Hypnosis for Anxiety

SN
RW
Overseen ByRachelle Weisman, MPH
Age: 18+
Sex: Any
Trial Phase: Academic
Sponsor: Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
No Placebo GroupAll trial participants will receive the active study treatment (no placebo)

What You Need to Know Before You Apply

What is the purpose of this trial?

This trial explores how hypnosis can influence anxiety and create calm states without medication. Researchers will monitor brainwaves (EEG) to observe brain activity during hypnosis, using Standardized Hypnotic Susceptibility Testing. The goal is to use these findings to develop a device that helps people relax during medical procedures. This trial may suit healthy adults who speak English and are not currently experiencing anxiety triggers such as fear of heights or enclosed spaces. As an unphased trial, it offers a unique opportunity to contribute to groundbreaking research that could lead to innovative relaxation techniques.

Will I have to stop taking my current medications?

If you are using psychoactive or antiepileptic medications regularly, you will need to stop taking them to participate in this trial.

What prior data suggests that this hypnosis protocol is safe?

Research has shown that hypnosis is generally safe and well-tolerated. Studies have found that it can improve both mental and physical health. For instance, in one study with 60 participants, those who experienced hypnosis reported better stress management, feeling less stressed and more relaxed during challenging tasks after their session.

Another study emphasized the safety of hypnosis, describing it as a pleasant and brief experience for most people, with minimal negative effects.

Overall, evidence suggests that hypnosis is safe for most people and can effectively manage anxiety and stress.12345

Why are researchers excited about this trial?

Researchers are excited about using hypnosis for anxiety because it offers a unique, drug-free approach to managing symptoms. Unlike medications that can take weeks to work and may have side effects, hypnosis could provide a quick, non-invasive way to potentially reduce anxiety. This technique uses a standardized hypnotic susceptibility protocol, which is designed to tap into the mind's natural ability to relax and focus, offering a fresh perspective on treating anxiety without the typical reliance on pharmaceuticals.

What evidence suggests that this hypnosis protocol is effective for anxiety?

Research has shown that hypnosis can help reduce anxiety. One study found that 64% of participants experienced significant improvements in anxiety levels with hypnosis. Another study found that hypnosis worked even better when combined with other psychological treatments. Many people also rate hypnosis as "highly effective" for reducing stress and improving well-being. In this trial, participants will undergo guided hypnosis, which might help lower anxiety and boost overall mental health.678910

Who Is on the Research Team?

DL

David L Reich, MD

Principal Investigator

Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai Hospital

Are You a Good Fit for This Trial?

This study is for individuals interested in exploring how their brain and body respond to hypnosis, specifically using the Harvard Group Scale of Hypnotic Susceptibility. It's suitable for those who are curious about non-drug methods to manage anxiety or discomfort during medical procedures.

Inclusion Criteria

English-speaking
Written informed consent obtained from participant and ability and willingness for participant to comply with the requirements of the study
Healthy volunteers
See 1 more

Exclusion Criteria

Participating currently in experimental drug trials
Presence of a condition or abnormality that in the opinion of the investigator would compromise the safety of the patient or the quality of the data
Recent (<1 year) or current history of substance use disorder
See 6 more

Timeline for a Trial Participant

Screening

Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial

1-2 weeks

Hypnosis Session

Participants undergo a standardized hypnotic susceptibility protocol using the Harvard Group Scale of Hypnotic Susceptibility: Form A (HGSHS:A)

Single session
1 visit (in-person)

Follow-up

Participants are monitored for changes in physiological biomarkers and anxiety levels immediately after the hypnosis session

Immediately post-session

What Are the Treatments Tested in This Trial?

Interventions

  • Standardized Hypnotic Susceptibility Testing
Trial Overview The trial tests a standardized hypnosis protocol while monitoring physiological responses with EEG and other wearable devices. The goal is to develop an AI/ML-based system that can assess and induce optimal states of calmness or trance.
How Is the Trial Designed?
1Treatment groups
Experimental Treatment
Group I: Guided HypnosisExperimental Treatment1 Intervention

Find a Clinic Near You

Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?

Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai

Lead Sponsor

Trials
933
Recruited
579,000+

Entrancing Entertainment, Inc.

Collaborator

Citations

Randomized trial estimating effects of hypnosis versus ...Clinically significant improvement was found in both the hypnosis and PMR groups (hypnosis = 64.0%; PMR = 62.22%). Hypnosis was more effective than PMR in ...
Full article: Hypnosis interventions for reducing test anxiety ...The reviewed hypnosis intervention studies were highly diverse. Overall, the findings show that hypnosis helps decrease test anxiety among students.
Meta-analytic evidence on the efficacy of hypnosis for ...Seven applications of hypnosis were rated as “highly effective” by at least 70% of respondents: stress reduction, enhancing well-being, ...
Uncovering the new science of clinical hypnosisAnother analysis found that hypnosis was more effective in reducing anxiety when combined with other psychological interventions than when it ...
The Effectiveness of Hypnotherapy in Reducing Stress ...Results: Participants in the hypnotherapy group showed a significant reduction in stress levels (mean difference = -8.4; 95% CI: -10.1 to -6.7; ...
Hypnosis-Based Machine Learning Biomarker StudyThis is a widely used test to assess an individual's susceptibility to hypnotic suggestion. The State Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) will be perform immediately ...
Meta-analytic evidence on the efficacy of hypnosis for mental ...Our findings underline the potential of hypnosis to positively impact various mental and somatic treatment outcomes.
Post-hypnotic safety suggestion improves stress coping ...We tested 60 participants in our study who all received the hypnosis session and a stress task. The safety group used the Jena Safety Anchor ...
Reliability and Validity of the Elkins Hypnotizability Scale ...The EHS is a strong and useful measure of hypnotizability that is pleasant, safe, brief, and sensible to individualities in hypnotic ability found in diverse ...
Hypnotic Susceptibility - an overviewHypnotic susceptibility refers to the degree to which an individual is responsive to suggestions during hypnosis, which is influenced by factors such as ...
Unbiased ResultsWe believe in providing patients with all the options.
Your Data Stays Your DataWe only share your information with the clinical trials you're trying to access.
Verified Trials OnlyAll of our trials are run by licensed doctors, researchers, and healthcare companies.
Terms of Service·Privacy Policy·Cookies·Security