Clinical Research in Hypnosis

There are thousands of  clinical research studies of hypnosis that have been done.

PubMed list of abstracts contains around 14,000 listings related to hypnosis. Below are just a few. PubMed is a division of the National Institutes of HealthUS National Library of MedicineNational Center for Biotechnology Information

Stop Smoking Research

Study Shows Effectiveness Of Hypnosis For Smoking Cessation

Of 43 consecutive patients undergoing this treatment protocol, 39 reported remaining abstinent from tobacco use at follow-up (6 months to 3 years post-treatment).

Freedom from smoking: Integrating hypnotic methods and rapid smoking to facilitate smoking cessation. International Journal of Clinical and Experimental Hypnosis Volume 49, Issue 3, 257-266 (2001) Joseph Barber

81% Of Participants Stopped Smoking With Hypnosis

Study describes an individualized 3-session Hypnosis treatment program. At the end of treatment, 81% of those patients reported that they had stopped smoking, and 48% reported abstinence at 12 months post-treatment.

Clinical Hypnosis For Smoking Cessation: Preliminary Results of a Three-Session Intervention, International Journal of Clinical and Experimental Hypnosis. Volume 52, Issue 1, 73-81 (2004) Gary R. Elkins, M Hasan Rajab.

Weight Loss Research

Hypnosis Over 30 Times as Effective for Weight Loss

Investigated the effects of hypnosis in weight loss for 60 females, at least 20% overweight. Treatment included group hypnosis with metaphors for ego-strengthening, decision making and motivation, ideomotor exploration in individual hypnosis, and group hypnosis with maintenance suggestions. Hypnosis was more effective than a control group: an average of 17 lbs lost by the hypnosis group vs. an average of 0.5 lbs lost by the control group, on follow-up.

Hypnotherapy in weight loss treatment. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 54, 489-492 (1986),Cochrane, Gordon; Friesen, J.

Two Years Later: Hypnosis Subjects Continued To Lose Significant Weight

109 people completed a behavioral treatment for weight management either with or without the addition of hypnosis. At the end of the 9-week program, both interventions resulted in significant weight reduction. At 8-month and 2-year follow-ups, the hypnosis subjects were found to have continued to lose significant weight, while those in the behavioral-treatment-only group showed little further change.

Effectiveness of hypnosis as an adjunct to behavioral weight management, Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, Jan; 41 (1), 35-41 (1985) Bolocofsky DN, Spinler D, Coulthard-Morris L.

Hypnosis Subjects Lost More Weight Than 90% of Others and Kept it Off

Researchers analyzed 18 studies comparing a cognitive behavioral therapy such as relaxation training, guided imagery, self monitoring, or goal setting with the same therapy supplemented by hypnosis.

Those who received the hypnosis lost more weight than 90 percent of those not receiving hypnosis and maintained the weight loss two years after treatment ended.

Hypnosis as an adjunct to cognitive-behavioral psychotherapy for obesity: a meta-analytic reappraisal. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology 64(3):513-516 (1996) Allison DB, Faith MS

Hypnosis More Than Doubled Average Weight Loss

Study of the effect of adding hypnosis to cognitive-behavioral treatments for weight reduction, additional data were obtained from authors of two studies. Analyses indicated that the benefits of hypnosis increased substantially over time.

Hypnotic enhancement of cognitive-behavioral weight loss treatments–Another meta-reanalysis. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 64 (3), 517-519 (1996) Kirsch, Irving

Hypnosis Showed Significantly Lower Post-Treatment Weights

Two studies compared overweight smoking and non-smoking adult women in an hypnosis-based, weight-loss program. Both achieved significant weight losses and decreases in Body Mass Index. Follow-up study replicated significant weight losses and declines in Body Mass Index. The overt aversion and hypnosis program yielded significantly lower post-treatment weights and a greater average number of pounds lost.

Weight loss for women: studies of smokers and nonsmokers using hypnosis and multi-component treatments with and without overt aversion. Psychology Reprints. Jun;80(3 Pt 1):931-3 (1997) Johnson, DL

Hypnotherapy group with stress reduction achieved significantly more weight loss than the other two treatments.

Randomised, controlled, parallel study of two forms of hypnotherapy (directed at stress reduction or energy intake reduction), vsdietary advice alone in 60 obese patients with obstructive sleep apnoea on nasal continuous positive airway pressure treatment.

Controlled trial of hypnotherapy for weight loss in patients with obstructive sleep apnoea, International Journal of Obesity and Related Metabolic Disorders. Mar;22(3):278-81 (1998) J Stradling, D Roberts, A Wilson and F Lovelock

*Individual results may vary.