About Hypnosis

Hypnosis is a state of trance achieved by relaxing the mind to a point where conscious behavior stops. This can be achieved with the help of a therapist or through self-hypnosis and can be used for a variety of purposes, both in entertainment and clinical settings. While much controversy surrounds the use of hypnosis and its true significance, many professionals are still using it to treat common problems such as stress, especially when other methods don't seem to work.

History

• Franz Mesmer was the first person to tackle the study of animal magnetism and how people could be affected by certain movements or words. The true study of hypnosis, as well as the name itself, did not come around until the 19th century, when physician James Braid coined it. Braid was highly criticized by the church for his view but highly influential in the work of other physicians, specially French physician Etienne Eugene Azam, who played a significant role in the study and acceptance of alternating personalities disorder.

Types

• There are different theories that try to explain hypnosis, some of which look at its inner workings while others try to find alternate explanations to dismiss its existence. A clear example is dissociation of consciousness, established by Pierre Janet, which purports that hypnosis clears the mind to the point where reflexive behavior takes over. In this theory, it is not the power of the hypnotist that takes over, but the participant's own autonomic personality. The most modern and widely accepted explanation of how hypnosis works is the theory of hyper-sensibility, which establishes that once attention is focused on a particular person or words, without censorship or conscious resistance, the suggestion can have a powerful effect on the waken mind and result in a state of perceived surrender.

Benefits

• Hypnosis is widely used in modern times to treat a variety of issues. One of the better known is smoking cessation, which is achieved with the help of a professional or, more commonly, through autosuggestion (self-hypnosis). The same method is used to lose weight, give up other harmful habits or even battle insomnia and stress. Hypnosis is also widely used to reduce pain and anxiety in clinical settings, including before surgery, during childbirth and in patients with chronic illnesses.

Expert Insight

• Hypnotherapy, which is basically the use of hypnosis in a therapeutic setting, is not without controversy. Some professionals use it to treat everything from depression to posttraumatic stress disorder, especially in people who are not responding to drug treatment or in those who are looking for a complementary form of therapy. The system is also used to access repressed memories, especially in abuse cases, although psychologists believe there is a high risk that the mind will create false memories or scenarios to fill in the blanks.

Considerations

• Hypnosis for entertainment purposes, known as stage hypnosis, is very different to the kind of mental state you could encounter in the office of a professional therapist. Stage hypnosis relies on the use of the power of persuasion and the willingness of the subjects to take over critical thinking. This is why some people can be hypnotized on stage and others cannot: for some people, the fear of being ridiculed is stronger than their urge to participate, so the process does not work. The trance induced by stage hypnosis is often based on a specific gimmick, such as touching a body part or saying a specific word. This is why the action may still work later on, even if the person is not longer hypnotized.