Are placebos and hypnotism related?

Both hypnosis and placebo activate the somatosensory cortex, insula, thalamus, anterior cingulate cortex, and prefrontal cortex. However, there are also major differences in brain activity between hypnosis and placebo effects. read more

In that case, hypnotism is intimately related to placebo. Since hypnotism is the power of suggestion, the mind can influence the body through suggestion. In a way, hypnotism is a placebo. But not all placebos are hypnotism because hypnotism is a specific way to induce the person in a highly suggestible state. read more

The research I’ve seen indicates that while hypnosis may be related to the placebo effect and includes the placebo effect, it’s not only the placebo effect. For instance, a study published in Contemporary Hypnosis found that hypnotism was almost twice as effective as placebo (Contemporary Hypnosis, 26(2): 93-110, 2009). read more