| HISTORY
The
ancient Egyptians and Greeks are said to have used healing trances, and tribal
cultures in Africa and the Americas
have long used dancing and drumming to hypnotic effect. Hypnotherapy, however,
is generally understood to have evolved from the work of 18th century Austrian
doctor Franz Anton Mesmer. He was eventually branded a charlatan and
"mesmerism" was denounced, but in 1843 a Scottish surgeon, James
Braid, attempted to explain trances in scientific terms. Surgery was performed
under what Braid termed "hypnosis," but the medical establishment
remained uninterested, especially after the discovery of the anesthetic
properties of ether in the 1840s. In the 1890s, the publication of Braid's
papers in both French and German sparked new interest, and a "school of
hypnotism" was founded in Nancy,
France.
Sigmund
Freud used hypnosis in his early work, but later preferred to work with the
patient fully conscious. In the 1950s and 1960s an American psychotherapist,
Milton H. Erickson, developed the modern form of hypnotherapy, which is widely
used in the West. Although the US and UK medical authorities recommend
its inclusion in doctors' training, medical students rarely receive such
teaching.
KEY PRINCIPLES
Practitioners
believe that the mind has different levels of consciousness. Under hypnosis,
the conscious, rational part of the brain is temporarily bypassed, making the
subconscious part, which influences mental and physical functions, extremely
receptive to suggestion. Although hypnosis may be light, medium, or deep, a
medium trance is usually used, during which metabolism, breathing, and
heartbeat slow and the brain produces alpha waves.
It
is claimed that 90% of the population is capable of entering a hypnotic state.
Of these, 10% are highly hypnotizable and can be taken into a deep trance, in
which minor operations may be performed without anesthesia. Imaginative people
who are easily absorbed in what they are doing make the best subjects, but much
depends on a willingness to be hypnotized and on a good rapport with the
practitioner. Hypnotherapists claim that it is impossible to hypnotize an
unwilling person, since the subconscious mind is extremely unlikely to accept
unreasonable suggestions.
EVIDENCE & RESEARCH
There
is no doubt that hypnosis works, but how is still a mystery. Some researchers
claim that patients "allow" themselves to be hypnotized, and that the
relationship between practitioner and patient is the key.
The
Laboratory of Hypnosis Research was established at Stanford
University in California
in the 1960s and similar projects were set up elsewhere in the US, Canada,
Europe, and Australia.
Studies
published in The Lancet in 1989 showed hypnosis to be successful at
relieving irritable bowel syndrome. In 1984, an Australian study found that
anxiety levels could be controlled with hypnosis, while research in the US revealed
that it enabled patients to relax during dental surgery.
Two
trials published in the 1960s in the British Medical Journal showed
hypnosis to be an effective treatment for asthma. In 1953, a study conducted by
the British Medical Association concluded that it was helpful for psychosomatic
and psychoneurotic disorders, and for pain relief in surgery, dentistry, and
obstetrics.
MEDICAL OPINION
Despite
being tainted by the exploits of showmen, hypnotherapy is supported by more
scientific evidence than any other complementary therapy. Most doctors would
support the use of self-hypnosis as a relaxation technique.
CONSULTING
A PRACTITIONER
Treatment
usually consists of one-hour weekly sessions, the number of which varies
according to the problem. The practitioner asks you about your physical and
mental health, and your motivation to resolve any problem. Hypnosis may not
begin until the second session. There are several different schools of
hyponotherapy:
Classical
induction: You
lie on a reclining chair or couch and the practitioner talks to you in a slow
and soothing voice. You may be asked to visualize a walk down a country road,
to stare at a light or pencil, or to listen to a series of monotonous
statements. The practitioner will usually suggest that you feel heavy and
relaxed, and that your eyes arc closing. To take you deeper, she may count down
from ten to zero or ask you to imagine descending in an elevator. As if i a
relaxed daydream, you will still be awar of your surroundings.
"Ericksonian" hypnotherapy: "Ericksonian hypnotherapists tend
not to use classical induction techniques, preferring to use suggestions
"strategically" during the "everyday trance" of a patient's
daydream and imagination.
Suggestion
hypnotherapy:
This is often used to treat addictions. The practitioner tries to
"implant" positive suggestions - fo example, that a symptom will
disappear or a certain pattern of behavior will change.
Analytical
hypnotherapy:
A practitioner trained in this approach will "regress" you by asking
you to recall any buried memories or emotions that might be at the root of your
problem.
PRECAUTIONS
• It is vital that you choose a trustworthy,
qualified practitioner.
• Avoid hypnotherapy or self-hypnosis if you
have severe depression, psychosis, or epilepsy.
|
Compatibility
