HYPNOSIS is based on the premise the subconscious mind is more powerful than the conscious; when people are hypnotised, they are induced into a deeply relaxed state, and the practitioner can address the subconscious, thereby solving the problem, be it an addiction or a psychosomatic health condition.
But a leading psychiatrist, Dr Peter Tsoi, of the Hongkong Medical Association, said while there was some merit to hypnosis, it was a technique that should be used selectively and appropriately.
''It is a very powerful technique, and it can be useful in some situations but it is certainly not useful for everything. We should not believe it is necessary in every case,'' Dr Tsoi said.
Dr Tsoi - describing hypnosis as a ''short cut'' into the subconscious, replacing long-term, in-depth psychotherapy - said it could be harmful: in some cases, patients have been unable to emerge from the trance-like state and some subjects even went intoshock after the treatment, finding it frightening.
Some psychiatric patients should avoid hypnotherapy completely, including those who suffer psychotic conditions like schizophrenia.
''But it can work well in people who have compulsive or addictive behaviour, or who suffer from health conditions that are psychosomatic, like hypertension and ulcer syndrome which are brought on by stress. If a person learns to relax better, they are able to control their ailments. Hypnosis is really an advanced form of relaxation,'' Dr Tsoi said.