| Hypnotism is the scientific and clinical use of hypnosis | | | | becomes rested and easily follows simple directions |
| to treat patients who exhibit certain medical or | | | | and deep hypnosis under which complete anesthetic |
| psychological problems. Hypnosis, or a hypnotic state, | | | | effect is experienced. The level of hypnosis though is |
| is a temporary condition of altered attention in an | | | | not indicative of effectiveness of the treatment of |
| individual. Scientific evidence suggests that hypnotism | | | | medical or psychological problems. |
| is useful when it is practiced by qualified professionals. | | | | Hypnotists may concentrate on a particular |
| Psychologists, scientists and psychoanalysts have | | | | phenomenon of hypnosis to help treat their patients. |
| shown that hypnosis affects the psychological, social, | | | | One particularly useful phenomenon is the ability of |
| and physical experience of an individual. They also | | | | some hypnotized people to remember forgotten |
| affirm that there is no magic connected with | | | | experiences. Human beings often repress or |
| hypnotism, and that the hypnotist has no special | | | | selectively block memories from their consciousness |
| power whatsoever. The effects of hypnosis are | | | | if these are associated with shocking or traumatic |
| dependent on the willingness and motivation of the | | | | experience. These repressed memories sometimes |
| person being hypnotized. In hypnosis, a change in the | | | | influence an individual's behavior and may result in |
| quality and focus of a person's attention alters his or | | | | certain forms behavioral disorder. For example, a |
| her internal and external experience. | | | | young female victim of child abuse may exhibit |
| Although the term hypnosis comes from the Greek | | | | behaviors of promiscuity or hatred for men as a |
| word hypnos which means sleep, hypnosis is | | | | result of her traumatic experiences. By hypnotizing |
| remotely related to sleep. Hypnosis involves active | | | | these patients, doctors are able to help the patients |
| and intense mental concentration. Hypnotized people | | | | remember their experiences, relieve the emotional |
| can talk, write, and walk. They are usually fully aware | | | | tensions that had built up, and help the patients |
| of what is said and done. | | | | regain their personal well-being and self-esteem. |
| A misconception about hypnosis is the erroneous | | | | Age regression is another well-known and often used |
| belief that hypnotists could influence their subjects to | | | | hypnotic phenomenon. The subject may 'relive' |
| perform criminal acts or actions. No clear evidence | | | | incidents that occurred in his or her life at the age of |
| exists to show that hypnosis can induce such | | | | 7 and may appear to talk, act, and even think as a |
| behavior. People under hypnosis can and do resist | | | | 7-year-old! In this manner, events and feelings that |
| suggestions, they can distinguish between right and | | | | may have had some bearing on their present |
| wrong. The public performances of hypnotism | | | | condition is recalled. The hypnotist can then guide the |
| through a circus, magic show or movies are | | | | subject to reinterpret the situation from a different |
| responsible for the generalized misconceptions about | | | | point of view with additional information, new insights, |
| hypnosis. Such productions often make hypnotism | | | | and increased coping skills. |
| appear overly simple and may tempt untrained people | | | | Terminating a hypnosis session is not difficult. A |
| to try to perform hypnosis. | | | | person usually remains in hypnosis until given a signal |
| Inducing hypnosis is achieved through several | | | | by the hypnotist by counting, an indirect suggestion, |
| techniques. The best-known technique use direct | | | | or by producing some type of sound. However, there |
| commands that consist of simple suggestions | | | | are instances when the subject ends the session |
| repeated continuously in the same tone of voice. The | | | | even when no signal is given. Very rarely, a hypnotist |
| hypnotist instructs the subject to focus attention on | | | | may encounter difficulty ending the hypnosis session. |
| an object or fixed point; the hypnotist then tells the | | | | This is one of the underlying reasons why only |
| subject to relax, breathe deeply, and allow the | | | | trained professionals should practice hypnotism. |
| eyelids to grow heavy and to close. | | | | Hypnotism has greatly helped scientists increase their |
| Others use verbal and nonverbal techniques also | | | | understanding of the human body, mind and different |
| known as indirect inductions, usually omitting the use | | | | behavior patterns. Hypnosis is used in medical |
| of a focal object. The subject is made to respond to | | | | research particularly in surgery, dentistry, and in |
| a story or a mental puzzle presented by the | | | | psychotherapy. There are doctors who use hypnosis |
| hypnotist. The hypnotist does not directly tell the | | | | to soothe patients who are in pain or suffering from |
| patient to relax or to close the eyes but instead | | | | nervous disorders. Some patients are reported to |
| suggests these actions through the story or puzzle - | | | | become less aware of pain with hypnosis, while |
| indirectly. | | | | others report no pain at all. Doctors use deep |
| Hypnosis affects some people within a short time | | | | hypnosis as a form of anesthesia for surgery or |
| span (seconds or minutes) while others cannot be | | | | childbirth. Hypnotism has also been used to lessen the |
| hypnotized easily. There are also different levels of | | | | distress of patients recovering from surgery. |
| hypnosis: light hypnosis under which the person | | | | |