Part II: The Power of Self Hypnosis. (draft 1)

Self hypnosis, technically termed autosuggestion, is the ability for an individual to place himself or herself in a highly suggestive state where he or she can communicate directly with the subconscious mind without necessarily having the filter, often a highly subjective filter, of the conscious mind added to that communication.

As we have stated previously, when hypnotized by a third party, the individual appears to be asleep, perhaps dreaming. As we have also said, this is merely a surface appearance. The individual, while appearing to be asleep, is actually quite awake, and communicating with the hypnotherapist through that part of the mind which does not filter or edit what it receives. We call this state of awareness somnambulism, a term derived from the Latin soma which means sleep and ambule which means walk. This state of hypnosis can, indeed, appear to the observer as sleepwalking. but, that is only and the illusion. the subject is actually quite awake, and quite busily and actively processing sights, sounds, tastes and smells. Indeed, all of them waking bodily functions are fully available during this state.

Although the state may look similar to sleepwalking, it is far from it. It is actually a very intense, unfiltered communication with the mind. The subject is in fact, quite awake. In reality, the subject is so awake, so receptive, so suggestive, and recording so much information, that it would be virtually impossible to go through life in this state of awareness. Processes which are conducted by the mind, unconsciously, are so intense as to jeopardize our ability to function on a daily basis. In fact, many people feel that the need for sleep is not so much a physical need of the body, but a need for the mind to shut off conscious operation in order to store, sort and file the massive amounts of data that were recorded almost photographically.

We have previously demonstrated how it is possible for a person to induce a state of somnambulism in a subject during a session of hypnosis. However, it is also possible to self-induced this heightened state of suggestibility in ourselves. Under the control of our conscious mind, we can actually move the subconscious to the forefront, instantiating posthypnotic suggestions as well as other therapeutic and personally beneficial objectives.

We will, in this section , describes the process, environment and expected results of autosuggestion.

6. Avoiding Erroneous Conclusions and Observations. (Draft 1)

There are many scenarios under which it is possible to elicit factually incorrect statements from the subject under hypnosis. It should not be automatically assume that what is said by the subject is always factually correct. It is also incumbent upon the hypnotherapist to interrogate the subject in an unbiased fashion as well as to understand the conditions upon which the subject is responding.

Injecting false memories and hypnotherapist bias. It is possible to inject false memories into the subject, either intentionally or accidentally, during hypnotherapy. Generally, it is considered unethical to implant false memories, especially without the conscious consent of the subject. However, improper hypnotic interrogation makes it possible to inadvertently introduce a memory. For example, if you tell a person, look to your left, what do you see? The subject polls likely respond with what their memory, their minds eye saw during the time period specified. However, if you say, look to your left, what do you see past the blue car? The subject may respond that they do not see a blue car. However, in some particularly subject to both subjects you will have injected the image of a blue car, whether it was there or not. Upon awakening, the individual may in fact recall seeing a blue car. In further hypnotic sessions, that memory may recur. Proper interrogation procedures are extremely important to prevent false memory injection under hypnosis, especially when asking the subject to recall an incident it is important never to state a fact in the interrogation process.

Observational bias. Observational bias is the subjects interpretation of events in the subconscious mind as opposed to a representation of the factual situation. For example, it is possible for a person to say that he or she observed a red haired person. This is stated by the subject as fact. However, one can not blindly accept the facts stated by the subject under hypnosis. For example, did the subject actually view a person with red hair, or did the subject view a blond haired person standing under a red light? Sometimes it is important to ask the subject about environmental consideration. Is it light or dark? Is it cold or warm? Does it feel hot or cold? Ask questions that can describe the environment under which the subjects observations are made. In another example, the subject reports seeing a person, and reports that the man spoke to him. How does the subject to know it was a man? Rather than accept the statement that it was a man, it is important to ask some environmental question. The simplest is, how do you know it was a man? If the person is wearing a hood and wearing a trenchcoat that gender may not be immediately obvious and it may be assumed that it was a man or a young boy simply by hearing the pitch of the voice. As you can see, it is very important to ask multiple questions, confirming questions, to eliminate the chance of observational bias.

5. Hypnotherapy and Memory. (Draft 1)

During hypnosis, it is common for the hypnotherapists to suggest that the subject either consciously remember or consciously forget certain information.

