The Placebo Effect & Hypnosis

The placebo effect explains any measurable, observable improvement in health that cannot be directly attributed to medical treatment or drugs. The placebo effect can commonly be seen in hypnosis, such as when a smoker’s cravings for nicotine seemingly vanish after hypnotic suggestion. Researchers have sought to explain whether the placebo effect is responsible for pain relief resulting from hypnosis.

Hypnosis

The placebo effect may be evident in hypnosis, but not all hypnosis can be explained by the placebo effect, according to an study that appeared in a 1990 issue of the “American Journal of Psychotherapy.” Researchers found that hypnosis has proven effective in treating psychological conditions such as agoraphobia and depression, but they ultimately concluded that more clarification is needed to better understand the nature of hypnosis and the placebo effect in clinical applications.

Healing

A study published in a 1988 edition of “Psychosomatic Medicine” found that patients who underwent hypnosis and received visually imaginative suggestions that their warts would heal exhibited more wart regression than patients who received either no treatment or a placebo treatment. In a related experiment described in the same study, patients who were given hypnotic suggestions and non-hypnotic suggestions using vivid imagery were equally likely to exhibit signs of wart regression.

Pain Relief

A study appearing in a 2005 issue of “Annals of Behavioral Medicine” suggests that the placebo effect generated through hypnosis can take place even when no hypnosis is involved. The study compared the pain-relief effectiveness of hypnosis with that of non-hypnotic “imaginative analgesic suggestions.” The study found that, in the general population, non-hypnotic imaginative suggestions may be just as effective as hypnotic suggestions in pain reduction.

Endorphins

One reason why a hypnotic suggestion can influence pain levels lies with the brain’s ability to release natural pain relievers. A study published in the August 1994 issue of the “Journal of Neuroscience” presents direct evidence that endorphins, pain-relieving chemicals released by the brain, are part of the placebo effect. Researchers found that when a person was told he was being given medicine — which was actually a placebo — the brain’s endorphin system was activated, thus causing actual pain relief. This works the same way in hypnosis, with the hypnotic suggestion that pain is diminishing leading the brain to release endorphins that actually cause pain to diminish.

Dopamine

A study by University of Michigan neurologist Jon-Kar Zubieta used magnetic resonance imaging to actually "see" the placebo effect as it worked in the brain in real time. These scans revealed that the introduction of a placebo to subjects resulted in a boost in dopamine levels, with the most dopamine coming from the part of the brain known as the nucleus accumbens. This same principle holds true for both hypnotic and non-hypnotic suggestions; when your brain expects pain to be relieved, it uses its own pain-relieving abilities to make that happen.