Is Hypnosis Merely a Placebo Response?

by Tim Brunson PhD

The placebo effect and suggestion are indeed similar. They provide positive expectations. And, when coupled with the reverent authority of the operator or administrator of the drug, both present great value. However, since the standards (used by the FDA) attribute only a 0.3 correlation to the placebo effect, this does not explain why the use of hypnosis can produce much greater results. For instance, in forensic hypnosis approximately 80% of the cases were either solved leading to conviction or valuable information was obtained (according to Dr. Diamond, the head psychologist for the LAPD). Also, my experience with IBS and Fibromyalgia is that about 90% of the refractory, long-term cases benefit with major symptom relief through the use of hypnosis protocols. This is backed up by several research studies conducted by medical hospitals and documented on PUBMED.

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