Hypnosis (from the Greek hypnos, "sleep") is often thought to be "a trance-like state that resembles sleep but is induced by a person whose suggestions are readily accepted by the subject. Greek (el ελληνική γλώσσα or simply el ελληνικά — "Hellenic" is an Indo-European language, spoken today by 15-22 million people mainly Sleep is a Natural state of bodily rest observed throughout the animal kingdom Trance denotes a variety of processes techniques modalities and states of mind awareness and consciousness Suggestion is the name given to the psychological process by which one person may guide the thoughts feelings or behaviour of another "[1] However, this is disputed and there is a great deal of evidence to indicate that the behaviors, experiences, and phenomena associated with hypnosis are in fact variations of everyday experiences.
The technique is sometimes used for medical purposes to relieve anxiety or otherwise improve or alter behavior. Its effectiveness is not much greater than placebo procedures and over the years it has lost a great deal of its allure. It is also used in popular stage acts in which subjects are persuaded to perform bizarre feats.
Other variations include so-called "mass-hypnosis," in which crowds are simultaneously influenced, and autosuggestion in which subjects persuade themselves. The term autosuggestion is used for positive or negative physical Symptoms explained by the thoughts and beliefs of a person However, these phenomena are unlike those typically associated with the classical phenomena of hypnosis.
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Although we can speak of a "history of hypnosis" prior to the 19th century, it should be clear that the word itself is the invention of 19th century Scottish physician James Braid. This article is about the development of concepts beliefs and practices related to Hypnosis from prehistoric to modern times It is not clear if what is discussed as hypnosis prior to the 19th century in histories of hypnosis is in actual fact what we mean today by "hypnosis. "
During the Middle Ages and early modern period, hypnosis began to be better understood by physicians such as Avicenna. The early modern period is a term initially used by historians to refer mainly to the period roughly from 1500 to 1800 in Western Europe ( Early modern Europe) TemplateInfobox Muslim scholars --> ( Persian /ابو علی الحسین ابن عبدالله ابن سینا (born [2] There is little evidence linking susceptibility to intelligence or personality traits, but some research has linked hypnosis to the amount of imagination in subjects. Recent research suggests that highly hypnotizable people have high sensory and perceptual gating abilities that allow them to block some stimuli from awareness. Sensory gating is a process by which the Brain adjusts its response to stimuli [3]
There is a common claim that no one can be hypnotized against his will. [4]
The American Society of Clinical Hypnosis's web site says "Hypnosis is a state of inner absorption, concentration and focused attention. "[5]
It often appears as if the hypnotized participant accepts the authority of the hypnotist over his or her own experience. When asked after the conclusion of such a session, some participants claim to be genuinely unable to recall the incident, while others say that they had known the hypnotist was wrong but at the time it had seemed easier just to go along with his instructions. (Richard Feynman describes this, in his memoir Surely You're Joking, Mr. Feynman!, as his own hypnotic experience. Richard Phillips Feynman (ˈfaɪnmən May 11 1918 – February 15 1988 was an American Physicist known for the Path integral formulation of quantum Surely You're Joking Mr Feynman! is an edited collection of reminiscences by the Nobel Prize -winning Physicist Richard Feynman. )[6]
The esoteric publication Hypnotism, by Danish hypnotist Carl Septus, is an early reference work that notes the absence of the pupillary reflex sign. Septus states specifically that after subjects have been asked to open their eyes during a deep trance, light shone into the eyes does not cause pupil contraction. The hypnotist may use suggestion to keep the subject in hypnosis, but must avoid suggestions relating to eyes, visual focus, light, or the dilation or contraction of the pupils. [7]
