Overview of Hypnosis

Hypnosis first demanded attention of scientists in the late 18th century when Franz Mesmer of vienna claimed to use it to heal certain nervous ailments. He surmised that some sort of magnetism was transferred from him to his patients and it redistributed their body fluids. At that time scientists called hypnosis animal magnetism or mesmerism, however, for many years it was denounced by medical practitioners and associated with state performances, fraud, and superstition. In fact, the hostility of his medical colleagues drove Mesmer to Paris where his "cures" also created a furor. A commission condemned Mesmer as a quack without allowing him to demonstrate his methods. The French Revolution then put an end to the development of "mesmerism" in France and was not heard of until an experiment with mesmerism occurred in London by Dr. John Elliotson, founder of University College Hospital around 1840.

At the same time that Elliotson was experimenting, a doctor named James Braid introduced the term hypnosis, which means "nervous sleep," and wrote a book titled "Rationale of Nervous Sleep (1843.) Physicians, including Jean-Martin Charcot and Sigmund Freud, became interested in the use of hypnosis in the practice of medicine, however, the British Medical Association refused Braid's offer to demonstrate his methods or read a paper on the subject. Despite of this, interest in hypnosis gained impetus abroad.

In India and France, after reading Braid's book and before the discovery of anesthetics, physicians began to use mesmerism in surgery. They established that a deeply hypnotized patient would lie perfectly still and seem undisturbed by pain, even during operations as serious as amputation.

Interestingly enough, the British Society of Medical Hypnotists was formed in England in 1948 and published a journal containing scientific options of world authorities on hypnotism. This journal had been officially recognized and is included in World Medical Periodicals, published by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization and the World Health Organization in 1953. In 1949 interest increased in the medical and scientific considerations of hypnotism in the United States by the Society for Clinical and Experimental Hypnosis and published its firs journal in 1953.

Today hypnosis is widely and successfully used by surgeons, dentists, and psychotherapists. Interestingly enough, in spite of the broad amount of clinical and experimental work recorded in copious scientific literature, the real nature of the trance state called hypnosis is not known. It is known, however, that hypnosis may be, and frequently is, induced by the suggestion of "sleep," and that the hypnotized person is often observed with closed eyes, giving the impression of sleep. It is erroneous though to believe that hypnosis and sleep are identical. For a fact, hypnosis can be induced without any mention of sleep, and the hypnotized person may open the eyes and be mentally alert. Several facts have been established scientifically that differentiate between common sleep and hypnosis:

1. A person that is normally asleep will not respond to stimuli that a hypnotized person will. (eg., A sleeping person will not respond to a whispered suggestion whereas the hypnotized person will.)

2. Consciousness exists in a state of hypnosis, whereas, during sleep it is suspended.

3. The patellar reflex occurs during hypnosis whereas in sleep it is abolished.

4. The heart and lung action in hypnosis is more like normal consciousness whereas in sleep the action changes.

5. Brain capability is the same during hypnosis as it is during waking state whereas during sleep brain activity diminishes.

During the hypnotic state the subject's mind is susceptible to suggestion, as it is during waking state, however, it is known that during hypnosis the power of suggestion is greatly increased. Also, during hypnosis the mind is concentrated with one hundred percent concentration during very deep hypnosis. During this state the subject can disregard or be completely oblivious to other things, including severe pain.

Contrary to some beliefs by those that are unfamiliar with the scientific literature on the subject of hypnosis that only those who are weak willed or neurotic may be hypnotized, evidence shows that the ability of being hypnotized may be considered universal and normal attribute of the human race, regardless of color, creed, or sex. Where the difference lies is in the different degrees or states of hypnosis in which estimated percentages of people who can achieve them:

1. Uninfluenced...............5 percent

2. Hypnoidal.................10 percent

3. Light Trance..............25 percent

4. Medium Trance.............35 percent

5. Somnambulistic (Deep).....25 percent.

With much research and experience these percentages continually change as hypnotists learn and experiment more with the alpha-theta levels of the mind.

