Has anyone tried hypnosis for their family member with Alzheimer's?

Well put Jeanne! And Neo, I had no idea there were all those studies out there, I wont ever read them but its good to know there is "something" going on with those studied treatments. Science is always learning stuff that the world already knew.

Here are a few studies that you can look up that demonstrates the clinical successful application of hypnosis. Unfortunately, the only studies I found in relation to dementia were not successful. Thorac Cardiovasc Surg. 2016 Apr 4. [Epub ahead of print]
The Beneficial Effect of Hypnosis in Elective Cardiac Surgery: A Preliminary Study.
Akgul A1, Guner B2, Çırak M3, Çelik D4, Hergünsel O2, Bedirhan S2. Conclusion Hypnosis session prior to surgery was an effective complementary method in decreasing presurgical anxiety, and it resulted in better pain control as well as reduced ventilator assistance following CABG surgery. Ann Saudi Med. 2015 Jan-Feb;35(1):58-63. doi: 10.5144/0256-4947.2015.58.
Hypnosis for sedation in transesophageal echocardiography: a comparison with midazolam.
Eren G1, Dogan Y, Demir G, Tulubas E, Hergunsel O, Tekdos Y, Dogan M, Bilgi D, Abut Y. CONCLUSION:
Hypnosis proved to be associated with positive therapeutic outcomes for TEE with regard to alleviation of anxiety and maintenance of vigilance, thus providing more satisfaction compared to sedation with midazolam. Aliment Pharmacol Ther. 2015 May;41(9):844-55. doi: 10.1111/apt.13145. Epub 2015 Mar 4.
Hypnotherapy for irritable bowel syndrome: an audit of one thousand adult patients.
Miller V1, Carruthers HR, Morris J, Hasan SS, Archbold S, Whorwell PJ. These results provide further evidence that gut-focused hypnotherapy is an effective intervention for refractory IBS.
© 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

TruthTeller, I think you could be a real asset to this forum. We need someone willing to debunk voodoo therories that pop up once in a while. You sound like you have appropriate training and the mindset to do this. You could make a real contribution.

But first you'll have to understand your audience. We are all caregivers, under stress, searching (often desperately) for anything that will help our loved ones. We want facts, but don't want the stress of being attacked with them. You'll convert more caregivers with kindness than with calling us stupid.

If there is no science behind it, no evidence, then you don't support it, period. A perfectly defensible position. Long before science could explain gravity -- long before there was any "science" behind it, it existed and it was fully operational, whether we understood it or not.

I happen to think that there is at least as much evidence that acupuncture works in some situations as there is that the "scientifically" developed dementia drugs work. Sometimes for some people. Maybe. The explanation for how/why acupuncture works seems laughable to me, but just because we cannot yet explain it doesn't mean the practice itself is worthless. There is evidence, if not science, to support it.

The same seems to me to be true of hypnosis.

I don't think you have been censored for your opinions. I hope not. But participants and moderators try to keep this forum a source of encouragement. If you can get your points across without attacking I think you are welcome here.

Well, actually, I do have medical training and have training in the clinical application of hypnosis, as well. There are studies that show the utility of hypnosis. However, I am not interested in spending my time searching for scholarly references via PubMed when anyone who cares to can do it for themselves. I have more important things to do, such as care for a cranky demented parent.

to each his own people!!!! everyone has the right to share their opinion!!

dil9397,

Why is your nonsensical opinion attacking me allowed, you even mention me by name, but my critique of your unscientific, unverifiable, and pseudoscientific claims are not allowed? You don't know me, you don't know my life or what I have experienced. If this website hadn't deleted my other posts you would see that one of us has actually had medical training, and an advanced education. Unlike you I don't have to spread my mythology about "mucus" or ghosts or sticking needles in my skin to magically align energy centers in my body in order to feel better about myself. If there is no science behind it, no evidence, then I don't support it, period. If your feeling are hurt by those facts then that is not my fault, and I don't understand the censorship of favoritism this website displays when not one single person on this post can cite an actual scientific study that supports this nonsense.I didn't realize this page was reserved for armchair opinions of people who merely have internet access. My mistake. Try rubbing sand on your cancer and let me know how that works out, I have a cousin, who was dating this guy, who knew this girl, and she had cancer, and rubbing sand on it worked! It's only because you all are too immature to understand the chemical composition of sand that you think it is nonsense. *eye roll*

