There are many individuals and organizations which have integrated hypnotism into systems of treatment.
Hypnotherapy:
Hypnotherapy is a term to describe the use of hypnosis in a therapeutic
context. Many hypnotherapists refer to their practice as "clinical
work." Hypnotherapy can either be used as an addition to the work
of licensed physicians or psychologists, or it can be used in a stand-alone
environment where the hypnotherapist in question usually owns his or her
own business. The majority of certified hypnotherapists (C.Hts) today
earn a large portion of their money thru the cessation of smoking (often
in a single session) and the aid of weight loss. Some of the treatments
practiced by hypnotherapists, such as regression, have been viewed with
skepticism. It has been claimed that when participants undergo regression,
they may invent false memories due to the social expectation placed on
them. Thus some feel that these memories cannot be held to be reliable.
Psychological Hypnosis:
The American Psychological Association's Divison 30, the Division of
Psychological Hypnosis [2], "brings together psychologists and other
professionals interested in scientific and applied hypnosis".
In 1993, they defined hypnosis as "a procedure during which a health professional or researcher suggests that a client, patient, or experimental participant experience changes in sensations, perceptions, thoughts, or behavior." (Executive Committee of the American Psychological Association Division of Psychological Hypnosis [1993, Fall]. Psychological Hypnosis: A Bulletin of Division 30, 2, p. 7.), citation culled from [3].
This definition has been revised, and as of March, 2005, it reads "Hypnosis typically involves an introduction to the procedure during which the subject is told that suggestions for imaginative experiences will be presented"
Clinical Hypnosis:
The American Society of Clinical Hypnosis [5] is an organization that
"promotes greater acceptance of hypnosis as a clinical tool with
broad applications". Hypnosis is applied to a great range of both
physical and psychological ailments, rather than being restricted to purely
psychological phenomena. The society was founded by Milton Erickson, a
doctor who attempted to put hypnosis on a firm therapeutic backing in
the 1950s. Recently efforts are on to reduce obesity through hypnosis
as a medically proven way.
Self-Hypnosis:
Self-hypnosis — hypnosis in which a person hypnotizes himself without
the assistance of another person to serve as the hypnotist — is
a staple of hypnotherapy-related self-help programs. It is most often
used to help the self-hypnotist stay on a diet, overcome smoking or some
other addiction, or to generally boost the hypnotized person's self-esteem.
It is rarely used for the more complex or controversial uses of hypnotism,
which require the hypnotist to monitor the hypnotized person's reactions
and responses and respond accordingly. Most people who practice self-hypnosis
require a focus for their attention in order to become fully hypnotized;
there are many computer programs on the market that can ostensibly help
in this area.
Indirect Application:
In addition to direct application of hypnosis (that is, treatment of
conditions by means of hypnosis), there is also indirect application,
wherein hypnosis is used to facilitate another procedure. Some people
seem more able to display 'enhanced functioning', such as the suppression
of pain, under hypnosis.
One of the major initial applications of hypnotism was the suppression of pain during medical procedures; this was supplanted (in the late 19th century) by the development of more reliable chemical anesthetics.
Some studies suggest that while hypnosis may possess these qualities, they are not exclusive to hypnosis, that it is often the drama and fantasizing that produces the behavior.