Hypnotherapy is a term to describe the use of hypnosis in a therapeutic context. Hypnotherapy is therapy that is undertaken with a subject in Hypnosis. Hypnotherapy is therapy that is undertaken with a subject in Hypnosis. Many hypnotherapists refer to their practice as "clinical work". Hypnotherapy can either be used as an addition to the work of licensed physicians or psychologists, or it can be used in a stand-alone environment where the hypnotherapist in question usually owns his or her own business. The majority of these stand-alone certified hypnotherapists (C. Hts in the U. S. , Diploma. Hyp or DHP in the UK) today earn a large portion of their income through the cessation of smoking (often in a single session) and the aid of weight loss (body sculpting). Psychologists and psychiatrists use hypnosis predominantly for the treatment of dissociative disorders, phobias, habit change, depression and post-traumatic syndromes. [8] There is no evidence that 'incurable' diseases (such as cancer, diabetes, and arthritis) are curable with hypnosis, but pain and other bodily symptoms related to the diseases are controllable. [9][10][11][12] Some of the treatments practiced by hypnotherapists, in particular so-called regression, have been viewed with skepticism. Past life regression (PLR is a therapeutic technique that uses light levels of Hypnosis to activate memories or pseudo-memories that appear to represent past lives [13]
The American Medical Association and the American Psychological Association have both cautioned against the use of repressed memory therapy in dealing with cases of alleged childhood trauma, stating that "it is impossible, without other corroborative evidence, to distinguish a true memory from a false one",[14] and so the procedure is "fraught with problems of potential misapplication". The American Medical Association (AMA founded in 1847 and incorporated 1897 is the largest association of Physicians and Medical students in the United States The American Psychological Association (APA is a professional organization representing psychologists in the U [15]
In a lecture to the American Society of Clinical Hypnosis (ASCH) during their annual conference at the State University Of New York, Dr. Milton Erickson taught the process of indirect hypnosis while Dr. Robert W. Habbick spoke of his research on the use of hypnosis in enhancing learning and reducing anxiety. Dr. Habbick explained the use of a triad of suggestions: "(a) enhancing confidence, while (b) strengthening focused interest in the work and (c) improving energy to do the studying necessary. " The results of his controlled research pointed the way toward the need to apply hypnosis especially with students who have difficulty studying. In a more recent lecture, Dr. Habbick spoke in Boston to ASCH of the positive effects of using his suggested hypnosis triad with students at the Bureau of Study Council at Harvard University.
Hypnodermatology is the practice of treating skin diseases with hypnosis. Hypnodermatology is an informal label for the use of Hypnosis in treating the skin conditions that fall between conventional medical Dermatology and the mental Hypnodermatology is an informal label for the use of Hypnosis in treating the skin conditions that fall between conventional medical Dermatology and the mental
A study done at the Mt. Sinai School of Medicine looked at two groups of patients facing surgery for breast cancer. The group that received hypnosis prior to surgery reported less pain, nausea, and anxiety after surgery than did the control group. There was a cost benefit as well, as the average hypnosis patient reduced the cost of treatment by an average of $772. 00. [16]
In April 2008 a professional hypnotist, Alex Lenkei, successfully hypnotised himself before having surgery on his hand and was in no pain throughout the 80 minute operation. His blood pressure and heart rate were also monitored and remained normal, indicating that he truly did not experience any pain. An anaesthetist who remained on hand believes Mr Lenkei's body may have released chemicals which blocked pain. [17][18]
Michael R. Nash writes, in a 2001 article for Scientific American titled "The Truth and the Hype of Hypnosis", "using hypnosis, scientists have temporarily created hallucinations, compulsions, certain types of memory loss, false memories, and delusions in the laboratory so that these phenomena can be studied in a controlled environment. Scientific American is a Popular science magazine, published (first weekly and later monthly since August 28, 1845, making it "[19]
In his book The Hidden Persuaders (1957) Vance Packard describes research involving the behavior of housewives in supermarkets in the 1950s. Vance Packard, born May 22, 1914, died, was an American journalist social critic and author Cameras were hidden to measure a shopper's eye-blink rate as she compared items. It was assumed that her eye-blink rate would increase as she performed mental calculations to determine which product was the best value. In fact, the cameras recorded an eye-blink rate which indicated that the housewife was, according to Packard, usually in a hypnotic state while shopping. This led manufacturers to produce new brands of laundry detergent in competition with their own, existing brands, where the primary differences were in the product names, colors and shapes of designs on the packages, which were designed to appeal to women at different times of their menstrual cycles. The menstrual cycle is a recurring cycle of physiologic changes that occurs in reproductive-age Females Overt menstruation (where there is blood flow from the The effects of this research can be noted today by visiting the laundry detergent section of any American supermarket. [20]
