirth
To dispel myths about hypnosis and related phenomena
To become aware of how the clinician is a source of suggestions (therapist is not a blank screen)
To know its field of applications and make referral if necessary
What are the steps involved in a hypnosis appointment?
Pre-hypnosis interview (assessment of beliefs, expectations, complaints, etc.)
Induction (first evaluation of responses)
Deepening (transitional stage – make the person more receptive)
Work and therapeutic suggestions
Dehypnotization + Post-hypnotic suggestions
Post-hypnosis interview to assess the subjective experiences
What is a hypnotic introduction?
Hypnosis typically involves an introduction to the procedure during which the subject is told that suggestions for imaginative experiences will be presented (orienting the response)
The hypnotic induction is an extended initial suggestion for using one’s imagination
What is involved in hypnosis?
During hypnosis, one person (the subject) is guided by another (the hypnotist) to respond to suggestions for changes in subjective experience, alterations in perception, sensation, emotion, thought, or behaviour
A hypnotic procedure is used to encourage and evaluate responses to suggestions
What are some myths related to hypnosis?
Hypnosis can’t harm you Hypnosis causes dependency You can become “stuck” in hypnosis Hypnosis is a “truth” serum Hypnosis can retrieve memories Hypnosis is caused by the hypnotist’s power Hypnotist overrules will Only a few people can be hypnotized Hypnosis=gullibility Once hypnotized you cannot resist Hypnosis is just relaxation
What is an Induction?
An induction procedure typically entails instructions to disregard extraneous concerns and focus on the experiences and behaviours that the therapist suggests, or that may arise spontaneously.
It evaluates the relaxation response of the individual
First evaluation of his/her hypnotizability
His/her responsivity to ideo-motor suggestions
His/her cooperation with the procedure
What is suggestion?
An “invitation to act”
Meaningful communications deliberately made by one person to another, to evoke non-voluntary responses that would not take place otherwise (primary suggestibility)
Any subtle influence exerted on an individual, unknown to him/her, that causes some sort of response without the individual having awareness of origin (secondary suggestibility)
What kind of psychological problems can hypnosis help with?
Smoking cessation Posttraumatic conditions Anxiety Dissociative symptoms Insomnia
What can hypnosis reduce?
ratings of pain
need for analgesics or sedation
nausea and vomiting
length of hospital stay
What can hypnosis enhance?
physiological stability & outcome after treatment
higher degree of satisfaction
for half the price of the standard sedation procedure!
What kind of medical conditions can hypnosis help to allieve?
Preoperative preparation of surgical patients Asthma Dermatological disorders (except acne) Irritable bowel syndrome Hemophilia Post-chemotherapy nausea and vomiting Preparation for childbirth Warts
How does hypnosis help with medical conditions?
Illnesses (or symptoms) that have a psycho-somatic component are or alleviated by modulating the stress response
Probabilistic relation between symptom reduction and hypnotizability
Differentiate effects due to an individual’s hypnotizability
What if people are low in hypnotic susceptibility?
No need to be a “high” to respond at least partially
Alternative routes such as imagery based interventions (change of context)
Why can high hypnotizability be considered a double edged sword?
Research has differentiated between hypnosis as treatment and hypnotizability as a potential factor in symptom formation; high hypnotizability may also be related to the onset of phobias(imagine all possible catastrophes) or bulimia (describe as being in a trance) or DID, etc.
