Hypnosis
In 1958 the American Medical Association endorsed hypnosis and hypnotherapy as a legitimate treatment tool for pain, stress and relaxation management, weight loss, smoking cessation, childbirth, preparing for surgery, as well as overcoming fears of medical, dental and other hospital procedures.
Anyone can be hypnotized. The question is: Do they WANT to be hypnotized? If a patient has made the decision to see a hypnotherapist, then that patient has already made the decision that they want to be hypnotized.
The hypnotherapy program for smoking cessation at Box Butte General Hospital has an impressive success rate of around 80 percent, with the other 20 percent making a significant reduction. While some hypnotherapists use negative reinforcement, the sessions at BBGH use positive reinforcement, instilling a sense of wellbeing for the patient when achieving treatment goals.
Hypnosis is natural and free of side effects. When conducted by a certified competent practitioner, the results are long lasting and often permanent. The bottom line is, a person can be a skeptic about hypnotherapy, but as long as that person wants it to work, it will in most instances.