Hypnosis

When using 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 behavior. Initial suggestions are often given to encourage the subject to enter a hypnotic 'trance', typically followed by other suggestions to produce specific experiences. There is considerable debate as to whether hypnosis constitutes an 'altered state of consciousness' and whether such an altered state is necessary for successful response to suggestions. A number of reviews have concluded that hypnosis is an efficacious treatment for pain and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), and others point towards the efficacy of the use of hypnosis as an adjunct to other forms of therapy.