Dr LeCrone
03-24-2006, 03:08 PM
Hypnosis is a controversial area of treatment in medicine and psychology because its usefulness and the explanation of how it works is not completely understood.
Known and used since the beginning of history, accounts include its use in ancient Egypt and discussions of its usefulness by early Greek physicians. Presently two organizations recognize psychologists, dentists and physicians who use hypnosis and have gone through proper procedures necessary to become members.
Research is being conducted in many universities and medical schools to understand more about hypnosis and the best ways to apply it in therapeutic situations. At present, the explanation of hypnosis as a scientific phenomenon varies from those who believe it is an altered state of consciousness to those who feel it is simply another form of communication, explained by the hypnotized individual responding to a role that has been given by the hypnotist.
Several misconceptions about hypnosis should be explored before getting into a discussion of its application.
• Hypnosis is not a form of sleep. The individual is in a different state of awareness, is very relaxed and may have some elements in the experience that are similar to being asleep. The individual will be aware of outside influences but the focus of attention will be on the person performing the hypnotic induction.
• The experience of hypnosis is not weird, unworldly or even exceptionally unusual. Many of my patients frequently ask me after the first session if they were really hypnotized as the experience is not what they expected. Usually after the first session, they are able to distinguish the difference between the feeling they have while being hypnotized versus those feelings in the normal waking state.
• The state of hypnosis does not render the patient helpless and under the control of the person performing the hypnosis. They will not do something they don’t really want to do. But they are open to suggestions of help and encouragement.
• People often worry about whether they will “wake up” at the end of the hypnotherapy session. In almost 20 years of using hypnosis, I have yet to see anyone who didn’t come out of this state.
• A frequent misconception is that people will not remember what was said to them during the hypnotic session. On the contrary, many uses of hypnosis rely on the fact that the person will remember what is said to them, such as suggestions for losing weight, stopping smoking, etc. A phenomenon used as post hypnoic amnesia is occasionally used to encourage the patient to selectively not recall certain parts of the hypnotic session. But this is used infrequently and does not work in all cases.
• Stage hypnosis is a popular form of entertainment. Stage hypnotists make use of the fact that many individuals enjoy entertaining others. This act doesn’t hurt anyone, but certainly detracts from the professional capabilities of the trained practitioner of hypnosis.
Harold H. LeCrone, Jr., Ph.D. Copyright 1985
Known and used since the beginning of history, accounts include its use in ancient Egypt and discussions of its usefulness by early Greek physicians. Presently two organizations recognize psychologists, dentists and physicians who use hypnosis and have gone through proper procedures necessary to become members.
Research is being conducted in many universities and medical schools to understand more about hypnosis and the best ways to apply it in therapeutic situations. At present, the explanation of hypnosis as a scientific phenomenon varies from those who believe it is an altered state of consciousness to those who feel it is simply another form of communication, explained by the hypnotized individual responding to a role that has been given by the hypnotist.
Several misconceptions about hypnosis should be explored before getting into a discussion of its application.
• Hypnosis is not a form of sleep. The individual is in a different state of awareness, is very relaxed and may have some elements in the experience that are similar to being asleep. The individual will be aware of outside influences but the focus of attention will be on the person performing the hypnotic induction.
• The experience of hypnosis is not weird, unworldly or even exceptionally unusual. Many of my patients frequently ask me after the first session if they were really hypnotized as the experience is not what they expected. Usually after the first session, they are able to distinguish the difference between the feeling they have while being hypnotized versus those feelings in the normal waking state.
• The state of hypnosis does not render the patient helpless and under the control of the person performing the hypnosis. They will not do something they don’t really want to do. But they are open to suggestions of help and encouragement.
• People often worry about whether they will “wake up” at the end of the hypnotherapy session. In almost 20 years of using hypnosis, I have yet to see anyone who didn’t come out of this state.
• A frequent misconception is that people will not remember what was said to them during the hypnotic session. On the contrary, many uses of hypnosis rely on the fact that the person will remember what is said to them, such as suggestions for losing weight, stopping smoking, etc. A phenomenon used as post hypnoic amnesia is occasionally used to encourage the patient to selectively not recall certain parts of the hypnotic session. But this is used infrequently and does not work in all cases.
• Stage hypnosis is a popular form of entertainment. Stage hypnotists make use of the fact that many individuals enjoy entertaining others. This act doesn’t hurt anyone, but certainly detracts from the professional capabilities of the trained practitioner of hypnosis.
Harold H. LeCrone, Jr., Ph.D. Copyright 1985