Can hypnosis help with stress, anxiety, and sleep problems?

Yes, hypnosis is highly effective for stress reduction by helping individuals dissociate physical stress reactions from psychological ones. It's also very helpful for improving sleep by allowing people to manage intrusive thoughts or worries by visualizing them on an imaginary screen while keeping the body comfortable, aiding in falling back asleep.

How quickly and effectively does clinical hypnosis work for conditions like pain and trauma?

Hypnosis can offer rapid relief; studies show significant pain reduction (e.g., 80% in 90 minutes during medical procedures using half the opioids) and improved outcomes in PTSD treatment. These changes can be long-lasting, as hypnosis teaches a skill that individuals can use for themselves over time, leading to sustained benefits, such as reduced chronic pain in metastatic breast cancer patients.

What is hypnotizability and how can it be assessed?

Hypnotizability is an individual's capacity to experience hypnosis, which becomes very fixed by the early 20s. Approximately two-thirds of adults are hypnotizable, with about 15% being highly so. It can be roughly assessed using the 'Spiegel Eye-Roll Test,' where the ability to keep one's eyes rolled upward while closing eyelids indicates higher hypnotizability.

What are the thoughts on EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) in comparison to hypnosis?

EMDR shares similarities with hypnosis, particularly in its exposure-based treatment for trauma and its historical link to hypnotic induction methods (like watching a dangling watch). While many find EMDR helpful for trauma, research suggests that the lateral eye movements themselves may not add significantly to its effectiveness, and it may be more an indirect form of hypnosis aiding in confronting trauma.

How should one approach dealing with grief through a mind-body framework?

Grief is a natural and necessary stage, and it's important to allow oneself to experience the loss. Therapeutic approaches, including self-hypnosis, can help individuals face the pain while also reflecting on what the loved one has left them with. By acknowledging the loss but also focusing on positive legacy or memories, it can help restructure the experience and make it more tolerable.

Can children be safely hypnotized, and for what purposes?

Yes, children can be very hypnotizable and it can be safely and effectively used for them, often with more structure. Pediatricians and dentists use it to help children manage fear and pain during medical or dental procedures, such as distracting them during injections or making imaging procedures less traumatic, leading to reduced anxiety and shorter procedure times.

What is the role of breathing in shifting brain states during hypnosis?

Breathing is a crucial bridge between conscious and unconscious states, making it a powerful tool in hypnosis. Specific breathing patterns, especially those emphasizing a slow exhale (like cyclic sighing), can induce parasympathetic activity, calming the nervous system. By consciously controlling breath, individuals can modulate their internal state and augment the relaxation and focus achieved through hypnosis.

Key Moments

Using Hypnosis to Enhance Health & Performance | Dr. David Spiegel

Q: What brain mechanisms are involved in the hypnotic state?

Entering hypnosis involves three key brain changes: decreased activity in the dorsal anterior cingulate cortex (DACC) to reduce distraction, increased functional connectivity between the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) and the insula for mind-body control, and inverse functional connectivity between the DLPFC and the posterior cingulate cortex, leading to dissociation and cognitive flexibility.

Andrew Huberman

Science & Technology4 min read113 min video

Feb 21, 2022|486,968 views|11,945|799

andrew huberman huberman lab podcast huberman podcast dr. andrew huberman neuroscience huberman lab hypnosis David Spiegel clinical hypnosis stage hypnosis hypnosis for stress and sleep hypnotizing

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Key Moments

TL;DR

Clinical hypnosis is a powerful tool for enhancing health and performance by altering brain states.

Key Insights

Hypnosis is a state of focused attention, distinct from stage hypnosis, used for therapeutic mind-body adjustments.

Clinical hypnosis can be a powerful tool for managing stress, chronic pain, anxiety, and even improving outcomes for illnesses like cancer.

The Spiegel Eye-Roll Test can help estimate an individual's hypnotizability, which is a stable trait.

Hypnosis works by altering brain activity, specifically in areas related to attention, executive control, and self-awareness.

Self-hypnosis, accessible through tools like the Reveri app, empowers individuals to manage their own mental and physical states.

The effectiveness of hypnosis in treating trauma, phobias, and grief lies in its ability to help individuals re-confront and reframe difficult experiences.

UNDERSTANDING HYPNOSIS

Hypnosis is defined as a state of highly focused attention, akin to looking through a telephoto lens where details are sharp but context is minimized. This state can be experienced in everyday situations, such as becoming engrossed in a movie. Unlike stage hypnosis, which can be sensationalized, clinical hypnosis aims to help individuals alter their brain states to make beneficial adjustments to their mind and body. Dr. David Spiegel emphasizes that this state can lead to rapid changes and enhance neuroplasticity, the brain's ability to adapt.

