Because of this many people associate hypnosis with magicians making people do silly, dangerous or criminal things.

But if you have a chronic pain problem and you’ve tried everything conventional doctors can offer but nothing has got rid of it, and someone suggests trying hypnotism, would you scoff, be too frightened or give it a go?

Hypnotherapist is a real job these days and clinical hypnotherapy is an honorable discipline, now starting to get recognition in Malaysia.

Hypnosis and trance states have been around for as long as humanity itself. Ancient texts from Egypt, China, and Rome all describe practices that we might now regard as hypnotic.

The modern era of hypnosis and hypnotherapy really began with Franz Mesmer (1734-1815), the Viennese physician who gave us the word “mesmerism”. He also gave hypnosis the rather sinister reputation that still persists in some quarters today.

However, clinical hypnotherapy is now getting a better reputation in Europe and the US, as training of therapists and penetration into conventional healthcare means it is gaining popularity.

Practitioners claim it can help with a long list of problems including pain relief, overcoming addiction, curbing smoking, and overcoming phobias. It can even help in anxiety, depression or body dysmorphia.

It is also being used by qualified dentists to help patients manage pain, working alongside or even replacing painkillers.

Eric Yap, at the London College of Clinical Hypnosis said pain relief medication such as paracetamol will eventually become ineffective because of overuse so we shall need alternatives like hypnosis.

However, the majority of Malaysians are still apprehensive about hypnosis, he told FMT.

“This is partly due to the media, which often compares hypnosis to black magic. Also, when people search online for hypnosis they can end up at sites which sensationalise or show it in frightening situations,” he said.

Dr. Roger Buhler, a Swiss family physician turned hypnotherapist said, “There is a difference between the perceptions of clinical hypnotherapy in Switzerland, where it is now recognised as a legitimate medical practice, and Malaysia where it still has a disquieting air of mystery about it.”

He said in Malaysia addressing common misconceptions will be key for hypnotherapy to thrive.

“Sometimes you see advertisements, or locally produced videos and the picture they show of hypnosis is completely wrong. Despite what they show, you cannot hypnotise someone who doesn’t want to be hypnotised,” he said.

One of the most well-researched benefits of hypnotherapy is in cases of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), where some patients report a decrease in symptoms after treatment by qualified hypnotherapists.

Dr Buhler explained that this is because the subconscious mind influences the physical body through connections between the brain, the nervous system, and the organs.

In cases of IBS, the pain can actually be in the patients’ brains.

“We know this because an individual’s perception of pain is more pronounced in stressful situations. We can help the patient alleviate the symptoms just through relaxation,” he said.

He goes on to explain, “For IBS, the parasympathetic nervous system, sometimes called the rest and digest system, conserves energy as it slows the heart rate, increases intestinal and gland activity, and relaxes sphincter muscles in the gastrointestinal tract.”

Jessy Sidhu, a certified clinical hypnotherapist, said that people’s negative perception is one of the challenges she faces.

“People come to me with a lot of myths attached to hypnosis. It’s probably their last option. They’ve already gone to physicians, psychiatrists and psychologists and nothing they have prescribed has worked.

“Hypnotherapy is just something they have vaguely heard of, and they want to try it out. But they come in thinking it’s probably going to be like a television hypnotist, or that I might hypnotise them into giving me their bank account passwords.”

“It’s nothing like that,” she argued. “It’s purely about working with the person to get rid of their unwanted behaviours.”

She claimed that it is gradually becoming more acceptable in Malaysia. Being an advocate of reducing medication, especially for mental health issues, she is encouraged by this.

“People are becoming more aware of the negative side effects of conventional medications,” she said. “For example, psychiatrists often prescribe psychotic drugs. All these drugs have long term side effects so patients who started out being depressed can end up with deeper levels of depression or even suicidal.”

She added that medication particularly for mental health-related illnesses often merely suppresses the symptoms instead of addressing the root causes.

Now therapists like her just have to convince people of the efficacy of hypnosis and give them a chance to show how effective it can be.

Perhaps the biggest stumbling block to general acceptance is that you cannot yet buy hypnotherapy in a bottle over the counter at your local pharmacy. You still need a skilled human and time for a chance of success.

So don’t call your hypnotherapists Svengali, for they are unlikely to swing a watch on a chain in front of you, or say, “Look into my eyes; when I snap my fingers you will wake up and all your pain will be gone.”

But you never know, their particular kind of therapy might just work.