Hypnotism Essay Research Paper

Hypnotism Essay, Research Paper

“You are completely relaxed… there is a wonderful warm feeling spreading

through your body…. you have a great desire to sleep… your eyelids are

getting heavy… heavier… and heavier… you hardly can keep them open

any longer… now they are closed… with every word I am saying, you are

getting sleepier…. and sleepier…. you are going to SLEEP… deep, sound

sleep… deeper and deeper asleep… SLEEP!”

You just read the exact words of a hypnotist, using the classical technique

of verbal suggestion. His subject is sound asleep.

Is this a science – or just a fascinating fraud, a little frightening. Think . . .

What is hypnotism.

According to the Webster’s New International Dictionary: “The induction

of a state resembling sleep or somnambulism, which is called hypnosis or

hypnotic sleep; also loosely – the induced state of hypnosis…” “There are

degrees of hypnosis which have been characterized as lethargic, cataleptic

and somnambulistic hypnosis and, again, simply as light and heavy hypnotic

sleep, with corresponding variations in suggestibility.”

A STATE OF SUSTAINED

SUGGESTIBILITY

In order to gain a better understanding of this greatly misunderstood

science, remember these words: Not witchcraft, not black magic, just -

on of man’s eternal search for a better understanding of his environment

and himself, science.

Because hypnosis is induced by verbal suggestion, the history of hypnotism

dates back to the early stages of lingual communication in precivilized

society. It is a great loss to modern science that hypnotism has been

studied only in the last 200 years in any organized form.

One of the early practitioners in the eighteen century was Franz Anton

Mesmer and his technique became known as “Mesmerism”, “magnetism”

or “animal magnetism.” – because he attributed his results to magnets

placed at various parts of the human body. It is almost unthinkable, but this

tremendous misconception prevails even today.

The word “hypnotism” originated from the Greek “hypnos”, meaning

sleep, transplanted into its present day meaning by the nineteenth century

Scottish doctor, James Braid.

It has been a proven scientific fact for more than 100 years that “hypnosis”

can be induced without sleep (because sleep is a symptom and not the

basic character trait of hypnotism) so, the word itself is a misnomer. The

above state is usually referred to as “waking hypnosis.”

HYPNOTISM DIVIDED INTO

TWO CATEGORIES

From the viewpoint of induction, hypnotism can be divided into two

categories:

1. Hetero-hypnosis, the state of sustained suggestibility is induced by a

hypnotist.

2. Auto-hypnosis, the state is self induced.

The results are both the same. Any suggestion that is carried out a period

of time after hypnosis, is known as post-hypnotic suggestion.

The use of hypnosis is extremely wide, ranging from psychoanalysis of

hysteria and nervous disorder – to an anaesthetic in dentistry, surgery and

childbirth. At times, it has been used as a pain killer in WW-II when drugs

were not available. On the average, about twenty-five people out of a

hundred are highly susceptible to suggestion – meaning that this

percentage is very easily hypnotized. Almost all children belong to this

group. About 50-55% are fairly good subjects, but it takes a longer period

of time to hypnotize them, and the remaining 20-25% may never be

hypnotized. The percentage varies with the personality, technique and

experience of the individual hypnotist. People who can not maintain

focused attention, for whatever reason, can not be hypnotized.

NO DANGER IN COMPETENT HANDS

No person can be hypnotized against his or her will and it is generally

accepted by the majority of practitioners that, while under hypnosis, the

subject will not act against his religious beliefs or moral principles. In the

hands of a competent operator, there is absolutely no danger involved in

the use of hypnosis, for the obvious reason that any suggestion that can be

“put in” the subconscious can also be “removed” just as easily. The false,

monster-like image created by the radio, television, movies and

sensation-thirsty newspaper reporters has done a great deal of harm to the

scientific study, development and application of this truly great science . . .

hypnotism.

STAGE HYPNOTISM

Stage Hypnotism is a unique branch of hypnotism which focuses on

providing theatrical entertainment for money. Stage hypnotists face many

unique challenges that are not encountered in a clinical setting. Timing, pace

of the show, and the entertainment value must be maintained by the

performer to hold the spectator’s attention for the entire duration of the

show. Rigged props and occasional human confederates sprinkled

amongst the spectator

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