Hypnotism has also received publicity about its use in Forensics, Sports, Education, and physical therapy and rehabilitation. Sport is an Activity that is governed by a set of rules or Customs and often engaged in competitively Education encompasses both the Teaching and Learning of Knowledge, proper conduct, and technical competency [21]
Though various conjectures are made about hypnosis, the field has received significant support from the science-oriented psychology community due to research into hypnotic phenomena conducted by practitioners and theorists (Sala 1999). Both Heap and Dryden (1991) and Ambrose and Newbold (1980) consider that the theoretical debates on hypnotherapy have been productive, and that hypnosis has benefited from the attentions of those involved in the controversies, and conversely, that the developments of neurolinguistic programming and neo-Ericksonian hypnosis has been characterized by gullibility and fraudulence. Neuro-linguistic programming (or NLP) is an Interpersonal communication model applied in Psychotherapy and other contexts of communication and change
Social constructionism and role-playing theory of hypnosis, discovered by Jun Zhou in the early 18th century,[22] suggests that individuals are playing a role and that really there is no such thing as hypnosis. A relationship is built depending on how much rapport has been established between the "hypnotist" and the subject (see Hawthorne effect, Pygmalion effect, and placebo effect). For other uses see Rapport (disambiguation. Rapport is one of the most important features or characteristics of unconscious human interaction The Hawthorne effect is a form of reactivity, and describes a temporary change to behavior or performance in response to a change in the environmental conditions with the response The Pygmalion effect, Rosenthal effect, or more commonly known as the "teacher-expectancy effect" refers to situations in which Students perform Placebo is a substance or procedure a patient accepts as medicine or therapy but which has no specific therapeutic activity
Some psychologists, such as Robert Baker and Graham Wagstaff, claim that what we call hypnosis is actually a form of learned social behavior, a complex hybrid of social compliance, relaxation, and suggestibility that can account for many esoteric behavioral manifestations. [23]
Nicholas Spanos states, "hypnotic procedures influence behavior indirectly by altering subjects' motivations, expectations and interpretations. Nicholas P Spanos (1942-1994 hypothesized that the behaviors and experiences associated with Hypnosis are acted out knowingly by the person even though they may "[24]
Pierre Janet originally developed the idea of dissociation of consciousness as a result of his work with hysterical patients. Pierre Marie Félix Janet ( May 30 1859 - February 24 1947) was a pioneering French Psychiatrist and Philosopher in the He believed that hypnosis was an example of dissociation whereby areas of an individual's behavioral control are split off from ordinary awareness. Hypnosis would remove some control from the conscious mind and the individual would respond with autonomic, reflexive behavior. Weitzenhoffer describes hypnosis via this theory as "dissociation of awareness from the majority of sensory and even strictly neural events taking place. "[25]
Anna Gosline says in a NewScientist. com article:
"Gruzelier and his colleagues studied brain activity using an fMRI while subjects completed a standard cognitive exercise, called the Stroop task. Functional MRI or functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI is a type of specialized MRI scan Demonstration Say aloud the colors of each of these words as fast
The team screened subjects before the study and chose 12 that were highly susceptible to hypnosis and 12 with low susceptibility. They all completed the task in the fMRI under normal conditions and then again under hypnosis.
Throughout the study, both groups were consistent in their task results, achieving similar scores regardless of their mental state. During their first task session, before hypnosis, there were no significant differences in brain activity between the groups.
But under hypnosis, Gruzelier found that the highly susceptible subjects showed significantly more brain activity in the anterior cingulate gyrus than the weakly susceptible subjects. The Anterior cingulate cortex (ACC is the frontal part of the Cingulate cortex, which resembles a "collar" form around the Corpus callosum, the fibrous This area of the brain has been shown to respond to errors and evaluate emotional outcomes.
