Hypnotism disguises therapeutic value

By Amal Hewavissenti

Hypnosis simply refers to a state in which an individual becomes highly responsive to suggestions and it is also a state of increased awareness and concentration. A person under hypnosis is capable of concentrating more sharply than when he is awake and his brainwaves perfectly resemble those of someone who is wide awake.

In hypnotising, the mind is altered and responds to outside suggestions even though the person is somewhere between being awake and being asleep. Even if the state of hypnosis bear all resemblance to the sleep, the two conditions are largely different because the hypnotised individuals are more relaxed and are more receptive to the suggestions offered to them by the hypnotist.

For instance, the hypnotist may speak such words as, "you are feeling relaxed and drowsy now. You are getting drowsier and drowsier and your body is becoming lighter and lighter. Now you are becoming more comfortable. You are feeling that your eye lids are heavier, You can't keep your eyes open and now you are listening to my voice...."

Respond

Thus, the person being hypnotised chooses to respond favourably to whatever the hypnotist says and most often the person may relive his experiences of very early age under the circumstances.

A hypnotised person is not, paradoxically, under the total power of the hypnotist and it is fairly impossible to hypnotise persons against their wish.

Most experts assert that a person must volunteer to be hypnotised for the process of hypnotism to be an unmistakable success. Even though the hypnotist possesses the knowledge and talents to guide and develop the hypnotic state, it is the person being hypnotised who has the real ability to be hypnotised.

As a person being hypnotised, is easily bent on doing what is suggested, it is virtually unethical to make in antisocial or destructive suggestion. In the process of hypnotism, a person could by no means be made to do anything which he otherwise would strongly have opposed to carry out if he were awake. For instance, a hypnotised vegetarian cannot be persuaded to consume meaty food products however much persuasive the language of the hypnotherapist is.

Not everyone in the world can be successfully hypnotised. According to a research carried out by psychologists, it is proved that five to 20 percent of the population is beyond the strength of hypnosis while some 15 percent are very easily hypnotised.

A hypnotised individual can be persuaded to do something that is unusual but not something that would be totally impossible to do when awake. For example, a person with little knowledge of Tamil language could not be made to speak Tamil under hypnosis but he can be won over to sing a song although he does not usually sing anywhere more public than the bathroom.

Trance

Usually, a hypnotherapist carefully induces a peculiar trance like condition in the person under hypnosis to bring out the subconscious responses. First, the hypnotised therapist speaking in a slow, clear voice suggests that the person is getting more and more relaxed or sometimes he may persuade a person to gaze at an object such as a pencil whole listening to these suggestions.

As the client's eyes gradually close, the hypnotist tests the depth of hypnosis by making some stimulating remarks to check how the person responds to them.

However, everyone can be hypnotised to some extent and if a person were lightly hypnotised, he would wake up easily with fresh memory powerful enough to recollect everything that transpired during the hypnotic trance.

Hypnosis in medical treatment is also a common practice where the hypnotherapist asserts to the patient that there is no pain in the right arm for example when it is pricked with a sterilised needle.

The latest findings have proved that some patients show a normal bodily reaction to the slight pain but some are completely insensitive to it.

Some persons experience only a slight sensation of something touching the arm and moreover, some others have even ventured to undergo surgery under hypnosis only to feel no discomfort.

Hypnosis is proved to be highly effective in reducing the effects of medical conditions such as asthma and is used to diminish the pain associated with arthritis, ulcers, injures and strong headaches.

Phobias

Certain individuals afflicted with suppressed childhood phobias and familiar traumas often reveal the fundamental causes during the deep levels of hypnosis and are ready to respond to hypnotist's questions regarding matters of even extreme privacy.

Phobias and depressions if not correctly diagnosed and cancelled out at the earliest phases, may be absolutely disastrous. Hypnosis can be effectively exploited here to eliminate these life-threatening conditions.

A clever hypnotherapist can suggest certain course of action to recover from the depressions and phobias and induce positive thinking during the hypnotic trance.

These suggestions implanted in the deeper stages of hypnosis may last for an indefinite period of time unless they are neutralised. Suggestions (often positive) have permanently cured the destructive elements implanted in a person's subconscious mind and have made clients awake as completely normal people.

Moreover, the medium type of hypnosis has immensely helped people overcome behaviour problems such as smoking and addiction to liquor. The hypnotist is better able to make clients get rid of their bad habits by suggesting that such habits are totally detrimental to health and by encouraging a positive self-image.

Psychologists have hypnotised criminals and witnesses to a crime to obtain vital clues and information indispensable to resolution of a crime. They recount minute details of a crime when hypnotised to a deeper level.

Mesmerism

For many years, mesmerism, the earliest form of hypnotism was considered a mysterious, somewhat dangerous practice and it was regarded as sinister when used to influence people.

Arguments of possible danger inherent in hypnotism have been refuted as common misunderstanding because many people all over the world are being hypnotised daily without any harm.

There is possible danger to the client when the process is carried out by an untrained, under qualified person. How successfully someone can be hypnotised probably depends more on the relevant person's personality than on the hypnotist's techniques.