Definitions of Hypnosis
Hypnosis
"A normal, physiological, altered state of consciousness, similar to, but not the same as being awake; similar to, but not the same as being asleep; and is produced by the presence of two conditions:
- a central focus of attention and
- surrounding areas of inhibition.
The state of hypnosis… produces three things:
- an increased concentration of the mind,
- an increased relaxation of the body,
- an increased susceptibility to suggestion."
By William J. Bryan, Jr., MD, JD, LLD, PhD, the founder of the American Institute of Hypnosis
Defined by the American Psychological Association
Hypnosis is a procedure during which a health professional or researcher suggests that a client, patient, or subject experience changes in sensations, perceptions, thoughts, or behavior. The hypnotic context is generally established by an induction procedure. Although there are many different hypnotic inductions, most include suggestions for relaxation, calmness, and well-being. Instructions to imagine or think about pleasant experiences are also commonly included in hypnotic inductions. People respond to hypnosis in different ways. Some describe hypnosis as a normal state of focused attention, in which they feel very calm and relaxed. Regardless of how and to what degree they respond, most people describe the experience as very pleasant.
Some people are very responsive to hypnotic suggestions and others are less responsive. A person's ability to experience hypnotic suggestions can be inhibited by fears and concerns arising from some common misconceptions. Contrary to some depictions of hypnosis in books, movies or television, people who have been hypnotized do not lose control over their behavior. They typically remain aware of who they are and where they are, and unless amnesia has been specifically suggested, they usually remember what transpired during hypnosis. Hypnosis makes it easier for people to experience suggestions, but it does not force them to have these expenences.
Hypnosis is not a type of therapy, like psychoanalysis or behavior therapy. Instead, it is a procedure that can be used to facilitate therapy. It is the opinion of the authors of this statement that because it is not a treatment in and of itself, training in hypnosis is not sufficient for the conduct of therapy; rather, clinical hypnosis should be used only by properly trained and credentialed health care professionals (e.g. licensed clinical psychologists), who have also been trained in the clinical use of hypnosis and are working within the areas of their professional expertise.
Hypnosis has been used in the treatment of pain, depression, anxiety, stress, habit disorders, and many other psychological and medical problems. However, it may not be useful for all psychological problems or for all patients or clients. Again, it is the opinion of the authors of this statement that the decision to use hypnosis as an adjunct to treatment can only be made in consultation with a qualified health care provider who has been trained in the use and limitations of clinical hypnosis. In addition to its use in clinical settings, hypnosis is used in research, with the goal of learning more about the nature of hypnosis itself, as well as its impact on sensation, perception, learning, memory, and physiology. Researchers also study the value of hypnosis in the treatment of physical and psychological problems.
Hypnosis as Defined in the Skeptics Dictionary
Hypnosis is a process involving a hypnotist and a subject who agrees to be hypnotized. Being hypnotized is usually characterized by (a) intense concentration, (b) extreme relaxation, and (c) high suggestibility.
The versatility of hypnosis is unparalleled. Hypnosis occurs under dramatically different social settings: the showroom, the clinic, the classroom, and the police station. Showroom hypnotists usually work bars and clubs. Their subjects are usually people whose idea of a good time is to join dozens or hundreds of others in a place where alcohol is the main social bonding agent. The subjects of clinical hypnotists are usually people with problems who have heard that Medical Hypnoanalysis works for relieving pain or overcoming an addiction or a fear, etc. Others use hypnosis to recover repressed memories of sexual abuse or of past lives.
Some psychologists and hypnotherapists use hypnosis to discover truths hidden from ordinary consciousness by tapping into the unconscious mind where these truths allegedly reside. Finally, some hypnotic subjects are people who have been victims or witnesses of a crime. The police encourage them to undergo hypnosis to help them remember details from their experiences.
Hypnosis: the common view challenged
The common view of hypnosis is that it is a trance-like altered state of consciousness. Many who accept this view also believe that hypnosis is a way of accessing an unconscious mind full of repressed memories, multiple personalities, mystical insights, or memories of past lives. This view of hypnosis as an altered state and gateway to occult knowledge about the self and the universe is considered a myth by many psychologists. There are two distinct, though related, aspects to this mythical view of hypnosis: the myth of the altered state and the myth of the occult reservoir.
Those supporting the altered state theory often cite studies that show that during hypnosis (1) the brain's electrical states change and (2) brain waves differ from those during waking consciousness. The critics of the mythical view point out that these facts are irrelevant to establishing hypnosis as an altered state of consciousness. One might as well call daydreaming, concentrating, imagining the color red, or sneezing altered states, since the experience of each will show electrical changes in the brain and changes in brain waves from ordinary waking consciousness.
