Cancer and chronic illness may certainly have a negative impact on self-esteem and feelings of confidence. Therefore hypnotic ego-strengthening methods may be of value with these patients. In addition, the use of self-hypnosis to control symptoms provides the patient with a sense of mastery and counters feelings of helplessness and powerlessness. Pain is also an
important issue for some patients and hypnotherapy may be of benefit. The side effects of chemotherapy are popularly regarded as being almost as terrible as cancer itself. Certainly, the
side effects of anticipated nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and loss of appetite may be successfully addressed through hypnotic suggestion.
Anxiety and fear are also important symptoms for many patients. Professionals in the fields of hypnotherapy and behavioral medicine widely believe that produces feelings of calm and
tranquility allows the immune system to function at a maximum level, helping the fight against cancer. For these reasons, hypnotherapy and self-hypnosis may be valuable therapeutic tools.
In a randomized prospective study, a combination of hypnosis and group psychotherapy was shown to result in a 50% reduction in pain among metastatic breast cancer patients (Spiegel & Bloom, 1983). Hypnotic analgesia has also been shown to be more potent than either placebo analgesia (McGlashan, Evans et al., 1969) or acupuncture analgesia (Knox & Shum, 1977). The explicit use of hypnosis with hypnotizable patients has proven to be a more powerful means of controlling pain. Clinical hypnotherapy in cancer settings provides symptom reduction (pain and anxiety) and empowers patients to take an active role in their treatments and procedures.
Hypnotherapy can be of value in the treatment of cancer in the following respects (Hartland’s; medical and Dental Hypnosis, fourth edition, Heap & Aravind, 2002):
- General relaxation using self-hypnosis
- Control of anxiety and other negative emotions
- Ego strengthening
- Creation of a sense of personal control over the disease by the use of imagery of self-healing, encouraging hope of containment of the tumor and combating the fear of failure of
conventional treatment and of the return of the cancer - Facilitation of radiotherapy and chemotherapy by the reduction of undesirable side effects
- Facilitation of anesthesia, operative procedures (possibly by reducing bleeding), postoperative analgesia, and postoperative recovery
- Enhancing motivation by future rehearsal, therefore helping replace the preoccupation with dying with ideas of a return to a productive lifestyle
- General pain management
When choosing a hypnotherapist, it is important to be sure that he or she is qualified. Pierre Benoit, CHt, RCCH, specializes in helping people whose lives have been touched by cancer. He is a member of the Association of Registered Clinical Hypnotherapists of Canada (ARCH) and of the International Medical and Dental Hypnotherapy Association (IMDHA) and can be reached at (514)472-3535.