It is expected that at least 90 to 95 percent of all people can be hypnotized to one level or another. One way of picking "good subjects" is by suggestible tests. In the postural sway test the person falls backward in response to suggestions to effect. In the hand levitation test the hand becomes light and floats in the air as a result of suggestion. The handclasp test suggests that the hands become "locked" together, whereas in the pendulum test a suspended object will swing in the direction the eyes travel around a circle as a result of a suggestion. The most simple test is to ask the person to close the eyes tightly and imagine they are stuck together, producing the inability to open then through suggestion. Those who react absolutely to these tests will make good subjects because they have the ability to use their imagination. The fact is that through these suggestion tests it is clear the any "power" which exists lies within the subject, and the hypnotist has no special gift or power. The subjects own imagination or memory plays the important part with the trained hypnotist merely guiding the patient to access the memories.

Hypnosis is an altered state of mind and a person is able to reach the hypnotic or altered state through relaxation techniques. The hypnotist is only a facilitator to help the person achieve this state of mind. When the person enters the hypnotic state, the unconscious level of the mind opens up with the deeper the state the more open the unconscious mind is. However, this does not mean the hypnotized person is automatically susceptible to suggestions by the hypnotist. The subject is always in complete control of the selectivity and is capable of rejecting what is not acceptable from the hypnotist. The hypnotized person is fully aware of what is going on. However, if the subject passes from the hypnotic state to sleep state whereby not being aware of what is happening, then the subject is no longer in the hypnotic state. During hypnosis the subject is using the will to cooperate with the hypnotist rather than surrendering the will. The hypnotized person cannot be deceived and will not carry out acts against moral standards. Also, in order to achieve success in the hypnotic state, the person must have confidence in the hypnotist, knowing that the hypnotist is a competent person. This alleviates conscious and subconscious fears and doubts and allows the subject to achieve an altered state.

Since hypnosis is a state of deep relaxation, the subject feels comfortable, peaceful and calm and this feeling conveys into the awakened state. In fact, often people have such vivid recall that they doubt being hypnotized. Falsely it is sometimes believed that the subject should be unaware of the surroundings and question whether or not they have been hypnotized.

On the other hand, there is no danger of not being awakened from the hypnotic state. In some remote circumstances, the subject will not immediately respond when told to awaken. These subjects will disclose that they didn't want to respond because they were so peaceful. Also, it is impossible to keep the subject in a hypnotic state for an unreasonable period of time without the subject's cooperation.

Hypnosis is simple. Basically, there are four levels of the mind: 1. Beta 2.Alpha 3. Theta 4. Delta. Beta is the wide awake state. Alpha and Theta are levels that are altered or hypnotic states and Delta is the deep sleep level. When the subject drops from the Alpha/Theta level into the Delta level the subject is no longer in the hypnotic state, and the same goes when the subject returns to the Beta state. Interestingly enough, most people are unaware that they enter the Alpha/Theta level many times per day. This could take place while reading, watching TV or a movies, driving, daydreaming, listening to music or just being relaxed. No research has ever had verifiable evidence of injurious consequences resulting from hypnosis, either morally, mentally, or physically. In most cases, however, evidence shows that even when improvements have not been suggested, there are observable signs of improvement in the person being hypnotized.

Meditation is similar to hypnosis because in both circumstances the subject must concentrate on a stimulus that blocks external interference. In hypnosis, the stimulus is the voice of the hypnotist, whereas in meditation, the stimulus is visual, motion oriented or a chant. And, it is also possible to induce an altered state by hypnotizing oneself. This process, called self-hypnosis, allows the subject to concentrate on a stimulus of own choosing. Prayer, specifically in the Jewish and Christian religions, may have similarities of hypnotic induction. Intonation, a relaxing environment, and fixation on the alter or the leader could produce this induction. In Judaism, the rhythmic rocking of the body in time to the chanting also contributes to an altered state. Even dating back to Egypt and the Indian medicine man, there are been techniques and teachings that lead us to believe that an altered state of mind had been achieved. Hypnosis, meditation, religion and faith-healing all have commonalities - an altered state of mind.

Hypnosis is now medically legitimate. Traditionally the public looked at hypnosis as black magic with practitioners casting spells. However, in the past 10 years many doctors, dentists and psychologists are using hypnosis to help their patients. In fact, the American Medical Association has endorsed hypnosis as a therapeutic aid for doctors and dentists trained in it's use.

Comments

[Confidence hypnosis]

I recently came across your blog and have been reading about confidence hypnosis. I thought I would leave my first comment. I don't know what to say except that I have enjoyed reading. Nice blog. I will keep visiting this blog very often.

[Kurt]

Hypnosis is a fanscinating personal experience, it has personally changed my life and those around me.