Hypnosis
The History of Hypnosis
'Hypnos' is the Greek word for sleep and is the name of the Greek God of Sleep, although the actual state of hypnosis is very different from that of sleep.
Hypnotic or suggestive therapy is the oldest of all healing techniques. Over 4,000 years ago, the ancient Egyptians used healing sanctuaries called ‘Sleep Temples’ to heal the sick. Religious rituals were used to put people into a trance-like sleep whilst priests gave suggestions, sometimes evoking healing dreams, to effect a cure (of course calling on the help of the gods). Today we recognise a lot of what went on in the Temples as suggestion therapy. Since the Sleep Temples of both Egypt and Greece, some form of hypnosis has always been an intimate part of all cultures. From the Middle Ages, through to the 21st Century, a belief in miraculous healing through touch and prayer has persisted. The cures reported at the springs of Lourdes today are no less remarkable than those of the Sleep Temples of ancient times.
In the 18th Century, it was believed that illness was caused by blockages in the flow of magnetic forces in the body, and the correct balance for health could be achieved by placing magnets on the body. Franz Anton Mesmer (1734 - 1815) first used magnets, but discovered they were unnecessary and concluded that he was the magnet and his ‘Animal Magnetism’ flowed from his fingers as he performed 'mesmeric passes' over his patients. Mesmer himself was very much a showman, conveying by his manner that something was going to happen to the patient. In itself this form of indirect suggestion was very powerful. Although Mesmerism was soon discredited, it continued to be used even after the death of Mesmer as it often produced 'miracle' cures. These cures were indeed genuine, but no one had considered the part played by suggestion and the recipient’s imagination.
When James Braid (1795 - 1860) re-examined Mesmerism in the 19th Century he discovered that simple suggestion was just as effective as Mesmerism or any other method used to induce trance-like states. It was he, who coined the phrase Hypnosis and for a time hypnosis became a scientific technique with scientific respectability.
Meanwhile, a British surgeon in India, James Esdaile (1808 - 59), recognised the enormous benefits of hypnotism for pain relief and performed hundreds of major operations using hypnotism as his only anaesthetic. When he returned to England he tried to convince the medical establishment of his findings, but they were unimpressed and remained biased in favour of the new chemical anaesthetics, which they could control.
Frenchman, Emile Coué (1857 - 1926), understood the importance of the subject's participation in hypnosis, and was a forerunner of today’s practitioners who state, 'There is no such thing as hypnosis, only self-hypnosis.' Coué believed that he did not heal people himself but merely facilitated their own self-healing. In a sense Coué anticipated the placebo effect - treatment of no intrinsic value the power of which lies in suggestion: patients are told that they are being given a drug or treatment that will cure them. Recent research on placebos is quite startling. In some cases statistics indicate that placebos can work better that many of modern medicine's most popular drugs or treatments. It seems that while drugs are not always necessary for recovery from illness, belief in recovery is!
Sigmund Freud (1856 - 1939) was also interested in hypnosis, initially using it extensively in his work. He eventually abandoned the practice - for several reasons, not least that he wasn't very good at it! Freud's early rejection of hypnosis delayed the development of hypnotherapy, turning the focus of psychology away from hypnosis and towards psychoanalysis (a laborious and time-consuming technique.)
In more recent times, the recognised leading authority on clinical hypnosis was Milton H. Erickson, MD (1901-80), a remarkable man and a highly effective psychotherapist. As a teenager he was stricken with polio and paralysed, but he used his mind to teach himself to walk again. It was while paralysed that he had an unusual opportunity to observe people. He became fascinated by human psychology and devised countless innovative and creative ways to heal people. He championed healing in hypnosis, and was a master of ‘indirect’ as well as ‘direct’ suggestion. It is becoming more and more accepted that an understanding of hypnosis is essential for the efficient practice of every type of psychotherapy.
In the early part of the 20th Century hypnosis was used almost exclusively by stage hypnotists, thereby projecting a hopelessly distorted view of this very powerful therapeutic tool. However, in 1955 the British Medical Association endorsed the practice of hypnosis and its inclusion in medical school education, since when it has become a valuable addition to conventional medical treatment.
What is Hypnosis
Hypnosis is a natural state of consciousness that we enter many times in our daily lives. The actual experience of being in a hypnotic trance is very difficult to describe, neither asleep nor awake, but something in between. Have you ever been so involved with a task that you have lost track of time? Have you ever driven from one place to another and arrived safely, but not remembered the details of the journey? Have you ever read a book and become so involved that you can see scenery and hear characters speak? Have you ever day-dreamed? These are everyday examples of an altered state of awareness.
Hypnosis is another example of an altered state of awareness; one which can be used for self help. In the clinical setting, hypnosis is a tremendously pleasant state of relaxation, which you voluntarily allow yourself to enter. For symptoms induced or aggravated by stress, this pleasant state of physical relaxation is in itself very beneficial. Hypnosis is also characterised by an increased inner focus, concentration and control. The hypnotic trance is a natural and effective way of making contact with the inner (unconscious) self, a source of many of our problems as well as a tremendous reservoir of unrecognised potential strength and knowledge
Nobody can ever be hypnotised against their will, which is why all hypnosis is self- hypnosis. Only if you choose to cooperate with the therapist, will you achieve a trance state. To enter a trance at will is a skill that anyone can learn.
Even when hypnotised, people can still reject any of the suggestions given if they are not appropriate. During hypnosis, you will be aware of what is happening; most people do not "feel hypnotised." You are still in control.