Hypnosis
Alternate Names : Hypnotherapy
Hypnosis is a therapy that is used
to focus a person's attention to a place where he or she feels in control.
During hypnosis, a health professional suggests that a person experience a
change in sensation, perception, thought, or behavior. The person's attention
is drawn away from the outside world or the area that may be causing problems.
Attention is then refocused to the inner self. Someone experiencing hypnosis
does not lose control over his or her behavior. The person's attention and
concentration are actually more focused. Participants usually describe hypnosis as:
an altered state of consciousness, focused attention, or deep
relaxation
a pleasant and calming feeling
The state of being hypnotized makes it easier to accept and experience
suggestions. Hypnosis does not force a person to do anything with these
suggestions. It is not a treatment in and of itself. Hypnosis will not cure any underlying physical disorders but it can help with medical
treatment.
Who is a candidate for the procedure?
Anyone who is hypnotizable may benefit from this procedure. Hypnosis may be used in many situations including:
decreasing the perception of pain, such as with back pain, severe burns, or childbirth
helping to treat certain behavioral conditions, such as cigarette smoking, alcohol dependence, overeating, and insomnia
decrease stress and symptoms often associated with stress
The very first session is usually used to see how well a person can accept
suggestions. The therapist and person then set goals for each session. There are several tests that are commonly used to see if a person is a good candidate for hypnosis. These include:
Stanford Hypnotic Susceptibility Scales. The therapist asks the person to complete 12 exercises. For example, the exercises may range from the person closing his or her eyes and falling forward, to imagining that they cannot lift a limb because it is too heavy.
Barber Suggestibility Scale. This scale uses 8 tasks. A person is asked to imagine different scenarios or perform easy tasks when the therapist makes certain sounds. The more exercises a person can complete, the greater the ability to receive hypnotic suggestions.
The Eye Roll Test. A person is asked to open his or her eyes and roll them up. Then he or she is asked to lower the eyelids without rolling the eyes down.
The Light Test. A person is asked to gaze at a small spot of light in a
dark room. The more frequently a person sees the light move, the better the
ability to be hypnotized.
The Lemon Test. A person is asked to imagine cutting and tasting a lemon. The more that he or she responds by salivating, the greater the chance of being hypnotized successfully.
None of these tests are foolproof. They do help the therapist figure out how well a person is likely to do under hypnosis. These tests also help determine whether work needs to be done first on improving the person's ability to accept suggestions.
How is the procedure performed?
A therapist will ask a person about to be hypnotized to get comfortable. Often the person will lie down. The therapist may use several different techniques to put the person under hypnosis, including having the person:
count backwards
watch an item sway back and forth
concentrate on the voice of the therapist
As the person becomes more and more relaxed, he or she allows the conscious
mind to stop controlling and to accept suggestion. The therapist may suggest that the person begin to relax, visualize a peaceful scene, and move away from daily troubles and pains.
Once the person is fully relaxed, the therapist will make suggestions about the goals the person wants to achieve. For example, the goal may be to recall painful, yet buried memories. In this case, the therapist may ask the person to remember or regress into times past to find out what was going on when the uncomfortable feelings began. This is called regression hypnotherapy.
The therapist may also give posthypnotic suggestions that will help in
achieving goals. For instance, a person may be asked to feel like exercising every time he or she smells fresh air. The therapist may suggest that a person ignore pain from a certain area of the body.
At the end of the session, a person is asked to wake up.
The trancelike state is very similar to daydreaming. In this situation, a
person may become so lost in what he or she is doing that time is forgotten. During hypnosis, a person concentrates deeply and focuses on a particular subject, memory, sensation, or behavior that they wish to understand or change.
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