Hypnosis For cancer

Hypnotherapy in Medicine - The Subconscious Approach to Healing

Presented at The Ministry of Public Health, Bangkok Thailand to the Medical Science Department
By
John Krukowski, C.H. July 24, 2006

PAUL G. DURBIN, Ph.D.
RETIRED US ARMY CHAPLAIN (BRIGADIER GENERAL) [1986]
RETIRED DIRECTOR OF PASTORAL CARE: METHODIST HOSPITAL [2001]
RETIRED DIRECTOR OF CLINICAL HYPNOTHERAPY: METHODIST HOSPITAL NEW ORLEANS, LA [2005]
(LIVED IN BANGKOK, THAILAND 1973-1975)

I would like to share with you a case history of a cancer patient I worked with using hypnosis. When I work with a patient who has a terminal disease, I tell them that we are working for a better quality of life as well as healing. To increase exceptions for good results, I began with information in the following areas:

1. I assist patients to focus all their mental, emotional, spiritual and physical energies on health.
2. I emphasize the importance of mental, emotional and spiritual aspects of healing.
3. In focusing on the mental and spiritual, I am aware that physical things seem much more real. We talk about "mind over matter," but for many that is only a concept. Most of our science rests on the premise that to be "real" something must be predictable, measurable, and repeatable.
4. This way of thinking is reflected in how we think about the body. If I tell you "lift your arms" or "close your eyes" you could all do it. That would seem natural. These things are under our conscious control. These kinds of things are controlled by the central nervous system. But if I said "the discomfort is being released from your body and you are feeling better and better" or "Relax the blood vessels in your head so that the headache is relieved." Many would discount that suggestion or think I was just joking with them.
5. Research has demonstrated that you could quickly learn to follow each of those suggestions. If provided with proper directions, you could soon learn to reduce discomfort in your body or to relax blood vessels to your head to reduce or eliminate a headache.
6. Some conscious control over internal "involuntary" processes can be accomplished by hypnosis, relaxation, guided imagery and visualizing. If you wanted to feel warmer, you could imagine yourself on a warm tropical beach with the sun covering your body with its warm rays and the warm sand beneath you warming you. You actually feel warmer. Thought and images in your mind changed how your body felt.
7. But the "mind" controls your body in an even more remarkable way for your attitudes and beliefs will affect how much control you have over internal bodily functions.
a. Psychologists have developed a test that distinguishes "internals"-people who believe they are responsible for their own behavior and create their own experiences -- and "externals" -- people who believe their behavior and their experiences are controlled by luck or fate.
b. "Internals" are able to exercise greater control over their heart rate than "externals."
c. "Internals" can decrease their heart rate while in a light state of hypnosis and proper suggestions; "externals" may need a deeper hypnotic state with suggestions to accomplish the same task.
d. The difference was their "beliefs" and their "expectations."
8. How does this relate to the patient and their cancer? I believe that a person's beliefs about themselves and their cancer will have a great deal of impact on the outcome of their treatment.
9. The mind, body and emotions are a unit and act together.
10. If the patient believes their cancer will kill them, it is more likely to do so. If the patient believes their treatment is helping them, it is more likely to help them.
11. Attitudes produce real effects: good or bad.
12. The "imagines in our mind" affect physical reality.
13. Hypnosis, relaxation, guided imagery and visualization are ways to focus attitudes and beliefs to mobilize spiritual, emotional, mental and physical energy in a desired direction.

Bee (not her real name) was referred to me by her doctor after her second hospitalization with cancer. I met Bee about two years before when she had a breast removed and again when she returned to the hospital with a lump in her remaining breast. She refused to have more surgery, but agreed to chemotherapy. As Bee was very sick between each of her chemotherapy treatments, her doctor referred her to me for pain management and emotional/spiritual support. For cancer patients, I follow a course of therapy based on the Simonton’s approach. (Carl and Stephanie Simonton and James Creigton Getting Well Again)

I used imagery with Bee and had her use it during her self-hypnosis sessions. I used imagery that would help:

1. Increase the number of healthy white blood cells. (Imagine the number of white blood cells increasing and image the cancer cells as weak and disorganized cells that they, in truth are.)
2. Increase the number of natural T killer cells and T helper cells. (Both T killer cells and T helper cells are destructive to cancer cells.)
3. Increase the power of any cancer fighting medication or radiation by imaging them as allies in the battle to defeat the cancer and bring healing. (See your chemotherapy/radiation killing cancer cells but not destroying healthy cells.)
4. Increase activity of bone marrow-producing healthy cells
5. Imagine the cancer cells decreasing and gone.

