[Top: Mr Chris Woo, a 46-year-old businessman, practises self-hypnosis. He is one of the increasing number of people who are turning to clinical hypnosis to treat problems such as anxiety, phobias, and even smoking.]

By Cheryl Tan

He could be reading a book or watching television, but when night came, it would set off heart palpitations and uncontrollable shivering in Mr Chris Woo, who would then break out in a cold sweat.

Diagnosed with heart disease eight years ago, the 46-year-old was afraid that he would not live to see the next day. His fear of dying was so acute that it took over his life.

'I would go to the hospital in an ambulance every week because I thought I was having a heart attack,' said the businessman.

Six months ago, he conquered his fear through self-hypnosis after taking a basic course followed by a diploma course, both offered by the Asian branch of the London College of Clinical Hypnosis (LCCH Asia), which is based in Singapore.

He now 'hypnotises' himself for 15 minutes every day by relaxing and letting his mind drift to his favourite place - the clear waters and sandy beaches of Mauritius.

This, he says, helps him manage his phobia and anxiety.

It has also saved him from unnecessary ambulance trips to the hospital.

According to Mr Michael Joseph, principal of LCCH in Britain, clinical hypnosis, or hypnotherapy, uses relaxation methods to put patients 'in an altered state of consciousness' to tackle personal issues like Mr Woo's.

He describes this state as 'the drowsy feeling one has just before one falls asleep or when one is just about to wake up'.

New Age mumbo-jumbo? Maybe not. Dr Daniel Kwek, senior consultant for psychological medicine at Tan Tock Seng Hospital (TTSH), says such treatment is recognised by medical bodies in the United States and Britain.

He adds that studies have shown clinical hypnosis can help patients deal with phobias and anxiety as well as quit smoking and lose weight. It is also effective for people suffering from certain physical conditions such as burns, irritable bowel syndrome and labour pains.

Contrary to popular belief, hypnosis cannot make someone 'cluck like a chicken or spout foreign languages like what they do in stage hypnosis', says Mr Joseph, who has 33 years of experience in hypnotherapy.

This means even under hypnosis, a person cannot be made to do something he does not want to do or does not have the ability to do.

The college of clinical hypnosis started classes in Singapore two years ago, offering courses at two levels: basic certificate and diploma.

The basic certificate, which takes four months to complete, does not allow one to practise hypnotherapy. It costs $2,900.

Diploma graduates can only use the techniques for simple problems. This course lasts 12 months and costs $7,900.

Only after completing the eight-month practitioner's course can one practise hypnotherapy fully. It is not yet available in Singapore.

According to Ms Sheila Menon, principal of LCCH Asia-

Australia, the first batch of 28 diploma students - comprising mostly psychiatrists, counsellors and doctors - will be graduating at the end of this year.

Mastering the skill of clinical hypnosis can be 'fairly straightforward' even for a non-medically trained individual, says TTSH's Dr Kwek.

But he stresses that hypnosis should not be casually practised.

He says: 'It is a matter of concern that some schools, local and foreign, are offering training and certification rather indiscriminately, giving the impression that anyone who has a certificate is competent to practise on his own.'

A Ministry of Health spokesman says although there are currently no regulations on clinical hypnosis, it should be practised by properly trained healthcare professionals.

The spokesman adds: 'Its practice should be governed by existing professional and ethical codes in the respective healthcare professions.'

A representative of the Institute of Mental Health says it does not encourage its psychiatrists to sign up for the LCCH course as it 'does not practise hypnotherapy to treat pain, anxiety and phobias', but that the 'choice is left up to the individual should he wish to pursue the course'.

General practitioner Dr Roy Teow, who owns United Health Family Clinic and Surgery in Yishun, says he joined the diploma course as he was 'curious and wanted to improve' himself.

'I want to keep an open mind and learn more to see if I can help my patients better,' says the 44-year-old who has yet to practise what he has learnt on his patients.

'I still haven't decided whether I want to start offering hypnotherapy as part of my service.'

However, one of his classmates, dentist Dr Chua Chee Haow, 42, has already applied the relaxation techniques on nervous patients.

He gets them to breathe deeply and deliberately slows down his speech to a soothing pace to create a less intimidating and stressful environment.

He says: 'I can help my patient overcome their fear of needles and the sound of drilling.'

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tcheryl@sph.com.sg

This story was first published in thesundaytimes.