It's rather quaint how this website deletes my posts, which do nothing more than disagree with mysticism, mystery, and magic; and advocates science. However, if someone gets their feelings hurt because I use facts, reason, and logic to assess the advice given, I can be called names, told I have never experienced or researched these "treatments", and my posts are deleted. Thanks AgingCare.com for disavowing science for the sake of delicate sensibilities, and advocating pseudoscience for treatment of brain disorders.

Hypnosis is a valid therapy, if practiced by a certified and licensed clinician. However, there ARE dangers involved and potential for adverse affects. I would be very wary attempting hypnosis on an individual who is already struggling with confusion and memory impairment. The chance of triggering an adverse event, if one could even hypnotise the individual to begin with, is high. Too risky, in my opinion.

I ran a quick search on pubmed and nothing came up that was relevant to support this. I agree that it a rather benign treatment so worth a shot but most likely all that will happen is a loss of money. PubMed is a free government database and highly regarded.

lifeexperiences: Good point!

well this was a great question...but has anyone with dementia tried this yet? would love to know the outcome. i believe anything method used to help someone deserves to be looked into! keep us posted!

Quite honestly, sometimes these threads go down off the beaten path BIG TIME! Let's all try to get along.

I believe that there are other methods besides Western medicine that can be beneficial. Although my worry about Hypnosis would be confusing an already confused mind. Even if the addled brain of an Alzheimer's patient was receptive to it would not the power of suggestion just get caught in the quagmire of confused brain receptors and therefore cause the patient to be even more confused?

Depending on the stage and type of dementia,hypnosis
can only be accomplished with people capable of following direction and instruction and who want to be.
My dad has COPD,he is 90.He just had his 2nd acupuncture treatment,
ever.He agreed to try one,noticed a reduction in mucous and ASKED to go back.My mom had her first session at 80,after suffering with sciatica for 20
yrs.She got so much relief,that we went 2x/wk for 3months.Pain came back after 6mos.We went 2x/wk for one month.After a year,pain returned. We went 2x/wk for a month..no pain
for 3yrs.I'm 67 and went for sinus, truck accident (I was hit by 18wheel
JBHunt Transmodal) and mobility.
Entire left side of body in pain after 90
days of PT.After 6wks of acupuncture
there is only intermittent shoulder pain.I walk a lot better and now go for auto immune strengthening preparing
for Nov.fibroid surgery.God bless you.

Before embarking down this path, I suggest you search long and hard to find out if any research has been undertaken by a legitimate research program on the effectiveness of hypnosis and Alzheimer's. Look closely at the goals of the research before you believe it applies to your situation. Perhaps you could take a close look at the original source for your question as a basis for analyzing existing research on hypnosis.
Dementia is a frightening disease that is hard to accept because it will change your life and there is no existing drug therapy to slow down its progression. As a result, some people feel desperate and are willing to try almost anything to help their loved one.
to determine effectiveness, the research must have a control group, which did not receive the therapy in question. Research with Alzheimer's sufferers is costly and takes a long time.
The only known tools we have for fighting the disease progression are exercise and social interaction with family and friends. Perhaps it would be better for your loved one if you focused your energies in those directions, You are in a tough situation, one that is hard to accept and even harder to live the day-today life as a care partner,

Truth does not change due to geographical location. There is no such thing as "western vs eastern" science. Science is science. The same goes for "alternative medicine", there is only medicine. To assert that modern science cannot understand mythology because it is immature is to demonstrate that one has no basic understanding of science or medicine in the first place. It is a logical fallacy known as the argument from tradition (i.e. something is good because it is old). In that case why not give them cocaine and heroin, as that is what we used to do. Maybe throw in a blood sacrifice to boot, you know, just to be sure we are not being immature.

This thread is going off track, as many threads do when one person feels it is their right to belittle the advice given by others. This is a forum of caregivers, some educated, some not. All of us come with our own prejudices and preconceived ideas and our own emotional baggage. The beauty of this forum is that ALL are free to comment, and those who are reading those comments are free to consider them or discard them according to their own needs and beliefs.