Those supporting the unconscious occult reservoir theory support their belief with anecdotes of numerous people who, while hypnotized, (a) recall events from their present or past life of which they have no conscious memory, or (b) relate being in distant places and/or future times while under hypnosis.
Most of what is known about hypnosis, as opposed to what is believed, has come from studies on the subjects of hypnosis. We know that there is a significant correlation between being imaginative and being responsive to hypnosis. We know that those who are fantasy-prone are also likely to make excellent hypnotic subjects. We know that vivid imagery enhances suggestibility. We know that those who think hypnosis is rubbish can't be hypnotized. We know that hypnotic subjects are not turned into zombies and are not controlled by their hypnotists. We know that hypnosis does not enhance the accuracy of memory in any special way. We know that a person under hypnosis is very suggestible and that memory is easily "filled-in" by the imagination and by suggestions made under hypnosis. We know that confabulation is quite common while under hypnosis and that many States do not allow testimony which has been induced by hypnosis because it is intrinsically unreliable. We know the greatest predictor of hypnotic respo nsiveness is what a person believes about hypnosis.
Hypnosis in its socio-cognitive context
If hypnosis is not an altered state or gateway to a mystical and occult unconscious mind, then what is it? Why do so many people, including those who write psychology textbooks, or dictionary and encyclopedia entries, continue to perpetuate the mythical view of hypnosis as if it were established scientific fact? For one thing, the mass media perpetuates this myth in countless movies, books, television shows, etc., and there is an entrenched tradition of hypnotherapists who have faith in the myth, make a good living from it, and see many effects from their sessions which, from their point of view, can only be called "successes." They even have a number of scientific studies to support their views. Psychologists such as Robert Baker think such studies are about as valid as the studies which supported the belief in phlogiston or the aether. Baker claims that what we call hypnosis is actually a form of learned social behavior.
The hypnotist and subject learn what is expected of their roles and reinforce each other by their performances. The hypnotist provides the suggestions and the subject responds to the suggestions. The rest of the behavior--the hypnotist's repetition of sounds or gestures, his soft, relaxing voice, etc., and the trance-like pose or sleep-like repose of the subject, etc.--are just window dressing, part of the drama that makes hypnosis seem mysterious. When one strips away these dramatic dressings what is left is something quite ordinary, even if extraordinarily useful: a self-induced, "psyched-up" state of suggestibility.
Psychologist Nicholas Spanos agrees with Baker: "hypnotic procedures influence behavior indirectly by altering subjects' motivations, expectations and interpretations." This has nothing to do with putting the subject into a trance and exercising control over the subconscious mind. Hypnosis is a learned behavior, according to Spanos, issuing out of a socio-cognitive context.
We can accomplish the same things in a variety of ways: going to college or reading a book, taking training courses or teaching oneself a new skill, listening to pep talks or giving ourselves a pep talk, enrolling in motivation courses or simply making a willful determination to accomplish specific goals. In short, what is called hypnosis is an act of social conformity rather than a unique state of consciousness. The subject acts in accordance with expectations of the hypnotist and hypnotic situation and behaves as he or she thinks one is supposed to behave while hypnotized. The hypnotist acts in accordance with expectations of the subject (and/or audience) and the hypnotic situation, and behaves as he or she thinks one is supposed to behave while playing the role of hypnotist.
Spanos compares the popularity of hypnosis with the nineteenth century phenomenon we now call mesmerism. Furthermore, he draws an analogy between the belief in hypnosis and the belief in demonic possession and exorcism. Each can be explained in terms of sociocognitive context. The conceptions of the roles for the participants in all of these beliefs and behaviors are learned and reinforced in their social settings. They are context-dependent and depend upon the willingness of participants to play their established roles. Given enough support by enough people in a social setting, just about any concept or behavior can become adamantly defended as dogma by the scientific, theological, or social community.
Another psychologist, E.M. Thornton, extends the analogy between hypnotism, mesmerism, and exorcism. She maintains that hypnotic subjects are asked basically to take on "what really amounts to a parody of epileptic symptoms." If some hypnotic or mesmerized subjects seem possessed, that is because possession involves a similar socio-cognitive context, a similar role-playing arrangement and rapport.
The central beliefs differ and the dominant idea of an altered state, of animal magnetism or of invading demons, gives the experiences their distinguishing characteristics. Deep down, however, hypnotism, mesmerism, hysteria, and demonic possession share the common ground of being social constructs engineered mainly by enthusiastic therapists, showmen, and priests on the one side, and suggestible, imaginative, willing, fantasy-prone players with deep emotional needs or abilities on the other.