The highly susceptible group also showed much greater brain activity on the left side of the prefrontal cortex than the weakly susceptible group. This is an area involved with higher level cognitive processing and behaviour. "[26]
Ivan Pavlov believed that hypnosis was a "partial sleep". For other uses see Pavlov (disambiguation. Ivan Petrovich Pavlov (Иван Петрович Павлов September 14, 1849 &ndash February He observed that the various degrees of hypnosis did not significantly differ physiologically from the waking state and hypnosis depended on insignificant changes of environmental stimuli. Pavlov also suggested that lower-brain-stem mechanisms were involved in hypnotic conditioning. [27][28]
Currently a more popular "hyper-suggestibility theory" states that the subject focuses attention by responding to the hypnotist's suggestion. Suggestion is the name given to the psychological process by which one person may guide the thoughts feelings or behaviour of another As attention is focused and magnified, the hypnotist's words are gradually accepted without the subject conducting any conscious censorship of what is being said. This is not unlike the athlete listening to the coach's last pieces of advice minutes before an important sport event; concentration filters out all that is unimportant and magnifies what is said about what really matters to the subject. In Chemistry, concentration is the measure of how much of a given substance there is mixed with another substance [29]
An approach loosely based on Information theory uses a brain-as-computer model. Information theory is a branch of Applied mathematics and Electrical engineering involving the quantification of Information. A computer is a Machine that manipulates data according to a list of instructions. In adaptive systems, a system may use feedback to increase the signal-to-noise ratio, which may converge towards a steady state. Feedback is a circular causal Process whereby some proportion of a system's output is returned (fed back to the Input. Signal-to-noise ratio (often abbreviated SNR or S/N) is an Electrical engineering concept also used in other fields (such as scientific Measurements Increasing the signal-to-noise ratio enables messages to be more clearly received from a source. The hypnotist's object is to use techniques to reduce the interference and increase the receptability of specific messages (suggestions). [30]
Systems theory, in this context, may be regarded as an extension of James Braid's original conceptualization of hypnosis[31] as involving a process of enhancing or depressing the activity of the nervous system. Systems theory is an Interdisciplinary field of Science and the study of the nature of Complex systems in Nature, Society, and James Braid ( June 19, 1795 &ndash March 25, 1860) was born in Fife, and was the son of James Braid and Anne Suttie Systems theory considers the nervous system's organization into interacting subsystems. The nervous system is a Network of specialized cells that communicate information about an animal's surroundings and itself System (from Latin systēma, in turn from Greek systēma is a set of interacting or interdependent Entities, real or abstract Hypnotic phenomena thus involve not only increased or decreased activity of particular subsystems, but also their interaction. A central phenomenon in this regard is that of feedback loops, familiar to systems theory, which suggest a mechanism for creating the more extreme hypnotic phenomena. Feedback is a circular causal Process whereby some proportion of a system's output is returned (fed back to the Input. Systems theory is an Interdisciplinary field of Science and the study of the nature of Complex systems in Nature, Society, and [32][33]
A peer-reviewed article on the University of Maryland Medical Center's web site says: "Although studies on hypnosis as a treatment for obesity are not conclusive, most research suggests that hypnotherapy (when used in combination with cognitive behavioral therapy, exercise, and a low-fat diet) may help overweight or obese individuals lose weight. See also Cognitive Therapy Cognitive Behavioral Therapy ( CBT) is an umbrella-term for psychotherapeutic systems that deal with cognitions interpretations "[34]
In 1996, the National Institutes of Health technology assessment panel judged hypnosis to be an effective intervention for alleviating pain from cancer and other chronic conditions. "NIH" redirects here For other meanings of NIH see NIH (disambiguation. A large number of clinical studies also indicate that hypnosis can reduce the acute pain experienced by patients undergoing burn-wound debridement, enduring bone marrow aspirations, and childbirth. An analysis published in a recent issue the International Journal of Clinical and Experimental Hypnosis, for example, found that hypnotic suggestions relieved the pain of 75% of 933 subjects participating in 27 different experiments. [19]
One controlled scientific experiment postulates that hypnosis may alter our perception of conscious experience in a way not possible when people are not "hypnotized", at least in "highly hypnotizable" people. In this experiment, color perception was changed by hypnosis in "highly hypnotizable" people as determined by (PET) scans (Kosslyn et al. , 2000).