The reason I finally started commenting on this page, after reading for more than a year, is because I got tired of reading all the armchair nonsense that is posted on these pages. I am not here to coddle you or make you feel better about your bad decisions, I am here to give people who need help the facts. I am not writing her just to hear myself talk or stroke my own ego, which seems to be the norm of the majority of people posting. I am tired of people here giving horrible advice to people who need help just because they are bored or because they need to feel validated by their uninformed opinions. I am not here to make you feel good about yourself, I am here to help the people who need it, your petty sentimentality is none of my concern. Yes, I am a healthcare professional, my wife is also a physician, and I have a law degree as well. Every single thing I have posted and will post in the future can be verified in medical and scientific journals. You don't like my answers because they disagree with your strongly held worldview, which is understandable, but I don't care, and that makes you even more resentful. I tug at your security blanket, thus you feel attacked, then you get defensive and butthurt. I don't know any of you, I am not making a personal judgement of you as a person, but I am judging your ideas the nonsense some of you are trying to pass off as "truth".

What exactly is "western science"? There is no such thing, there is only SCIENCE. Again, truth does not have a geographic location. "Western science is too immature." What? Again, this has nothing to do with reality, but with how you FEEL, which should have no bearing on the reality of the circumstance. Western science (whatever you think that means) was mature enough to put men on the moon, invent the personal computer, invent the internet, invent aviation and the first plane, and you don't seem to have any problem with any of those phenomenon which came of science, unless of course, it disagrees with the way you feel. Western medicine was mature enough to find the cure for polio, vaccines that prevent thousands of diseases, develop the best techniques and procedures for heart, lung, back, and brain surgery; but if you want to eat deer penis because you feel it will lower your blood pressure or cure cancer, that is your own problem. Please don't inflict that on your loved ones simply because you refuse to accept the hard truth that we can't fix everything, and you are looking at myth, mystery, and magic for some type of solution. Don't use your loved ones as a guinea pig or inflict your justified, but misplaced despair, on their backs.

If you want to know how eastern cultures regard acupuncture, you will need to do some reading, as they conceal this information from you in things called books. Read an actual, scientific, objective source in order to get your information, especially if you are going to inflict your advice on other people. Don't just read something that agrees with how you "feel" and then stop because you got the answer you were looking for all along.

The things some of you have posted are not only demonstrably wrong, but they have the real potential of ruining people's finances, health, and the little bit of hope they have left. That is why I am so adamant, as I am tired of people being put in jeopardy because someone who is intellectually lazy happened to have internet access.

Western science has not been able to verify the validity of Eastern acupuncture because Western science is too immature. Give Western science a few thousand more years and it will at long last proclaim they have "discovered" the truth about acupuncture and other currently-labeled "pseudo" sciences.

Jeannegibbs, no there is not "more than one kind of truth", which is why we con't call everything the "truth". There are basic facts to our existence that are not up for warm-and-fuzzy "feelings" of debate. There is not even a scientific hypothesis for the physiological action that is supposed to take place during hypnosis. The only evidence for it is anecdotal, and even those people have to be "susceptible" to it or "have a certain mindset", a "certain amount of education", etc. This is why the people who practice hypnosis interview you first, so they can see just how gullible the subject is going to be before they agree to hypnotize them. Acupuncture is by definition pseudoscience, and in eastern cultures it is just simply known and accepted that it is a placebo. The very culture that invented it refers to it as a placebo, which is why it doesn't work for most people. There is no such thing as Eastern and Western medicine, and especially not "traditional medicine", there is only medicine, and anything that falls outside of that category is called pseudoscience. If it were actually medicine there would be no need for the disclaimer in the first place. And acupuncture is not science, hypnosis is not science, they are not even close. Science is a method for understanding and testing reality, it has no biases. Science does not care about how something makes us feel, it only seeks to understand truth. It's only agenda is discerning reality, which is not the case for the person selling you magical tricks to speak to your subconscious or sticking needles in your pack to align your energy chakras (which don't exist). The only reason you are able to say the things you say is because you are not interested in reality, you are interested in a lie that you can tell yourself that makes you feel better (i.e. more than one type of truth). There is not more than one type of truth when it comes to brain surgery, heart surgery, the laws of gravity, antibiotics, the cure for polio, having a fever, or damage to the brain via dementia or Alzheimer's. There is no eastern or western "science", there is only science, period. There are no truths that stop being the truth due to geographic location, nor do the laws of physics and reality change as soon as you cross the prime meridian. The simple fact is these "treatments" are nothing more than healthcare theater, designed to make the caregiver feel better, with no regard to the actual patient or the validity of the treatment.