Near the end of her first visit, I gave Bee some homework. I asked her to write down any stressful situations she had experienced over the 6-18 months before her diagnosis. She listed the following: (Simonton’s studies shows that most cancer patients went through some very stressful events anywhere from 6-18 months prior to diagnosis of the disease. They found that the inappropriate handling of stress reduces the immune system and weakens an individuals resistance to cancer and/or other diseases. Simonton p87)

1. A year before her cancer was discovered, her husband left her and their children for another woman.
2. The next month, she had to go to work to support herself and the children.
3. Filed for divorce.
4. Had first date with another man.
5. Found lump in her breast and breast was removed.
6. Divorce final.
7. Married the man she had been dating.
8. Another lump was found in her breast and returned to the hospital.

During the second session we discussed the above list and I taught her several pain reduction and elimination techniques. I pointed out that there are four things that contributes to one's ability to obtain pain relief with self-hypnosiss<: >

1. Your success in developing self-hypnosis trance. Success with self-hypnosis techniques is a matter of practice. You need to experiment with various approaches, suggestions and kinds of imagery. Relaxation in many cases will relieve a considerable amount of pain. Muscle tension often puts pressure on nerves and this aggravates discomfort. Easing your tension is the first goal. Then you can begin dealing directly with the pain.
2. Motivation for pain relief means freeing yourself from the need to keep pain in your life. It may seem unbelievable that you might "need" to keep pain. But often there are advantages as-well-as disadvantages to pain problems. If pain results in you getting secondary gains and getting out of responsibilities you do not like, these benefits can reduce your motivation to feel better.
3. You may fear letting go of your pain. Because pain can be a signal that we are alive, we may fear shutting it off.
4. You can have some control over your pain. Pain serves our survival needs and we have the some control over it. (Some excerpts from Alman, B and Lambrou, P; Self-Hypnosis,)

PAIN VAPORING AS STEAM: Some techniques which I taught Bee over the course of her therapy with general illustrations, follows: For this illustration, let us assume the patient's pain is in the knee. I have the patient visualize the discomfort leaving the knee as a vapor of steam. I repeat softly, as steam rises from a kettle so the discomfort is leaving your knee as steam. Visualize the steam rising from your knee and as the steam rises, the discomfort is evaporating. As the steam rises, the discomfort is leaving and you are feeling more and more comfortable. I repeat the idea of comfort many times and then I count the client out of hypnosis.

PAIN IN A BOX ATTACHED TO A HELIUM BALLOON: Sometimes I have the client imagine that they are placing all of their discomfort (pain) in a box. I suggest, now imagine that you are attaching the box to a ribbon which is attached to a helium filled balloon. The balloon is lighter than air so when you let go of the box it will begin to float upward. Just imagine that you are lying on a blanket in a beautiful garden and you let go of the box containing your discomfort. The balloon with the box attached begins to float upwards. As the balloon goes higher and higher, the box gets smaller and smaller and as the box gets smaller and smaller, the discomfort is less and less. The balloon goes higher and higher, the box gets smaller and smaller and the discomfort less and less. As the balloon goes higher and higher, the box gets smaller and smaller and you feel more and more comfortable. (repeat the last sentence several times) The box is going, going, going, it is out of your sight and you feel very, very good, very, very comfortable.

HYPNOSIS FOR GLOVE ANESTHESIA: (Described by John krukowski, C.H.)