Hypnosis: the good, the bad and the ugly
The godfather of the repression, Freud, wisely gave up using hypnosis in therapy. Unfortunately, however, hypnosis continues to be used in a wide variety of contexts, not all of which are beneficial. Using hypnosis to help people quit smoking or stick to a diet may be useful, and even if it fails it is probably not harmful.
Using hypnosis to help people remember license plate numbers of cars used in crimes may be useful, and even if it fails it is probably not harmful. Using hypnosis to help victims or witnesses of crimes remember what happened may be useful, but it can also be dangerous because of the ease with which the subject can be manipulated by suggestions from the hypnotist. Overzealous police hypnotists may put conviction of those they think are guilty above honest conviction by honest evidence presented to a jury. Hypnosis is also dangerous in the police setting, because of the tendency of too many police officers to believe in truth serums, lie detectors, and other magical and easy ways to get to the truth.
Using hypnosis to help people recover memories of sexual abuse by their closest relatives or by aliens in spaceships is dangerous, and in some cases, clearly immoral and degrading. For, in some cases, hypnosis is used to encourage patients to remember and then believe events which probably never happened. If these memories were not of such horrible and painful events, they would be of little concern. But by nurturing delusions of evil suffered, therapists often do irreparable harm to those who put their trust in them. And they do this in the name of healing and caring, as did the priests of old when they hunted witches and exorcised demons.
Summary of Medical Hypnoanalysis
1. Hypnotic suggestion (Classical Conditioning) plays a major role in the etiology of psychosomatic, psychoneurotic and psychotic conditions.
2. Hypnosis is viewed as a form of super-concentration, (hyper-focus, fascination or mono-ideism) of the mind, which is especially likely to occur as the result of induction procedures, meditation or emotion.
3. In all probability everyone can concentrate their mind through one of these modalities and/or feel emotion. Anyone capable of this can be affected by hypnotic suggestion (classically conditioned).
4. The phenomena of hypnosis, research shows, can mimic in every way the actual signs and symptoms of virtually every psychosomatic, psychoneurotic and/or psychotic conditions.
5. The state of hypnosis (heightened suggestibility) can be induced deliberately or accidentally. Accidentally is true especially in negative programming.
6. An emotional incident or idea is thought to concentrate the mind, producing a condition of hypnosis, and any idea or thought then introduced acts as a hypnotic suggestion, so that many psychoneurosis, psychosomatic and psychotic conditions are, to all intents and purposes, the same in its structure as the behavior and symptoms arising from a hypnotic or post hypnotic suggestion.
7. The role of hypnosis in the treatment process deals with 1. Relaxation to be able to confront the problem. 2. Realization of the "root cause" on an emotional or subconscious, (visceral) level, followed by 3. Re-education under hypnosis.
Understanding Medical Hypnoanalysis! What it is and how it works!
Medical Hypnoanalysis and its uses in the practice of psychotherapy is speedily emerging as an exceedingly valuable discipline in solving the problems of people. It can be very helpful in numerous cases of psychotherapy and psychiatry. Yet it is almost certainly the lowest risk method existing from the standpoint of contraindications. Yet few therapeutic measures are less understood, or more weighed down by misconceptions and misunderstandings.
Most Medical Hypnoanalysts, on interviewing a new client/patient, will ask the client what he or she thinks hypnosis is. Replies range from sleep, to unconsciousness, to surrender of mental powers and control, to magic, to voodoo. All are in error!
Hypnosis cannot be sleep. The subject is completely conscious of communication and is able to respond on request either orally or by gesture. Nor is unconsciousness involved. A subject asked to make a precise movement will comply with the request unless it is offensive, in which case there will be a negative response.
There is no surrender of mind or control. A person who does not want to be hypnotized cannot be hypnotized or be induced to do or say anything, which violates personal standards of behavior or integrity. There is neither the supernatural nor voodoo involved.
Hypnosis is considered an altered state of consciousness featuring "selective perception," a process in which the subject (who is in control) chooses to see only what is relevant to his task. Hypnosis involves guided concentration. The guidance may be provided by a Medical Hypnoanalyst or, in the case of self-hypnosis, by the individual subject Self-hypnosis, which can be taught by a properly trained Medical Hypnoanalyst and learned by almost any client, can provide the receiver with a life of benefit.
WHERE DID HYPNOSIS DERIVE?
The basic of hypnosis goes back to ancient times. In the early centuries of our own land, the medicine men of Indian tribes performed seeming miracles. Hypnosis. Wider, non-secret usage began in the 1700's in several forms under different names.
There were periods of advancement and periods of stagnation in the growth of contemporary hypnosis. Medical curiosity and recognition expanded following World War II when the use of Medical Hypnoanalysis proved particularly useful to surviving battlefield casualties suffering from shock, injury, battle fatigue and various psychological disorders.
