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Hypnotherapy as a proactive treatment

Since hypnotherapy can be effective for a percentage of the population for various treatments, why is it not offered as a standard therapy for everyone in terms of setting them up for health benefits at a younger age? For example, some people claim to have had successful results with hypnotherapy as a smoking cessation tool. If it’s effective, why is it not offered more widely as a smoking prevention tool, or healthy eating tool, or any other pro-healthy lifestyle aid before those bad habits are formed? Preventing smoking, or suggesting healthy food habits at a young age would save the NHS (or other public healthcare provider) billions long-term if it was effective. It seems like, if hypnotherapy is generally accepted as a mechanism to treat certain conditions (which it appears to be in various quarters of traditional medicine), why is it used more as a reactive treatment rather than a proactive one?

MagicShel ,

I really don’t think it’s generally accepted at all. It may work for some people, but is the rate higher than placebo? Are there studies? It’s nothing I’ve kept up to date on, but last I knew it was largely considered to be on the level of psychic readings as far as accepted science goes.

Quicky OP , (edited )

Yeah there’s a lot of studies, but as with all medicine, research is ongoing. It’s very far from pseudo-science.

There’s plenty of information available with regards to its use within (traditional, licensed) medical organisations.

ianovic69 ,
@ianovic69@feddit.uk avatar

but as with all medicine, research is ongoing.

This does not mean that it accepted for use in medical practice. In fact the amount of studies done that have not moved hypnotherapy into the field of medical practice, are a body of good evidence which makes that very unlikely to ever happen.

information available with regards to its use within (traditional, licensed) medical organisations.

In the UK, all of that information is with regards to voluntary use and warnings about the possible dangers of doing so.

The US could be different in certain areas, but that isn’t blanket and shouldn’t be accepted as such.

Hypnotherapy is not medicine, any more than a brisk walk is. It can help with other things if done properly, but it can just as easily cause damage.

I hope this clarifies the situation.

Quicky OP ,

I’m as sceptical as anyone, but hypnotherapy is absolutely very much accepted in areas of UK medicine, and if you want to suggest it’s the same as a brisk walk, you may as well dismiss much of the field of psychiatry at the same time.

The Royal College of Psychiatrists go into detail about its use by healthcare professionals and training is also provided for many healthcare professionals in the UK by the British Society of Clinical and Academic Hypnosis which apparently requires applicants to hold medical qualifications.

Samvega , (edited )

Because being hypnotised prophylactically can easily come across as creepy and controlling, even if it’s well-meaning.

Let’s give an example that is both well-meaning and at least a little overbearing: “Hey, let’s hypnotise our kids to really want to try hard at school.”

Freedom means the freedom to be unhappy, make mistakes, and differ from others, as well as the freedom to be happy, succeed, and conform.

If you want prophylactic hypnosis, maybe try self-hypnosis? However, from everything I have read and tried myself in that field, it’s still used reactively. You realise your thoughts and behaviour cause a problem (e.g. over indulging in some vice), and you try to hypnotise yourself to not. Imagining potential problems and trying to fix them ahead of time could be based on poor assumptions, and lead to you trying to change your thoughts and behaviours in maladaptive ways. Fixing a problem before diagnosing it doesn’t make much sense to me.

Quicky OP ,

Yeah, I can absolutely see the controlling aspect. That said, schools, parents and health institutions already provide education geared towards positive health habits, which you can argue is similarly controlling.

I’m not suggesting hypnosis should be forced on everyone at birth - it’s not something I’ve ever considered for myself. It’s more of a shower thought. I was wondering why it’s not more widespread as a preventative mechanism if, as seems to be the case through various studies, it can have a positive effect on the reduction of pain, addiction and various psychological issues.

I really don’t agree with your last sentence though. “Fixing” problems before they arise is exactly why we, particularly governments, already spend millions on the promotion of wellbeing and heathy lifestyles in order to prevent health issues in later life.

Samvega ,

I really don’t agree with your last sentence though. “Fixing” problems before they arise is exactly why we, particularly governments, already spend millions on the promotion of wellbeing and heathy lifestyles in order to prevent health issues in later life.

I’m pretty familiar with the differences in life expectancy statistics caused by health inequality. I’m not sure that you can truly promote wellbeing in a world where people are treated like they’re vastly less valuable.

Quicky OP ,

Well “the world” is a big place, but health is already a factor within education in countries that don’t want their population to become a burden on the state, while also maximising their workforce.

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