TruthTeller, there is more than one kind of truth. Hypnosis definitely helped me! Acupuncture did not help me, but my DIL who has Bells Palsy has had good results with Acupuncture in improving her facial appearance -- something traditional medicine hasn't accomplished in 3 years.

All non-Western science is not pseudo science.

I wouldn't say they are all "quacks" but I am sure there are some professionals out there if you check with certain hospitals for information. No it will not reverse the dementia, but it might help with the anxiety issues. Now, if the person with dementia is too far along in that process it more than likely would not work and they might have more anxiety just trying to do what they are being asked. but hey anything is worth a try with a professional.

This is simply not true. The whole concept of "multiple personalities" is not even readily accepted in psychology, and there is certainly no evidence for it scientifically. Furthermore, there has never been a case in the history of mankind in which a person was "deathly allergic" to something, who then magically switched personalities and was no longer allergic. This is the kind of nonsense that infuriates me. You people have the ability to look up this information in scientific journals, not just some random website on the internet, and verify this information for yourself. Why in the world would you spread nonsense like this? Are you just lazy? Not one thing written in the post above is true. Not one thing.

Interestingly, science discovered long ago [in the 1970's?], that persons with multiple personalities, under hypnosis, could stop being deathly allergic to things; that is, one personality is deathly allergic to, say, strawberries, but other personalities are not.
A certain amount of progress was apparently made, for regular people who had bad allergies, who become less allergic or not allergic anymore, for instance.
There IS something to it; it's not all hokum.
Science cannot yet explain how it works, but have seen definite, real help from it, when it's done properly. Not all trained practitioners do it properly; and some patients just cannot be hypnotized [those with higher education, or with "curious minds"].
With dementias, it might be some help, in the earlier stages.
When it's working, the person is deeply, pleasantly relaxed.
Once they come out of the session, though, they return to the usual state...unless the practitioner has given some good post-hypnotic suggestions. The purpose of suggestions is to help over-ride negative thought loops [such as when I used to hypnotize other students in high school, to help them pass their exams].
For your elder with dementia, the suggestions might include things which help them break the repeat-thought loops that lead to their anxiety.
If interested in therapeutic hypnosis, it would be good to interview the practitioner, to learn how many patients with dementia they've worked with, and what the results have been.
MAYbe might talk them into a free trial session. Good practitioners have a clue, how to tell if someone is hypnotizable, before ever putting them under.
Please keep us posted!

To hypnotize, one must first be susceptible to it. That requires focus; and, often, better for those with less education. With dementias, ability to focus is kinda wrecked, depending on stage. As far as anyone knows to date, there is no way to reverse it, and since anxiety and depression are part of that progression, it's something caregivers must deal with. There will be repetition and escalating of behaviors sometimes.
However, there may be some better news for anxiety:
Science has finally dipped into researching what various gut biota actually do.
One fairly recent report, described that a specific biota, "L.Rhamnosus", may be specific to reducing anxiety and depression.
I found that very one in a few good probiotic supplements, and in some plain yogurts from some grocery stores. And it does seem to help.
Best if the good, broad-spectrum probiotic is refrigerated, and, used daily; yogurts may be fine for younger people with generally good health, but, usually fail to deliver high enough counts of probiotics to do anything therapeutic for those with failing health.
We've been using a very high-potency one from Garden of Life: 'Raw Probiotics Ultimate Care', 100 billion, 34 strains, once a day, which seems to be doing the job fairly well for all of us. Must be kept in refrigerator.
I go through one of the vitamin clearing houses [Vitamin World, Emerson Ecologics, or Swansons] to get them wholesale as a health professional, which really helps.
If you have a business license which could relate to using supplements, or are a health professional, you could set up an account to do that too. [One guy I talked with, has a construction company; he relates his business to buying supplements, to keeping his employees healthier]
Other than that, and using whatever individual tricks you know might help, dementias seem to always come with some amount of anxiety.
Elders experiencing it, Know they are losing their minds.
The less changes made to their surroundings, the better.
Routines, stuff kept as same as it can be, help.
Sometimes reducing glaring lights, reducing sudden movements, less stressful ambient atmosphere, helps.
Hope this helps.