REDUCING HEADACHES BY RELAXING BLOOD VESSELS: For a headache, I ask the client to visualize the blood vessels in her head are tight and tense. The discomfort comes as the blood tries to flow through those tight vessels. Under hypnosis, I have the client make a tight fist and I say: As you relax your hand, the vessels in your head are relaxing, as the vessels relax, you feel more and more comfortable. Visualize the blood vessels relaxing and the blood flowing freely with out stress or tension. As the blood flows freely, you become more and more comfortable.

WARM HAND FOR HEADACHE REDUCTION: A second method of headache relief is to imagine the hand on the opposite side of the headache, or both hands if the headache is general, becoming very warm. Picture your hands warming near a fire place. The hands become warmer and warmer. The excess blood, which is putting a strain on the blood vessels in your head, begins to flow from the head into the hand. As the blood flows from the head into the hand, you become more and more comfortable (repeat these ideas in various ways).

REDUCING THE SIDE-EFFECTS OF CHEMO-THERAPY: Cancer patients often get very nauseated by just the thought of chemo-therapy or when they come into the hospital or treatment room for chemo-therapy.

In a recent study discussed by Gary R. Morrow, M.D. and Christine Morrell in the New England Journal of Medicine, 40 patients were followed: Twenty were given relaxation exerciseand suggestions for comfort and healing with their chemo-therapy and twenty just followed the chemo-therapy routine. Of those who practiced relaxation and gave themselves suggestions of comfort and healing, half had no more nausea and half said their discomfort was less severe than before. Of the twenty patients who followed the regular chemo-therapy routine, 95% continued to be sick.

I have found that relaxation, imagery and hypnosis are important assets in the reduction of the side effects of chemo-therapy. I have the client visualize their white blood cells joining with the chemo-therapy to destroy any enemies to their health. This is done in such a way to help the patient see their chemo-therapy as their friend with their own white cells destroying the cancer and bringing healing to their body.

If they are experiencing nausea, I have them visualize the stomach containing a reddish fluid. I have them visualize the reddish fluid slowly turning to a clear fluid. I say, "As the color changes, you are feeling more and more comfortable. All discomfort is leaving as the fluid becomes clear. You are feeling more and more comfortable." I repeat this several times.
I have the client visualize coming into the hospital or treatment clinic, going through the admit procedures, sitting down in their room, and taking the chemo-therapy without any discomfort. I have them visualize themselves relating to the nurses and hospital staff in a friendly and easy manner.

I have them repeat to themselves several times, "I go through my chemo-therapy feeling good and comfortable." I have them seeing themselves well, feeling good, and being active. In their suggestion and visualization, I emphasize that they use suggestions and visualizations of what they desire to be in the present tense. That may seem unusual because we are accustomed to speaking of the future in the future tense, but the subconscious mind response much better to suggestion in the present tense as if it has already happened. I teach the client self hypnosis so that they can visualize this between treatments. I recommend that they use visualization at least once a day.

I now return to Bee’s case as it progressed. I ask Bee to list the gains she received from her illness. At first she said that she had not received any gains, but as she thought about it, she came up with four gains.

1. Did not have to work.
2. Could take it easy.
3. Gets more attention.
4. Could say "no" without worrying about hurting other people's feelings.

We discussed how she could accomplish these gains without the excuse provided her by being sick. We talked about relaxation therapy, image therapy and hypnosis to help her deal with a wide range of issues in her life. I explained what hypnosis was and what it was not and how she could use it to reduce or eliminate pain and improve her life style. Since she began chemotherapy, Bee had been spending a majority of time lying in bed. I asked her to do the relaxation therapy, image therapy, and self-hypnosis three times a day.
When Bee first came to me, she could see only sickness, pain, and death in her future. I addressed these concerns by suggesting that she visualize herself getting better and doing things that she enjoyed doing. This helped her to have a more hopeful attitude and a better quality of life. In Matthew (6: 22-23) we read, "The eye is the lamp of the body. So if your eye is sound, your whole body will be full of light: but if your eye is not sound, your whole body will be full of darkness." I suggested that this scripture has more to do with one's attitude and expectation than it does with physical sight. It is how you look upon life that makes a difference. Norman Vincent Peale said, "This means that the way you see things, the attitude you take, the slant of your thinking determines whether your whole body shall be full of darkness and gloom, or light and joy. It's how you see or look upon life that makes the difference." [Peale, p25] These were direct and indirect suggestions for her to make some changes in her attitude by imagining what she wanted to happen as if it had already happened. I shared with her the words of Dr. Harry Emerson Fosdick, "Picture yourself as defeated and that alone will make victory impossible. Picture yourself vividly as winning and that alone will contribute to success. Great living starts with a picture held in your imagination of what you would like to do or be."

