The Secret of Hypnosis

Hypnotism is the scientific and clinical use of hypnosis to treat patients who exhibit certain medical or psychological problems. Hypnosis, or a hypnotic state, is a temporary condition of altered attention in an individual. Scientific evidence suggests that hypnotism is useful when it is practiced by qualified professionals.

Psychologists, scientists and psychoanalysts have shown that hypnosis affects the psychological, social, and physical experience of an individual. They also affirm that there is no magic connected with hypnotism, and that the hypnotist has no special power whatsoever. The effects of hypnosis are dependent on the willingness and motivation of the person being hypnotized. In hypnosis, a change in the quality and focus of a person's attention alters his or her internal and external experience.

Although the term hypnosis comes from the Greek word hypnos which means sleep, hypnosis is remotely related to sleep. Hypnosis involves active and intense mental concentration. Hypnotized people can talk, write, and walk. They are usually fully aware of what is said and done.

A misconception about hypnosis is the erroneous belief that hypnotists could influence their subjects to perform criminal acts or actions. No clear evidence exists to show that hypnosis can induce such behavior. People under hypnosis can and do resist suggestions, they can distinguish between right and wrong. The public performances of hypnotism through a circus, magic show or movies are responsible for the generalized misconceptions about hypnosis. Such productions often make hypnotism appear overly simple and may tempt untrained people to try to perform hypnosis.

Inducing hypnosis is achieved through several techniques. The best-known technique use direct commands that consist of simple suggestions repeated continuously in the same tone of voice. The hypnotist instructs the subject to focus attention on an object or fixed point; the hypnotist then tells the subject to relax, breathe deeply, and allow the eyelids to grow heavy and to close.

Others use verbal and nonverbal techniques also known as indirect inductions, usually omitting the use of a focal object. The subject is made to respond to a story or a mental puzzle presented by the hypnotist. The hypnotist does not directly tell the patient to relax or to close the eyes but instead suggests these actions through the story or puzzle – indirectly.

Hypnosis affects some people within a short time span (seconds or minutes) while others cannot be hypnotized easily. There are also different levels of hypnosis: light hypnosis under which the person becomes rested and easily follows simple directions and deep hypnosis under which complete anesthetic effect is experienced. The level of hypnosis though is not indicative of effectiveness of the treatment of medical or psychological problems.

Hypnotists may concentrate on a particular phenomenon of hypnosis to help treat their patients. One particularly useful phenomenon is the ability of some hypnotized people to remember forgotten experiences. Human beings often repress or selectively block memories from their consciousness if these are associated with shocking or traumatic experience. These repressed memories sometimes influence an individual's behavior and may result in certain forms behavioral disorder. For example, a young female victim of child abuse may exhibit behaviors of promiscuity or hatred for men as a result of her traumatic experiences. By hypnotizing these patients, doctors are able to help the patients remember their experiences, relieve the emotional tensions that had built up, and help the patients regain their personal well-being and self-esteem.

Age regression is another well-known and often used hypnotic phenomenon. The subject may ‘relive’ incidents that occurred in his or her life at the age of 7 and may appear to talk, act, and even think as a 7-year-old! In this manner, events and feelings that may have had some bearing on their present condition is recalled. The hypnotist can then guide the subject to reinterpret the situation from a different point of view with additional information, new insights, and increased coping skills.

Terminating a hypnosis session is not difficult. A person usually remains in hypnosis until given a signal by the hypnotist by counting, an indirect suggestion, or by producing some type of sound. However, there are instances when the subject ends the session even when no signal is given. Very rarely, a hypnotist may encounter difficulty ending the hypnosis session. This is one of the underlying reasons why only trained professionals should practice hypnotism.