In this review, the role of
hypnosis and related psychotherapeutic techniques are discussed in relation to the
anxiety disorders. In particular, anxiety is addressed as a special form of mind/body problem involving reverberating interaction between mental and physical distress. The history of
hypnosis as a therapeutic discipline is reviewed, after which neurobiological evidence of the effect of
hypnosis on modulation of perception in the brain. Specific brain regions involved in
hypnosis are reviewed, notably the dorsal anterior cingulate gyrus and the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex. The importance of hypnotizability as a trait, stable variability in
hypnotic responsiveness, is discussed. Analogies between the
hypnotic state and
dissociative reactions to
trauma are presented, and the uses of
hypnosis in treating
posttraumatic stress disorder, stressful situations, and
phobias as well as outcome data are reviewed. Effects of
hypnosis on control of somatic processes are discussed, and then effects of psychosocial support involving Supportive-Expressive Group Therapy and
hypnosis on survival time for
cancer patients are evaluated. The evidence indicates an important role for
hypnosis in managing
anxiety disorders and anxiety related to medical illness.