I asked Bee to set some attainable goals for the future. When one goal is reached, she can set another. The goal setting is an ongoing process. In goal setting, when a goal is attained, you can choose another and even have several goals at one time.

Establishing goals serves five purposes:

1. Setting goals is different from making a bargain. A bargain may be, “If I just live to see my daughter graduate in May, then I will be ready to die.” A goal is “One of my goals is to see my daughter graduate from college in May.”
2. Establishing goals is an affirmation of the ability to create the experiences needed to meet emotional and spiritual needs.
3. Goals serve to focus a person’s attention and energy in a positive direction and establish “hopeful expectation.”
4. Goals are affirmations of life.
5. Establishing goals is a re-investment of meaning in life.

I asked her to set aside a regular schedule for exercise and play. In a seminar, Richard Haas said, "Historically, it has long been recognized that stress related occasions may be reduced through exercise. These exercises reduce stress and depression. They encourage enhancement of the lives of people physically, mentally, emotionally and socially. There is no doubt in my mind that proper exercise improves both physical and mental health of a person."

We discussed how her resentment toward her first husband and his new wife interfered with her health and quality of life. Resentment keeps the hurt alive and blocks the healing; emotionally, physically, and spiritually. Maxwell Maltz said, "Forgive others. Do it not only for their sake but for your own. If you don't, you will feel within you a nauseating resentment destroying you from within." [Maxwell Maltz, Psycho-Cybernetics, p104] I had her visualize her first husband sitting in a chair in front of her. She told him of all the hurt she had experienced as a results of his deserting her and their children. She said that in order for her to get on with her life she was releasing the resentment by forgiving him and she did.

We discussed her feelings that God had forsaken her. She worked through those feelings to an understanding of God who was actively helping her through this situation. We talked about set-backs which she has had or might have in the future. We talked about the death process and the grief she experiences concerning her death.

After several months, Bee returned to the hospital with excess fluid on her lungs. Just a few days before returning to the hospital, she had completed a joyful pain-free vacation with her husband. She died three days later. I do not know if we added any time to Bee's life, but she did live six months longer than expected and had a better quality of life. Her doctor told me that he had never seen such a change in the attitude of a patient as he had seen in Bee as a result of the relaxation, imagery therapy and hypnosis. Just after her second hospitalization, Bee was ready to die, stayed home in bed most of the time and had no hope for the future but as a result of the therapy, she lived with hopeful expectation and lived a more meaningful life. During this time, Bee was relatively pain-free and lived an active life to include enrolling in a local community college.

Relaxation, imagery therapy and hypnosis tends to decrease fear and bring about an attitude change. These techniques have been found to effect physical changes, enhancing the person's own immune system, altering the cause of the disease, decreasing tension and stress and helping to confront and alter the stance of hopelessness and helplessness. These methods along with traditional medical treatment and faith in the God who cares can help in healing. Even for those illnesses and injuries which cannot be healed, these methods bring about an improved quality of life. Again, I would like to emphasize that to say one participates in his or her own health situation is not intended to create guilt over being sick, but to give hope for healing and help for dying. [Simonton, p137-138]

Many in our world are sick: some physically, some mentally, some spiritually. Millions of people feel lonely and unacceptable. Others feel a lack of satisfaction with jobs, marriages and life. Doctors say that over half the people suffering from an illness are sick because they have an emotional or spiritual problem that keeps their body or mind from functioning properly. This does not mean that the sickness is just in their minds, but that the body is weakened and illness comes. Often when the person gets their emotional or spiritual problems straightened out, healing takes place. It is an accepted fact that a person's attitude does have a profound effect upon the body for good or bad.

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