Hypnosis

Hypnosis is a psychological state whose existence and effects are strongly debated. Some believe that it is a state under which the subject's mind becomes so suggestible that the hypnotist, the one who induces the state, can establish communication with the subconscious mind of the subject and command behavior that the subject would not choose to perform in a conscious state (even behavior to be performed after the subject has left the hypnotic state, through post-hypnotic suggestion,) or even behavior the subject would be incapable of in a conscious state, such as not feeling pain, manifesting skin blisters as if the subject had been burned, or recalling things the subject's conscious memory does not retain. However, there is strong dispute and skepticism about what behavior and effects hypnosis can induce; some believe that the state does not actually exist, and that all effects of 'hypnotism' that have been observed are in actuality a combination of subjects' expectations (based on their beliefs of hypnotism's effects) and their desire to please the hypnotist (see Hawthorne Effect).

Applications

There are many individuals and organizations which have integrated hypnotism into systems of treatment.

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Hypnotherapy

Hypnotherapy is a term to describe the use of hypnosis in a therapeutic context. 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 certified hypnotherapists (C.Hts) today earn a large portion of their money through the cessation of smoking (often in a single session) and the aid of weight loss. Some of the treatments practiced by hypnotherapists, in particular so-called regression, have been viewed with skepticism. It has been known that in many cases, when participants undergo regression, false memories are invented due to a combination of social expectation, and intentional or unintentional collaboration from the hypnotist. Thus many feel that these memories cannot be held to be reliable recollections, with some denouncing the procedure as harmful to the patient, and without any basis in fact.

Related Topics:
Hypnotherapy - Regression - False memories - Social expectation - Memories

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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" http://www.apa.org/pubinfo/mem.html, and so the procedure is "fraught with problems of potential misapplication". http://pegasus.cc.ucf.edu/~gallaghr/ama.html

Related Topics:
American Medical Association - American Psychological Association

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Clinical hypnosis

The American Society of Clinical Hypnosis http://www.asch.net/ is an organization that "promotes greater acceptance of hypnosis as a clinical tool with broad applications". Hypnosis is applied to a great range of both physical and psychological ailments, rather than being restricted to purely psychological phenomena. The society was founded by Milton Erickson, a doctor who attempted to put hypnosis on a firm therapeutic backing in the 1950s. Recently, efforts to reduce obesity with hypnosis (when used in combination with cognitive behavioral therapy, exercise, and a low-fat diet) have been effective in most cases. http://www.umm.edu/altmed/ConsConditions/Obesitycc.html

Related Topics:
American Society of Clinical Hypnosis - Milton Erickson - 1950

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Self-hypnosis

Self-hypnosis – (or autohypnosis) hypnosis in which a person hypnotizes himself without the assistance of another person to serve as the hypnotist — is a staple of hypnotherapy-related self-help programs. 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. It is rarely used for the more complex or controversial uses of hypnotism, which require the hypnotist to monitor the hypnotized person's reactions and responses and respond accordingly. Most people who practice self-hypnosis require a focus for their attention in order to become fully hypnotized; there are many computer programs on the market that can ostensibly help in this area.

Related Topics:
Self-hypnosis - Self-help - Diet - Smoking - Addiction - Self-esteem - Controversial - Attention - Computer program

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Indirect application

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, under hypnosis.

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One of the major initial applications of hypnotism was the suppression of pain during medical procedures; this was supplanted (in the late 19th century) by the development of more reliable chemical anesthetics.

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Some studies suggest that while hypnosis may possess these qualities, they are not exclusive to hypnosis, that it is often the drama and fantasizing that produces the behavior.

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