Hypnosis for enhancing subjective well-being in ischemic heart diseases: A feasibility study

Patients with ischemic heart disease exhibit lower subjective well-being. Although hypnosis involving imagery may enhance their well-being, its implementation remains inadequately investigated. Therefore, this feasibility study assessed the feasibility and acceptability of an online hypnotic guided imagery intervention for improving subjective well-being and the occurrence of adverse events in these patients. Ten sex-matched participants were randomly assigned to an experimental group receiving three hypnotic sessions or a control group getting two non-hypnotic sessions, followed by a delayed hypnosis intervention after the posttest. Hypnotic sessions encompassed induction, guided imagery problem-solving, and reinforcement of positive change. The feasibility, acceptability, and potential effects on subjective well-being were evaluated through qualitative feedback and descriptive statistics. The results revealed that online hypnosis was feasible, with the therapist successfully delivering online hypnosis without issues and participants experiencing relaxation, emotional release, and better sleep. The descriptive statistics showed that the experimental group demonstrated greater enhancement in subjective well-being than the control group. While two subjects reported mild dizziness, no serious adverse events were reported. The findings suggest that online hypnosis may be a promising intervention for promoting subjective well-being in ischemic heart disease patients. However, these discoveries require confirmation with larger samples and evaluation of unfavorable effects.