Another research example, employing event-related functional MRI (fMRI) and EEG coherence measures, compared certain specific neural activity ". Functional MRI or functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI is a type of specialized MRI scan . . during Stroop task performance between participants of low and high hypnotic susceptibility, at baseline and after hypnotic induction". Demonstration Say aloud the colors of each of these words as fast According to its authors, "the fMRI data revealed that conflict-related ACC activity interacted with hypnosis and hypnotic susceptibility, in that highly susceptible participants displayed increased conflict-related neural activity in the hypnosis condition compared to baseline, as well as with respect to subjects with low susceptibility. The Anterior cingulate cortex (ACC is the frontal part of the Cingulate cortex, which resembles a "collar" form around the Corpus callosum, the fibrous " (Egner et al. , 2005)
Michael Nash said in a Scientific American article: "In 1998 Henry Szechtman of McMaster University in Ontario and his co-workers used PET to image the brain activity of hypnotized subjects who were invited to imagine a scenario and who then experienced a hallucination . A pet is an Animal kept for companionship and enjoyment or a househeld animal as opposed to Livestock, Laboratory animals Working animals . . By monitoring regional blood flow in areas activated during both hearing and auditory hallucination but not during simple imagining, the investigators sought to determine where in the brain a hallucinated sound is mistakenly "tagged" as authentic and originating in the outside world. Szechtman and his colleagues imaged the brain activity of eight very hypnotizable subjects who had been prescreened for their ability to hallucinate under hypnosis . . . The tests showed that a region of the brain called the right anterior cingulate cortex was just as active while the volunteers were hallucinating as it was while they were actually hearing the stimulus. The Anterior cingulate cortex (ACC is the frontal part of the Cingulate cortex, which resembles a "collar" form around the Corpus callosum, the fibrous In contrast, that brain area was not active while the subjects were imagining that they heard the stimulus. "[19]
Self-hypnosis (or autosuggestion) — is hypnosis in which a person hypnotizes himself or herself without the assistance of another person to serve as the hypnotist — is a staple of hypnotherapy-related self-help programs. The term autosuggestion is used for positive or negative physical Symptoms explained by the thoughts and beliefs of a person The term autosuggestion is used for positive or negative physical Symptoms explained by the thoughts and beliefs of a person Self-help or self-improvement refers to self-guided improvement—economically intellectually or emotionally—most frequently with a substantial psychological or spiritual It is most often used to help the self-hypnotist stay on a diet, overcome smoking or some other addiction, or to generally boost the hypnotized person's self-esteem. Dieting is the practice of ingesting food in a regulated fashion to achieve or maintain a controlled weight A cigarette ( French "small Cigar " from cigar + -ette) is a product consumed through Smoking and manufactured The term " addiction " is used in many contexts to describe an obsession compulsion or excessive Physical dependence or psychological dependence such as In Psychology, self-esteem reflects a Person 's overall evaluation or appraisal of her or his own worth It is rarely used for the more complex or controversial uses of hypnosis, which require the hypnotist to monitor the hypnotized person's reactions and responses and respond accordingly. A controversy or dispute is a commencement of a conflict between statements of accepted fact and a new or unaccepted proposal that disagrees with argues against Most people who practice self-hypnosis require a focus in order to become fully hypnotized; there are many computer programs on the market that can ostensibly help in this area, though few, if any, have been scientifically proven to aid self-hypnosis. Computer programs (also software programs, or just programs) are instructions for a Computer.
Some people use devices known as mind machines to help them go into self-hypnosis more readily. A mind machine consists of glasses with different colored flashing LEDs on the inside, and headphones. The LEDs stimulate the visual channel, while the headphones stimulate the audio channel with similar or slightly different frequencies designed to produce a certain mental state. The use of binaural beats in the audio is common; it is said to produce hypnosis more readily. Binaural beats or Binaural tones are Auditory processing artifacts or apparent sounds the Perception of which arises in the brain independent of physical
Self-hypnosis is a skill that can be improved as time goes by. People use techniques such as imagining walking down 10 steps, feeling deeper relaxed as they imagine slowly walking down each step, one at a time. It is a good idea to initially seek the skills of a practicing hypnotherapist in order to understand what it feels like to be in a hypnotic trance. This greatly helps, as the individual can aim to replicate this state. Alternatively, a person may wish to use hypnosis recordings instead.
This phenomenon, as expounded by Melvin Powers in 1955, involves altering the behavior of a subject by suggestion without inducing a trance. Year 1955 ( MCMLV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays the 1955 Gregorian calendar) Related to the placebo effect, a subject becomes subconsciously convinced that what they are being told is inevitable reality, for example that the air in the room will cause them to swallow. Placebo is a substance or procedure a patient accepts as medicine or therapy but which has no specific therapeutic activity They can be convinced that a completely benign substance is actually a drug that will induce whatever effect is suggested. In order to work, the subject must completely trust the source of the suggestion or be subconsciously convinced by a calm authoritative tone.
