Patients Lose 10% Weight With New Non-Surgical Therapy

A New Approach to Weight Loss: Hypnosis as a Surgical Substitute

In a groundbreaking study, patients have experienced significant weight loss and reduced cravings through a novel method that mimics the effects of traditional weight loss surgery without any physical intervention. This innovative approach, which involves hypnosis, has shown promising results in helping individuals shed over 10% of their body weight within three months.

As obesity continues to rise in the United States, with three out of four Americans classified as overweight or obese, finding effective and less invasive solutions is more critical than ever. Traditional procedures such as gastric bypass require extensive recovery periods and carry risks like infections, obstructions, and severe bleeding. Meanwhile, GLP-1 injections like Ozempic and Wegovy, though less invasive, are associated with side effects ranging from nausea and vomiting to stomach paralysis and even organ failure.

The new treatment being explored by researchers offers an alternative. Instead of using scalpels or anesthesia, a psychologist and hypnotherapist guide patients through a simulated surgical experience. The idea is that the brain cannot distinguish between reality and imagination, so when a person is under hypnosis, they may believe they are undergoing surgery, triggering the same psychological benefits as actual procedures.

After five self-guided hypnosis sessions, along with follow-up conversations and nutritional guides, most participants began losing weight within three months. On average, they lost about 10% of their body weight—comparable to the results seen after three months of gastric bypass surgery.

However, the study is still ongoing, and there is limited evidence to support long-term success. Maya Mizrahi, a certified hypnotherapist leading the research at Hadassah Medical Center in Israel, explains that the brain can be tricked into believing it is undergoing surgery, which can lead to sensations of fullness, self-control, and motivation for change.

The study, which has not yet been published, involved 41 participants, including 19 who had previously undergone bariatric surgery. Mizrahi dresses as a surgeon and leads patients into a real operating room, complete with surgical gowns and medical monitors. Patients receive a visual briefing on what would happen during a sleeve gastrectomy before being placed in a hypnotic state.

During the session, Mizrahi walks patients through each step of the procedure, describing the medical equipment and incisions that would typically occur. After three months, 86% of participants started losing weight. Among those who had previously had surgery, two-thirds lost more than 20% of their body weight, while 55% of those without prior surgery also saw similar results.

One participant, known only as “Rose,” shared her experience. She had undergone bariatric surgery years ago and lost 132 pounds, but her weight gradually returned. She tried GLP-1 injections, which caused severe side effects. Rose said she felt hopeless and feared she would have to undergo surgery again. After undergoing hypnosis, she followed a strict diet and lost 37 pounds in three months.

“I was worried I wouldn’t handle it, but I was surprised,” she said. “All my life I held myself back from eating. And suddenly, Maya played with my mind and things changed.”

Another participant, Yuval Wollhandler, a nurse and combat medic, lost 55 pounds after five months of following the hypnosis program. He described the experience as feeling very real, saying he found himself sticking to dietary rules that would typically follow surgery.

Mizrahi believes that hypnosis helps patients reconnect with their bodies and develop better eating habits. She notes that one of the main challenges in treating obesity is dissociation, where people eat on autopilot without realizing it. The hypnosis intervention helps them become more aware of their choices and impulses.

Final results from the study are expected to be published by the end of the year. Mizrahi hopes this research will lead to real clinical changes and potentially integrate hypnosis into hospital surgical departments.