Benefits of Clinical Hypnotism – Myths Misconceptions and Applications

“The word Hypnotism has a negative image in many people mind, Yet the way science of clinical hypnotism benefits is incredible. Lets understand some myths and misconceptions with some effective applications of clinical hypnotism in real world..”

A Brief History

Hypnotism seems to have originated with the Hindus, who often took their sick to ‘sleep temples’ to be cured by
hypnotic suggestions, as is also found to be the case in Egypt and Greece. The book The Law of Many categorized different states of hypnosis: The ‘sleep-walking’ state, ‘dream-sleep’ and ‘ecstasy-sleep’. Hypnotic-like inductions were used to place the individual in a sleep-like state, although it is now accepted that hypnosis is different from sleep Hypnosis in its modern form was developed in 1842 by Scottish physician James Braid. He based his work on Franz Mesmer’s (a Viennese physician) theory of ‘mesmerism’ (from where the term ‘mesmerized’ comes), or animal magnetism (the existence of magnetic fluid within the body, which helps healing of different conditions). It was briefly championed by Freud, but began to gain more recognition when it was used to treat war-traumatized soldiers after World War II.
It was accepted in 1958 by the American Medical Association as a legitimate treatment method and course subject in medical schools. Nowadays, hypnosis is used for a variety of treatments ranging from the physical to psychological, emotional, and spiritual issues for the betterment of daily life.

What is Clinical Hypnosis ?

Clinical hypnosis is a therapy wherein a patient is seated opposite a licensed therapist who assists him/her in solving the problems that he/she is there for.

Hypnosis is a method of communication that induces a trance or a trance-like state. It can be conducted by one individual (the therapist) addressing another (the patient), or it may be conducted by one’s self (self-hypnosis).

Trance is a naturally occurring state in which one’s attention is narrowly focused and relatively free of distractions. The attention may be focused either internally (on thoughts or image or both ) or externally (on a task, a book or a movie, for example). The focus of attention is so narrow that other stimuli in the environment are ignored or blocked out of conscious awareness for sometime. Examples of trance states are daydreaming and some forms of meditation.

As an adjunct to psychotherapy, hypnosis can help and benefit a patients enter a relaxed, comfortable, trance like state for obtaining specific therapeutic outcomes. With clinical hypnosis, the therapist can make suggestions designed to help the client formulate specific internal processes (feelings, memories, image and internal self-talk) that will lead to mutually agreed upon outcomes.

I am sure the word hypnosis conjures up many images in your mind, mostly negative ones, like of a stranger toying with your mind, trying to make you perform acts you would never do otherwise. But, believe it or not, hypnosis is a form of treatment for many different phobias and disorders.

7 Known Myths and Misconceptions

1. The hypnotist can make you do things against your will. This couldn’t be further from the truth. The hypnotist has no
2. powers over you at all, and cannot make you do things against your will. He/she merely guides you into a hypnotic state, and feeds your mind with carefully worded suggestions. If you feel uncomfortable with these suggestions, you may reject them at will.
3. Once under hypnosis, you can’t come out of it on you own. This, too is absolutely false. If you are under hypnosis and the hypnotist suddenly leaves the room, two things may happen: you will either realize that the hypnotist is no longer talking to you, and will open you eyes, feeling fresh and alert. Or you may drift into a natural sleep, in which case you will make up after a few minutes or hours.
4. Only weak-minded people can be hypnotized. Hypnosis has nothing to do with willpower. People often confuse hypnotism with gullibility. There is no connection between the two. On the contrary, the more intelligent a person is, the easier it is for him to be hypnotized. To be hypnotised one needs the abilities of concentration, imagination and vivid visualization.
5. Under hypnosis, one can be made to reveal secrets. As already mentioned, under hypnosis the subject is fully alert, in fact more alert than usual. The hypnotist can only guide the patient to remember forgotten memories. Whether the patient will reveal them to the hypnotist is entirely at his own discretion.
6. Hypnosis is dangerous. Hypnosis is a natural process. One fact that most people are unaware of is that we undergo hypnosis several times in our daily lives. For example, while driving along a highway, people suddenly discover that they had ‘lost’  consciousness for several minutes. This is actually an example of momentary hypnotism.
7. Under hypnosis, the subject is totally unconscious. At all times during the course of a hypnotic session, you will be able to hear and think. You are aware of what is going on around you. Although your body is very relaxed, your mind is actually more alert than usual. Many people are worried by stage hypnosis and the fact that the subjects, many of whom do ridiculous things during the session, seem to have no knowledge of anything around them. The unfortunate part of such an activity is that it often scares away those people who could really benefit from hypnotherapy, but are afraid of losing control.

Benefits and Applications of hypnotherapy

Hypnotherapy (Clinical Hypnotism) can benefit in treating the following :

• Low self-confidence
• Stress during childbirth
• Phobias, Fears and anxiety
• Sleep disorders
• Interpersonal problems
• Depression
• Sexual difficulties
• Psychosomatic complaints
• Post-trauma relief
• Pain management
• Stress management
• Habit control
• Academic performance
• Athletic performance
• Help with life transitions
• Preparation for medical/dental procedures
• Blocks to motivation and creativity
• Treatment of grief and loss
• Weight gain/loss
• Addictions to substances such as alcohol, nicotine, etc.

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