Influencing crowds through common longings and yearnings by a demagogue is called mass hypnosis. Demagogy (also demagoguery) ( Ancient Greek δημαγωγία from dēmos "people" and agein "to lead" refers to a political Generally, mass hypnosis is applied to religious sessions. Many forms of music and dance can be used to create religious trance. [35]
In addition to direct application of hypnosis (that is, treatment of conditions by means of hypnosis), there is also indirect application, wherein hypnosis is used to facilitate another procedure. Some people seem more able to display "enhanced functioning", such as the suppression of pain, while utilizing hypnosis.
Robin Waterfield writes, in his 2002 book Hidden Depths: The Story of Hypnosis, "a person can act, some time later, on a suggestion seeded during the hypnotic session. Post-hypnotic suggestion is the induction under Hypnosis, of a person into a behavior or thinking pattern that makes itself manifest after he has come out of the hypnotic state Post-hypnotic suggestions can last for a long time. A hypnotherapist told one of his patients, who was also a friend: 'When I touch you on the finger you will immediately be hypnotized. ' Fourteen years later, at a dinner party, he touched him deliberately on the finger and his head fell back against the chair. "[36]
Pratt et al. , write, in their 1988 book A Clinical Hypnosis Primer, "A hypnotized patient will respond to a suggestion literally. A suggestion that requires conscious interpretation can have undesirable effects. " They give the following report taken from Hartland, 1971, p. 37: "A patient who was terrified to go into the street because of the traffic was once told by a hypnotist that when she left his room, she would no longer bother about the traffic and would be able to cross the road without the slightest fear. She obeyed his instructions so literally that she ended up in a hospital. "[37]
They also mention:
From Kleinhauz and Beran, 1984:
In one case, a woman had experienced 10 years of fatigue, irritability, and periods of childish behavior during which her perceptions were distorted. The source of the problem was traced back to a stage performance 10 years earlier, when she was regressed to a traumatic period of her life.
From Kleinhauz and Eli, 1987:
In one case, a dentist using hypnorelaxation with a patient complied with her request to provide direction suggestions to stop smoking. The patient's underlying psychological conflicts, which the dentist was not qualified to assess, led to the development of an anxiety/depressive reaction.
From Machovec, 1987:
A woman undergoing psychotherapy facilitated by hypnosis attempted to use the procedures she had learned to relieve her husband's dental pain. During the deepening technique of arm levitation, her husband's fingertips 'stuck' to his head, and a therapist had to intervene to end the trance state. "[38]
Subjects have been known to cry or suffer a mental breakdown after extended periods of being in a trance like state of mind.
False memory obtained via hypnosis has figured prominently in many investigations and court cases, including cases of alleged sexual abuse. Sexual abuse, also referred to as molestation, is the forcing of undesired sexual acts by one person upon another There is no scientific way to prove that any of these recollections are completely accurate.
The American Medical Association and the American Psychological Association have both cautioned against the use of repressed memory therapy in dealing with cases of alleged childhood trauma, stating that "it is impossible, without other corroborative evidence, to distinguish a true memory from a false one",[14] and so the procedure is "fraught with problems of potential misapplication". The American Medical Association (AMA founded in 1847 and incorporated 1897 is the largest association of Physicians and Medical students in the United States The American Psychological Association (APA is a professional organization representing psychologists in the U [15]
Some believe that hypnosis is a form of mind control and/or brainwashing that can control a person's behavior and judgment and therefore could potentially cause them harm. Mind control is a broad range of psychological tactics able to subvert an individual's control of his own thinking, behavior emotions or decisions Brainwashing (also known as Thought reform or as Re-education) consists of any effort aimed at instilling certain attitudes and Beliefs These beliefs are not generally based on scientific evidence, as there is no scientific consensus on whether mind control even exists. But there are people interested in research and funding to help work on controlling others and perfecting mind control techniques. These techniques can be researched with the scientific method and reasoning skills. [39][40]
From the mental standpoint, a hypnotic subject is relaxed yet alert and always aware at some level. Some choose to think of this as a state of mind called "trance". Trance denotes a variety of processes techniques modalities and states of mind awareness and consciousness [41]
