The “Placebo Effect” is a well known, physiological phenomenon usually encountered during the human testing portion of drug trials. In “Double Blind” studies neither the subjects themselves nor the medical professionals administering the drugs and monitoring the patients’ responses to them know which group is receiving the actual medication and which one is receiving the placebo, often called “sugar pills.” This double blind testing method insures no bias or subjective opinions will be introduced into the results of patients ‘responses to the med by the medical team or the researchers. This is very important for accurate data. When all the data is collected and analyzed though, an interesting fact emerges from them. The data uniformly end up showing that between 25% and 40% of the patients NOT receiving the medication experienced the same positive results as those who did. This is the Placebo Effect.
Though less known than its famous sibling, the “Nocebo Effect” is, in my opinion, even more interesting than the placebo effect itself. The nocebo effect is the phenomenon in which 20% to 40% of those experiencing the positive, desired effects from the placebo also begin to suffer the negative side effects of the test medication they are actually not receiving. Both the placebo and nocebo effects are physical responses in the body resulting solely from the subconscious beliefs and expectations of the subjects.
Most of us are familiar with the phrases, “The power of suggestion,” “It’s all in your head,” and, “As a man thinketh in his heart, so is he.” These, and other similar expressions, show that human beings have long been aware of the power our minds to control not just our thoughts, but our emotions, our behaviors, and even our health. It is this universal, inborn power of the mind, that clinical hypnosis uses to assist people make positive change in their lives.
As a regular part of hypnotic therapy, I give my clients specific, “post-hypnotic suggestions” which deal directly with their issues of concern. These are positive suggestions we have already discussed and which the client has already approved. Remember that contrary to popular myth, in hypnosis THE HYPNOTIST CANNOT MAKE THE CLIENT DO ANYTHING … in other words, clients are always very aware of what is happening and always in complete control of their sessions. But since the post-hypnotic suggestions are for changes they desire, their subconscious mind allows them in and uses those suggestions to reprogram old fears, habits, and behaviors, and to effect those desired changes. So, in effect, (no pun intended… effect is exactly the right word here) clinical hypnosis harnesses the power of positive suggestion to consciously manipulate the greater power of the placebo effect and thereby create the hoped for changes. There’s nothing magic to it, hypnosis simply uses the amazing power of the subconscious mind that is already there in each of us.
For a free consultation to determine if clinical hypnosis can be helpful for you, please call me at: (916) 717-9150.