THE NEURAL MECHANISMS OF HYPNOSIS

Neuroimaging studies reveal that hypnosis involves reduced activity in the dorsal anterior cingulate cortex (DACC), a conflict detector, which minimizes distractions. Additionally, there's increased functional connectivity between the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) and the insula, a key area for mind-body regulation, enabling greater control over bodily functions. A notable change is inverse functional connectivity between the DLPFC and the posterior cingulate cortex, associated with the default mode network. This decoupling allows for dissociation from self-judgment and enhances cognitive flexibility, crucial for therapeutic transformation.

CLINICAL APPLICATIONS AND BENEFITS

Clinical hypnosis has proven effective for a wide range of conditions. It is particularly useful for stress reduction by helping individuals dissociate somatic reactions from psychological distress, empowering them to feel more in control. Many report significant improvements in sleep quality. Hypnosis is also a potent tool for managing chronic pain and addressing phobias through a form of 'unsystematic desensitization' by reframing experiences. For trauma, it aids in restructuring understanding and making experiences more tolerable, often more rapidly than traditional psychotherapy.

HYPNOTIZABILITY AND ASSESSMENT

Hypnotizability, the capacity for hypnotic experiences, is a stable trait, with childhood (ages 6-11) being the peak period. The Spiegel Eye-Roll Test, where individuals attempt to keep their eyes rolled up while closing their eyelids, serves as a quick indicator of hypnotizability. Approximately two-thirds of adults are hypnotizable, with about 15% considered highly hypnotizable. This assessment helps clinicians tailor treatment, informing whether direct intervention or self-hypnosis training is most appropriate.

EMPOWERING SELF-HYPNOSIS AND THE REVERI APP

Self-hypnosis offers a powerful means for individuals to manage their own well-being. The Reveri app, developed based on Dr. Spiegel's research, provides guided hypnosis sessions for various issues like pain, stress, focus, and sleep. These protocols can be as short as one to two minutes, offering immediate relief for many. The effectiveness of hypnosis, whether guided or self-directed, can often be determined quickly, empowering users with a valuable skill for long-term management of their health and performance.

ADDRESSING TRAUMA, GRIEF, AND OTHER CHALLENGES

Hypnosis can be instrumental in treating trauma by allowing individuals to safely re-confront memories, reframe their understanding, and develop a sense of control, which is often lost during traumatic events. Similarly, for grief, it helps individuals acknowledge the loss while also focusing on the positive legacy and lessons received. While hypnosis aids in dissociating from overwhelming emotions, it also emphasizes regaining voluntary control, a critical aspect of healing. Potential applications for conditions like OCD and ADHD are also discussed, contingent on individual hypnotizability.

THE MIND-BODY CONNECTION AND THERAPEUTIC APPROACHES

The mind-body connection is central to hypnosis, which can simultaneously unify and, when necessary, decouple mental and physical awareness to manage experiences like pain. The key lies in regaining a sense of control over one's internal states, viewing the brain and body's signals as tools rather than insurmountable forces. This perspective is crucial in navigating life's challenges, including grief, where acknowledging the pain while reflecting on what remains can facilitate healing and personal growth.

COUPLES, CHILDREN, AND COMBINED THERAPY

Hypnosis can be effectively employed with children, often requiring more structure and guidance, to manage procedures and reduce fear. Group hypnosis, as seen in support groups for cancer patients, demonstrates the power of shared hypnotic experiences. While not commonly used with medications, mild stimulants have shown some potential to enhance hypnotic responsiveness. The core principle remains that hypnosis itself is a potent tool, often replacing the need for external aids, emphasizing the power of the individual's internal capacity for change.

Mentioned in This Episode

●Supplements

●Software & Apps

●Companies

●Organizations

●Books

●Concepts

●People Referenced

Common Questions

Clinical hypnosis is a unique brain state of highly focused attention, allowing for increased neuroplasticity to make beneficial adjustments in the brain and body. Unlike stage hypnosis, which is for entertainment and involves subjects appearing to lose control, clinical hypnosis aims to empower individuals to gain control over their mind and body for therapeutic purposes.

Topics

Mind-Body-Connection Neuroscience & the Brain Mental Health & Psychology Mindset & Self-Improvement Breathwork Emotional Regulation Sleep Improvement Stress Reduction Pain Management Trauma Therapy Clinical Hypnosis Hypnotizability Assessment

Mentioned in this video

People

David Spiegel

Guest on the podcast, Associate Chair of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences at Stanford University School of Medicine, and Director of the Stanford Center on Stress and Health. He is a researcher and clinician focusing on clinical hypnosis.

