hypnosis-real science or woo?

If you get your information from anonymous message boards on teh Internets, rather than from Medical sources, then anything is possible.
 
Of course - but I'm a smoker, and I would be interested to know whether a community whose collective opinions I've come to somewhat trust (not absolutely, of course) have concluded that hypnosis is at all effective in giving up smoking. Or is it a case of YMMV?
 
I have never heard of anyone been cured of any sickness by hypnosis.
Many people have tried hypnosis to give up the deadly weed, with dubious results. [in answer to arthwollipot]
 
I will go out on a limb to say (opinion only here, no science to base it on) it's slightly more successful than just the placebo effect.

Simply because one can use hypnosis as a means of aiding conditioning. In cases of compulsion or addiction there's a form of a reward system going on. Now hypnosis will not break the physical addiction to a compulsion (if there is one involved) but it can be used as a aid to alter the reward system that's causing the complusion.

But then again, anyone can do that with enough desire, concentration and motivation. I believe hypnosis can be a tool in aiding someone to do that. Maybe if the person is suggestable enough, it would be enough to help.

Again, opinion and conjecture only.
 
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I believe that in my personal case hypnosis acted as a kick in the butt for my own desire and motivation to quit smoking. I also believe from this experience that hypnosis did cancel the psychological addiction, which in turn allow me to deal with the physical withdrawal easier.
 
ambnp said:
So it's agreed that hypnotherapy is a part of medical quackery? Like homeopathy et all.
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I could go with that. But suggestion and the placebo effect can be very powerful and be rather effective for treating certain problems.

Of course then when they don't work because you have done nothing for potential underlying conditions, you get in a spiral of ineffective treatment possibly with the patient blaming themselves for it not working.
 
JFrankA said:
I will go out on a limb to say (opinion only here, no science to base it on) it's slightly more successful than just the placebo effect.

Simply because one can use hypnosis as a means of aiding conditioning. In cases of compulsion or addiction there's a form of a reward system going on. Now hypnosis will not break the physical addiction to a compulsion (if there is one involved) but it can be used as a aid to alter the reward system that's causing the complusion.

But then again, anyone can do that with enough desire, concentration and motivation. I believe hypnosis can be a tool in aiding someone to do that. Maybe if the person is suggestable enough, it would be enough to help.

Again, opinion and conjecture only.
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What makes you believe the placebo effect alone was not responsible? Hypnosis, like acupuncture is a short term effect. It may reduce the stress factor for a short period of time, after which the patient returns to his/her state before the hypnosis or acupuncture started. Used in other ways such as memory loss can sometimes be useful but not guaranteed.
 
Well, I'm not accrediting the success to hypnosis. :) I'm accrediting to a success from conditioning. I guess what I'm saying is that hypnosis could aid reward/condition training.

DISCLAIMER: No scientific evidence of this. Just an opinion... :)
 
Glad to see the disclaimer JFrank.:)
I'm very sceptical of any unproven, or even dangerous alternative medicine such as hyponosis when used as such. Entertaintment value, fine.
 
My skeptical psychic power feelings let me know it's scientifical. Therefore, it's trueish.
 
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