True, one can't reverse the ravages of dementia, but there is nothing wrong with trying to help reduce/aleviate the symptoms for no matter how short a period of time. My mother thoroughly enjoys her short periods of lucidity, as do I. I am NOT trying to push my beliefs on anyone, we all need to do/deal with what we feel most comfortable. Use the networks that help you and your loved ones feel best...Hugs to ALL!!

Below is what I found on a site when I put in Hypnosis for Alzheimer's---

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Hypnotherapy for Alzheimer’s Patients
Posted on January 4, 2016 Categories: Memory Care

Hypnotherapy for Alzheimer's HoustonHypnotherapy is a form of psychotherapy that uses the power of positive suggestion to bring about changes to the subconscious mind. According to researchers at the University of Liverpool, hypnosis can slow down the impacts of dementia and improve the quality of life of Alzheimer’s patients. Hypnotherapy for Alzheimer’s memory care is sometimes effective in recalling certain memories and retaining short-term memories. If you are a caregiver for an Alzheimer’s patient, learn about the benefits of hypnotherapy.

What Hypnotherapy Does

Research has shown that when brain cells die, they leave behind a deposit in the brain referred to as beta-amyloid. Alzheimer’s is a slow-acting disease and therefore, the immune system does not respond, allowing the beta-amyloid to build up in the brain. Over time, the accumulation of deposits affect neurotransmitters, causing the death of more brain cells. Hypnotherapy can help manage dementia by doing the following:

Increase immune system function
Remove damaged cells in the brain
Clean up the buildup of beta-amyloid
Boost blood flow to the brain
Encourage active brain cells to carry out daily tasks

How Hypnotherapy Works

The hypnotic state is an altered state in which we allow ourselves to reach profound relaxation. To reach a state of hypnosis, we must want something to happen, expect something to happen, and help to make it happen. If we resist in any way, it’s nearly impossible to induce a hypnotic state. When induced on a person with Alzheimer’s disease, hypnotherapy can help recall memories and may evoke powerful emotions.

By getting into a hypnotic state, seniors can explore feelings, thoughts, and memories that may be hidden by the conscious mind due to the progression of dementia. Hypnosis can be used in two ways, for patient analysis or as suggestion therapy. During patient analysis, the patient must reach a relaxed state to explore a psychological root cause of a symptom or disorder. In suggestion therapy, the hypnotic state causes the person to respond to suggestions, helping people alter certain behaviors or perceptions.

Getting Help for Alzheimer’s

If you are a caregiver or family member of a loved suffering from dementia, it’s important to consider all treatment options available to you. Hypnotherapy for Alzheimer’s memory care, in combination with proper nutrition and exercise, has been proven successful in helping to control the disease’s progression. While there is no cure for Alzheimer’s, hypnosis may help to relieve symptoms associated with dementia.

Hypnosis does not work, period. The only people who think it works are people that are highly susceptible to the placebo effect and who are basically willing to play along as a method actor. It is pure pseudoscience, and the only "doctors" who recommend this type of "therapy" are the ones selling it. There is no scientific basis the even explains how hypnosis is supposed to work. Do not waste your time on hypnosis, astrology, palm reading, acupuncture, or any other pseudoscience. The only thing that will come of this is the loss of valuable time and money.

Ferris, babygirlga isn't talking about reversing the ravages of dementia. She is wondering about a treatment for anxiety.

To be hypnotized you have to be susceptible. I don't think a Dementia/Alzheimers person would understand the process and be able to except the commands.