No incision, no anesthesia, and no recovery time: At Hadassah Mount Scopus Hospital, the world’s first clinical study of its kind is currently underway, in which patients suffering from severe obesity undergo an imaginary “sleeve surgery” – entirely through hypnosis.
They enter the operating room dressed in a gown, connected to medical devices, but instead of a scalpel – their mind undergoes a cognitive shift that activates feelings of satiety and self-control.
Behind the initiative stands Maya Mizrahi, a medical psychologist and certified hypnotist, who developed the innovative method called “the hypnotic surgery.” Together with a multidisciplinary team from Hadassah and the Hebrew University, she examines how a vivid hypnotic experience affects weight loss, hunger levels, and emotional measures.
How it works
Before the “surgery,” patients go through a personal preparation session, during which they describe their surgery story – material that serves to create a personalized hypnosis script. On the day of the procedure, they arrive fasting, dressed in surgical attire, and connected to an ECG, while Maya Mizrahi – dressed as a surgeon – leads them into the operating room.
After entering a hypnotic state, she describes each stage – the incision, the staples, the closure – as if a real surgery is taking place. According to her, “the brain doesn’t know how to distinguish between imagination and reality. When we create for it an experience of bariatric surgery, it activates sensations of fullness, control, and motivation for change.”
The treatment does not end there. Each participant continues a follow-up process of six sessions, including self-hypnosis training, support conversations, and phone guidance over the course of a year. In parallel, blood tests are taken to examine hormonal changes (ghrelin and leptin) in order to measure the effect on hunger and satiety.
Results that surprise even the doctors
So far, 41 patients have participated in the study – some bariatric surgery patients who regained weight, and some who were never operated on. Within just three months, more than 80% of them lost weight, with an average loss of about 10% of body weight.
Among patients who had previously undergone surgery, there was a reduction of up to 20% of excess weight – results comparable to advanced pharmaceutical treatments.
Dr. Tamar Elram, director of Hadassah Mount Scopus Hospital, notes that “this is a groundbreaking study combining science, psychology, and medicine – with the potential to change the way obesity is treated worldwide.”
“It feels completely real” – the stories behind the change
Yuval Wohlhandler, 45, from Jerusalem, a nurse at the hospital and a combat medic in reserve service, shares:
“I reached 134 kilos and felt that my body could no longer keep up. When I heard about the study, I knew it was a chance to make a real change without invasive surgery. I experienced a real surgery in every sense – just without a scalpel. Since then, I’ve lost 25 kilos and feel great.”
Also, V. from Jerusalem, who had previously undergone bariatric surgery and feared regaining weight, shares: “After four years, I started gaining again. I came to Maya skeptical, but after the hypnotic surgery, I lost 18 kilos in three months – without feeling like I was struggling. I feel a renewed connection to my body and mind, as if I’ve been given a new beginning.”
Not magic, but a scientific tool
The study is still ongoing, but the results are drawing international interest. If it continues to show success, the “hypnotic surgery” may in the future become an innovative therapeutic tool for treating obesity – without a scalpel, without anesthesia, and without risk.
“Hypnosis is not magic,” emphasizes Mizrahi. “It’s a scientific tool that allows the brain and body to communicate with each other. We’re not just ‘simulating a surgery’ – we’re helping people to re-operate on themselves from within.”