Due to the popular but incorrect notion of hypnosis as mind control, some people believe that the ability to experience hypnosis is related to strength and soundness of mind. Mind control is a broad range of psychological tactics able to subvert an individual's control of his own thinking, behavior emotions or decisions However, scientists note that personality traits such as gullibility or submissiveness or factors such as low intelligence are not related to hypnotize-ability. Research studies suggest that none of intelligence, gender, or personality traits (ref: below . . . overactive imagination. . . ) affect responsiveness to hypnosis and that hypnotize-ability may in fact be hereditary or genetic in nature. [19]
Another misconception in popular culture is that hypnosis is often the product of vivid imaginations and that hypnotic phenomena are merely imagined in the mind. However, research indicates many imaginative people do not fare well as good hypnotic subjects. (Ref above: . . . No personality traits. . . ) Furthermore, studies using PET scans have shown that hypnotized subjects suggested to have auditory hallucinations demonstrated regional blood flow in the same areas of the brain as real hearing, whereas subjects merely imagining hearing noise did not. Positron emission tomography ( PET) is a Nuclear medicine imaging technique which produces a three-dimensional image or map of functional processes in the [19]
It is a misconception that induction into hypnosis is time-consuming and requires complete relaxation. Hypnosis through lengthy relaxation or visual experiences is the most common form of induction, but instant inductions (2-10 seconds) is a method for induction or re-induction among stage hypnotists, as well as clinical hypnotists seeking to manage trauma or overcome anxiety and resistance. Authors John Cerbone and Richard Nongard refer to this phenomena as Speed-Trance, noting it is possible to hypnotize a subject in just a few seconds by causing confusion, loss of equilibrium, misdirection, shock, or eye fixation. John Cerbone is an Author, Actor, and Hypnotist. He was inducted into the Hypnosis Hall of Fame in 1995 Richard K Nongard is an Author, Psychotherapist, and Hypnotist. However, the duration of time it takes to induce hypnosis does not always take into consideration the depth of trance that is secured.
Due to the stage hypnotist's showmanship and their perpetuating the illusion of possessing mysterious abilities, hypnosis is often seen as caused by the hypnotist's power. The real power of hypnosis comes from the trust the hypnotist can instill in his subjects. They have to willingly grant him the ability to take over their critical thinking and direct their bodies. Some people are very trusting, or even looking for an excuse to abdicate their responsibilities and are able to be hypnotized within seconds, while others take more time to counter their fears. [42]
In a stage hypnosis situation the hypnotist chooses his participants carefully. First he gives the entire audience a few exercises to perform and plants ideas in their minds, such as, only intelligent people can be hypnotized and only those wanting to have fun will play along. These suggestions are designed to overcome the natural fear of trusting a stranger with the greater fear of being seen as unintelligent, unsociable, and joyless by the rest of the audience. Out of the crowd he will spot people who appear trusting, extroverted and willing to put on a show. Often these people are looking for an excuse to do something they otherwise would not do sober. The hypnotist starts them off by having them imagine ordinary situations that they have likely encountered, like being cold or hot, hungry or thirsty then gradually builds to giving them a suggestion that is totally out of character, such as sing like Elvis. The desire to be the center of attention, having an excuse to violate their own inner fear suppressors and the pressure to please, plus the expectation of the audience wanting them to provide some entertainment is usually enough to persuade an extrovert to do almost anything. In other words the participants are persuaded to 'play along'. This gives the impression that the hypnotist has total control over them. [43]
Hypnosis and hypnotherapy are common themes in literature, films and television. This article lists stories in which Hypnosis is featured as an important element Hypnotherapy is therapy that is undertaken with a subject in Hypnosis. Frequently hypnotists are shown in a negative or sinister light. [44] In The Manchurian Candidate and The Curse of the Jade Scorpion, for example, characters are compelled to commit crimes while under a hypnotic trance. The Manchurian Candidate is a 1959 thriller Novel written by Richard Condon, adapted into films in 1962 and 2004. The Curse of the Jade Scorpion is a 2001 film directed written by and starring Woody Allen. Many popular figures in the media, such as Dr. Phil and Tyra Banks, have denounced hypnotism saying it is "crude" and "not believable". These remarks have been ignored for the most part by the majority, because many believed that they were just trying to cause controversy for publicity.
