The fresh face of hypnosis:

For example, he helps many children control their allergies and asthma through hypno-
therapy. He does so, in part, by training them in self-hypnosis techniques. "One of the
beauties of hypnosis is that it's easy to teach, it can often work quickly and, for most
people, it is a positive addition to their treatment," Anbar says.

Other doctors and hypnotherapists use it for such conditions as chronic pain, irritable
bowel syndrome, arthritis, insomnia, and migraine headaches--afflictions that modern
medicine struggles to treat effectively. These types of disorders often have a strong
mental component, says Anbar, which plays into the strengths of hypnosis. "It's exactly
the patient who doesn't respond to medical therapy who is likely to respond to hypno-
therapy," he says.

Hypnotherapy's effectiveness lies in the complex connection between the mind and the
body. It's well-understood today that illness can affect your emotional state and,
conversely, that your emotional state can affect your physical state. Two examples:
Stress, an emotional reaction, can make heart disease worse, and heart disease, a
physical condition, can cause depression.

Hypnosis carries this connection to the next logical step by using the power of the mind
to bring about change in the body. No one is quite sure how hypnosis works, but thanks
to more sophisticated imaging techniques, that's changing.

For instance, researchers at Virginia Polytechnic Institute found that during a hypnotic
state aimed at bringing about pain control, the prefrontal cortex of the brain (which
controls concentration) directed other areas of the brain to reduce or eliminate their
awareness of pain.

That's important, because if your brain doesn't pay attention to pain, it doesn't matter
if it's there or not. It's similar to the mechanism you use when you tune out the sound
of your arguing children.

But, as you know, sometimes you can ignore noisy kids and sometimes you can't--therein
also lies the limitations of hypnosis. Some people see great success with hypnosis and
some don't. And it's impossible to know who will find relief from it without actually trying it.

"It isn't a magic wand," cautions hypnotherapist Carol Ginandes, Ph.D., an instructor at
Harvard Medical School who also practices in Watertown, Massachusetts. "I'm not saying
I can hypnotize every patient to have no pain or have their asthma disappear. But used as
an ancillary treatment, it's been shown to be effective."

Ginandes is also looking at how hypnotherapy can help people heal faster. In a small study
last year, she and a colleague took 18 women who were having breast reduction surgery
and put each of them in one of three groups.

One group received standard surgery care. Another group got the same care and also
received psychological support. The third group underwent hypnosis before and after surgery
in addition to standard care.

Those who had undergone hypnosis healed faster, felt less discomfort, and had fewer comp-
lications. "What's exciting about this research is that it provides promising evidence of using
hypnosis to actually accelerate the physical healing process of the body," says Ginandes.

Despite its usefulness, most physicians know very little about hypnosis and few medical schools
teach it--even though the American Medical Association has approved of its use since 1958.

In fact, Anbar's colleagues warned him not to call what he does "hypnosis" because people
might think he's little more than a voodoo doctor. That kind of thinking may be why hypnosis is
not used for more patients, he says.

HYPNOSIS AT HOME

Here's a simple self-hypnosis technique from Dr. Ran Anbar, professor of pediatrics at State
University of New York's Upstate Medical University in Syracuse. It's a great way to unwind from
a stressful day.

Close your eyes and imagine yourself in a place where you would feel relaxed. Maybe it's a
tropical beach or a quiet forest glade. No matter the scene you choose, pay close attention to
what you might see, hear, smell, and taste there. Notice that, as you locus on these sensations,
you become more and more relaxed and more content. Allow yourself
to be enveloped by your peaceful surroundings.

Once you're successfully in this light trance, stress seems to slip away. You can remain in this
state as long as you want in your mind-an hour or a day or a year-all in just a few moments of
real time. When you're ready to leave, give yourself a suggestion, such as, "I'll feel claim for the
rest of the day." Make sure you phrase your suggestion in the positive rather than the negative.
Then slowly bring yourself back and open your eyes.

Don't get discouraged if this doesn't seem to work right away, says Anbar. "It improves with
practice," he says. Just try again another day.

COPYRIGHT 2004 Meredith Corporation