Frieda Fromm-Reichmann

A very famous psychoanalyst who encouraged Dr. Spiegel's father to continue practicing hypnosis against institute advice by taking his course.

Gordon Bower

A brilliant cognitive psychologist at Stanford, one of the founders of cognitive psychology, who helped establish the concept of state-dependent memory.

Carla Shatz

A neurobiologist credited with the aphorism 'neurons that fire together wire together,' currently at Stanford.

Phil Zimbardo

A researcher at Stanford who conducted a study with Ernest Hillard tracking hypnotizability of students over 25 years.

Allen Hobson

A brilliant sleep researcher and friend of Dr. Spiegel, who studied brain activity during sleep and the consistency of affect in dreams.

Gustav von Aschaffenburg

A forensic examiner, who studied hypnosis and offered to teach young psychiatrists its use, including Dr. Spiegel's father.

Donald Hebb

A psychologist mistakenly often credited with the 'neurons that fire together wire together' principle; did many important things but not that specific phrase.

Francine Shapiro

The founder of EMDR, mentioned in context of the therapy's evolution and claims.

Andrew Huberman

Host of the Huberman Lab Podcast and a professor of neurobiology and ophthalmology at Stanford School of Medicine.

Karen Parker

A researcher at Stanford who has conducted studies with primates on stress inoculation.

Jean Piaget

A developmental psychologist whose work on cognitive framework (abstract concepts) was referenced in relation to children losing hypnotizability.

Vladimir Putin

President of Russia, mentioned in an analogy to forced exposure to propaganda.

Jack Feldman

A neurobiologist mentioned for his work on respiration and its role in connecting conscious and unconscious control, covered in a previous podcast.

Software & Apps

Android

The operating system for which the Reveri app is planned to be available soon.

Reveri

A self-hypnosis app developed by Dr. Spiegel and colleagues, based on clinical studies and research from the Spiegel lab at Stanford. It offers tools for pain, stress, focus, insomnia, and habits like smoking.

Spiegel Eye Roll Test

A simple test developed by Dr. Spiegel's father to determine hypnotizability based on the ability to keep eyes rolled upward while closing eyelids.

Locations

New York City

The city where a stage hypnotist's subject was found wandering dissociated, and later where a woman with a severe dog phobia lived.

Organizations

The Lancet

A medical journal where Dr. Spiegel's randomized trial on hypnosis for pain relief during medical procedures was published.

Stanford Center on Stress and Health

An institution at Stanford University School of Medicine directed by Dr. David Spiegel.

Columbia University

The institution where Dr. Spiegel's father worked, receiving a call about a distressed woman after a stage hypnosis show.

MacArthur Mind-Body Network

A scientific network where Dr. Spiegel worked with Allen Hobson.

Society for Clinical and Experimental Hypnosis

A professional organization for clinical hypnosis that provides referral services for trained hypnotists.

American Society of Clinical Hypnosis

A professional organization for clinical hypnosis that provides referral services for trained hypnotists.

Mayo Clinic

A prominent medical institution that partners with Thorne Supplements, vouching for their quality.

Companies

Athletic Greens

A sponsor of the podcast, offering an all-in-one vitamin, mineral, and probiotic drink. Andrew Huberman has been taking it since 2012.

ROKA

A sponsor that makes lightweight eyeglasses and sunglasses designed for performance, comfort, and visual adaptation, founded by two All-American Swimmers from Stanford.

Apple

The operating system for which the Reveri app is currently available.

Thorne Supplements

A sponsor of the podcast, known for high-quality supplements used by major sports teams and partnered with the Mayo Clinic, ensuring accurate ingredient labeling.

Supplements

Vitamin K2

A vitamin shown to be important for calcium regulation and metabolic health, offered as part of a year supply with Athletic Greens.

Vitamin D3

A vitamin mentioned as critically important for various aspects of immediate and long-term health, offered as a year supply with Athletic Greens.

Products

Thesis

A sponsor that makes custom nootropics designed to get the brain and body into particular states like focus, clarity, or motivation.

Books

The Chemistry of Sleep

A book by Allen Hobson, read by Andrew Huberman in college, discussing similarities between dream states and hallucinations.

Pandora's Box

A Greek myth referenced to illustrate the fantasy that once painful memories are accessed, they cannot be contained or managed.

Media

Huberman Lab Clips

A YouTube channel where a clip of Dr. Spiegel hypnotizing Andrew Huberman is posted.

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