Some doctors and dentists use hypnosis to relax patients and reduce pain during medical procedures. To induce hypnosis, a therapist uses techniques that eliminate distractions and help the patient relax. Any suggestions must come from within the patient s own mind. Thus, hypnotism simply reinforces what the patient really desires, but is otherwise unable to accomplish on his own. It takes only a few minutes to induce the hypnotic state.
Patients can learn self-hypnosis to reinforce the goals of the therapy.
Almost everyone can be hypnotized. A hypnotic state can be entered and departed in just a few seconds. Researchers don t know exactly why the technique has an effect on health. Brain scans show an increase in activity in a part of the brain known as the anterior cingulate gyrus during the hypnotic trance. Hypnotism also seems to increase the activity of a brain chemical called dopamine.