As understanding improved hypnosis began to be acknowledged as an essential addition to counseling psychology, psychotherapy, psychiatry, and also medical fields including neurology, obstetrics, emergency medicine, burn therapy and others. Hypnosis is finding rising usage in dentistry and other areas where pain control is essential.
All humans (and possibly several animals) have two distinct minds- the conscious mind and the unconscious mind, which can also be thought of as the Autonomic Nervous System (ANS). The unconscious (ANS) mind is immensely larger and more influential than the conscious mind, yet it is the least understood and by mankind.
HOW DOES IT WORK?
The subconscious (ANS) mind receives and retains messages we receive from our backgrounds, whether inherited, social, religious or experiential, plus all the conflicts (little or big) that come into our lives daily. When for whatever reason the conscious mind (which deals with daily living, reason, etc.) becomes overloaded, the subconscious prepares us for what is considered suitable action (usually fight or flight). The subconscious (ANS) mind does not analyze, as does the conscious mind, but accepts all messages in the literal sense.
Hypnosis is a means of communication between the conscious mind and the subconscious (ANS) mind. Many human problems, habits, stresses, anxieties, attitudes or apparent deficiencies can be traced to interpretations by the subconscious (ANS) mind which, when understood by the conscious mind, can reduce or resolve specific problems.
The subconscious (ANS) is also the seat of all memory. Traumatic events can be buried or suppressed in the subconscious (ANS). A major benefit of Medical Hypnoanalysis is its capacity to discover and bring into the light of understanding the hidden information or incident, which may be the origin of a troublesome disorder.
What You Will Experience
Your first visit with your Medical Hypnoanalyst will, be investigative. You will learn about hypnotism and become relaxed with it. Your Medical Hypnoanalyst will discuss your interests and your wishes to decide if Medical Hypnoanalysis can achieve what you want to attain. If you both feel that it will be advisable to continue, your Medical Hypnoanalyst may give you some small tests to verify your suggestibility, ability to relax, and your skills at visualization-procedures which assist your Medical Hypnoanalyst adjust to you as an individual so as to devise training tailored for you which will be suitable to your subconscious (ANS), retained and acted upon in a way leading to complete attainment of your goals.
What Can Medical Hypnoanalysis Do?
A competent Medical Hypnoanalyst, working with a highly suggestible client-subject, can create apparent miracles. Relaxation can be induced to relieve pressures of stress at home and at work or to alleviate insomnia; habit problems can be brought under control, whether smoking, overeating, alcohol, drugs or unwanted mannerisms.
Medical Hypnoanalysis has proved effective in countless physical and mental illnesses, dealing with phobias, degenerative conditions, anesthesia requirements, and especially attitude modifications. It can create the all-important positive attitude necessary for healing. It can enhance learning, develop motivation, build confidence, and improve relationships. Up to 90% of the public can be hypnotized.
"Hypnotic Suggestion" by Ivan Pavlov
"Hypnotic Suggestion is the most direct form of a Conditioned Reflex."
"In general, it should be pointed out that in experimental disorders of the nervous system almost always separate phenomenon of hypnosis (suggestion) and conditioned reflexes (associated responses) are observed, which give the right to assume that this (hypnosis or conditioned reflexes) is a normal physiological remedy . . .."
"Among the various aspects of the hypnotic state (or any other emotional state) attention is drawn to 'suggestion' and its physiological interpretation. Speech provides conditioned (suggested) stimuli, which are just as real as any other (unconditioned) stimuli (physical reality). Speech (suggestion) provides stimuli, which exceed in richness and many-sidedness any of the others, allowing comparison neither qualitatively nor quantitatively with any (un-) conditioned stimuli, which are possible in animals.
Speech (suggestion) on account of the preceding life of the adult is connected with all the internal and external stimuli, which reach the cortex, signaling and replacing all of them. They can call forth all those reactions of the organism, normally determined by the actual stimuli. We can, regard 'suggestion' as the simplest form of a conditioned reflex in man."
Imagination Engineers by Mark Twain
"THE Power, which a man's imagination over his body to heal it or make it sick is a force which none of us is born without. The first man had it; the last one will possess it. If left to him, a man is most likely to use only the mischievous half of the force-the half that invents imaginary ailments for him and cultivates them; and if he is one of these very wise people, he is quite likely to scoff at the beneficent half of the force and deny its existence.
And so, to heal or help that man, two imaginations are required: his own and some outsider's. The outsider's work is unquestionably valuable; so valuable that it may fairly be likened to the essential work performed by the engineer when he handles the throttle and turns on the steam; the actual power is lodged exclusively in the engine, but if the engine were left alone it would never start of itself. His services are necessary. He is the Engineer; he simply turns on the same old steam and the engine does the whole work."