In 2002 UK Department for Education and Skills developed The National Occupational Standards for hypnotherapy based on National Qualifications Framework of The Qualifications and Curriculum Authority and started conferring optional certificates and diplomas in international level through National Awarding Bodies by assessing learning outcomes of training /accrediting prior experiential learning. The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located The Department for Education and Skills (DfES was a United Kingdom government department between 2001 and 2007 The National Qualifications Framework ( NQF) is a credit transfer system developed for qualifications in England, Wales and Northern Ireland
The United States Department of Labor, Directory of Occupational Titles (D. The United States Department of Labor is a Cabinet department of the United States government responsible for occupational safety wage and hour standards O. T. 079. 157. 010) supplies the following definition:
Hypnotherapist – Induces hypnotic state in client to increase motivation or alter behavior pattern through hypnosis. Consults with client to determine the nature of problem. Prepares client to enter hypnotic states by explaining how hypnosis works and what client will experience. Tests subject to determine degrees of physical and emotional suggestibility. Induces hypnotic state in client using individualized methods and techniques of hypnosis based on interpretation of test results and analysis of client's problem. May train client in self-hypnosis conditioning.
The Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, Government of India, vide its letter no. R. 14015/25/96-U&H(R) (Pt. ) dated 25 November 2003, has very categorically stated that hypnotherapy is a recognized mode of therapy in India to be practiced by only appropriately trained Personnel. Events 1034 - Máel Coluim mac Cináeda, King of Scots dies Donnchad, the Year 2003 ( MMIII) was a Common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar.
Maharaja Sayajirao University (M. S. University - 4 star) at Vadodara is conducting one year Post Graduate Diploma Course in Clinical Applied Hypnosis (P. G. D. C. A. H. ) from 2000. (http://www.msubaroda.ac.in/departmentinfo.php?ffac_code=3&fdept_code=4) Various Indian universities have included clinical hypnosis as a syllabus subject in their graduate, post-graduate, pre-doctoral courses of psychology, journalism, nursing and yoga.
A law[45] in effect since 1984 limits the practice of hypnosis solely to licensed psychologists, dentists and physicians.
Professional hypnotherapy and use of the occupational titles hypnotherapist or clinical hypnotherapist is not government-regulated in Australia.
In 1996, as a result of a three-year research project led by Lindsay B. Yeates, the Australian Hypnotherapists' Association[1] (founded in 1949), the oldest hypnotism-oriented professional organization in Australia, instituted a peer-group accreditation system for full-time Australian professional hypnotherapists, the first of its kind in the world. [46] The system was further revised in 1999. [47] The Australian Hypnotherapists Association is a member of the Psychotherapy and Counselling Federation of Australia (PACFA) which represents many counselling and psychotherapy associations in Australia as well as many other professions. The Psychotherapy and Counselling Federation of Australia (PACFA is the umbrella professional body that plays a self-regulating role in the psychotherapy and counselling industry
However, many clinical hypnotherapists and Hypnotherapy Associations do not wish to be represented by PACFA simply because the organization is obviously not specifically devoted to representating the interests of hypnotherapy and hypnotherapists.
Australian hypnotism/hypnotherapy organizations (including the Australian Hypnotherapists Association) are seeking government regulation similar to other mental health professions. However, the various tiers of Australian government have shown consistently over they last two decades that they are opposed to government legislation and in favour of self regulation by industry groups.
With this in mind in 2007 a majority of professional hypnosis groups — including professional organizations, private teaching organizations, and other hypntotism-associated professional bodies — have agreed to work toward creating a new national body to be known as Hypnotherapy Council of Australia. The Council of Clinical Hypnotherapists (CCH) will represent the Hypnosis Associations from the Southern Region of Australia, i. e. the States of Victoria, Tasmania and Western Australia.
Hypnotic susceptibility is the measurable responsiveness that a person has to hypnosis. Not all people can be hypnotized, but about 10% of people respond exceptionally well. <ref>Hilgard, E. R. (1965). Hypnotic susceptibility. New York: Harcourt, Brace, & World. </li> <li id="cite_note-2">'''[[#cite_ref-2|^]]''' {{cite journal | last = Barnier | first = A. | coauthors = Wright, J. , & McConkey, K. 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<li id="cite_note-46">'''[[#cite_ref-46|^]]''' The revised criteria, etc. are described in Yeates, Lindsay B. , ''A Set of Competency and Proficiency Standards for Australian Professional Clinical Hypnotherapists: A Descriptive Guide to the Australian Hypnotherapists' Association Accreditation System (Second, Revised Edition)'', Australian Hypnotherapists' Association, (Sydney), 1999. ISBN 0-957-76940-7. </li></ol></ref>