One common use of hypnotherapy is past life regression (see appendix XXXX for a full discussion). Without a detailed discussion of past life regression, which we will favor the appendix, suffice it to say that many individuals believe that they have lived a life prior to the one they are currently living. Hypnosis has been used with regularity to reawaken these memories, and cause these memories to permanently reside in the conscious mind.

Another, albeit questionable use of hypnotherapy is the recovery of repressed memory. In the late 1980s and early 1990s, many court cases were adjudicated on the subject of repressed memory and parental abuse. Some people actually went to jail as the result of supposedly recalled memories, under hypnosis. In the late 1990s and early 2000s, this evidence was largely determined to be circumstantial at worst, and inadmissible at best. We caution against hastily interpreting recollections alleged repressed memory during the hypnotherapy session. There can be many causes and explanations for the memories being recalled. While they may be recalled memories, they may not have happened to the subject or at the time, or by whom indicated.

We do recommend the use of hypnotherapy to sharpen the recollections of facts which are dimly or vaguely recall it is also the case that under hypnosis, memory is far more photographic than is the memory recall from the conscious mind. Under hypnosis, memories have been scientifically proven to be more accurate and more complete -- in essence more photographic -- because the conscious mind is continuously editing information stored in short-term retrieval. It has been scientifically established that there are at least two levels of memory: short-term memory and long-term. This information which doesn't make it from short-term memory to long-term is not necessarily lost. The data and information are still sore stored and are retrievable by the mind. This however, short-term memories which have been forgot merely have had insufficient mental indexes built to those memories. In a hypnotic state, the short-term to long-term indexes required by the conscious mind, a much busier and more time sensitive, are not required. Basically, unless there is organic damage, most memories can be recovered through hypnosis.

4. The Seven Steps. (Draft 1)

There are seven steps in the conduct of a hypnotherapy session:

1. Induction.

2. Testing.

3. Discovery.

4. Post Hypnotic Suggestion.

5. Clearing.

6. Waking.

7. Wakeful Clearing.

4.1. Induction: Creating a State of Relaxation.

Induction, the first step in hypnosis, is inducing the subject into a state of deep relaxation. The state resembles sleep, however, the physical characteristics of the state are significantly different. The conscious mind is quiesced and the therapist communicates directly with the subconscious mind.

4.2. Testing.

Want to believe the hypnotic state has been achieved, it is advisable to test the subject to see if the state has, indeed been achieved. There are a variety of tests which can be used to assure us that the state has been achieved. These include:

A. Asking the patient to raise an army and keep it great. Try to depress the arm and see if it is both difficult and if the arm springs back into the original position.

B. Distraction of the sensitivity to pain is one of the most common medical uses of hypnosis. It is possible to test to see if the hypnotic state has been achieved by suggesting to the subject that he or she will feel no pain. After the suggestion, with a sterilized needle, the person in the back of the forearm to be certain that the pain response has indeed been eliminated.

C. Ask the subject to perform some simple task such as touch the left forefinger to the nose to see, first, if the subject performs the task, and secondly to see if the subject remains performing the task until the command is given to return my hands to its original position.

4.3. Discovery.

The process of discovery, clinically known as diagnosis in the medical professions, is the act of figuring out the root cause and symptoms of the subjects reason for undergoing hypnosis. This is for both the benefit of the subject and the benefit of the hypnotherapist.

4.4. Post Hypnotic Suggestion.

The objective of hypnotherapy can be fourfold:

A. Eliminate a undesired behavior.

B. Create a new behavior pattern.

C. Create a new state of mind -- change a way of thinking, such as eliminate a phobia.

D. A combination of the above.

These results are planted in the subject's subjects subconscious mind this is during the instrumentation of the post hypnotic suggestions. The hypnotherapist, through talking to the subject, describes a behavior or belief system that the subject would prefer.

It is important to note that complex posthypnotic suggestions this, or subjects who desire multiple hypnotherapy outcomes may require more than one hypnosis session.

4.5. Clearing.

The step of clearing is very crucial to the hypnotic process. Except for those suggestions or commands which are to survive as posthypnotic suggestion, it is important to clear, mentally, any other commands were suggestion which were given during the hypnotherapy session. Explicitly repeat commands that were given during the hypnotic session and tell the subject that that is no longer a command. In essence, deprogram the subconscious mind.

4.6. Waking.

There is no direct evidence that abruptly waking a subject from hypnosis causes any damage whatsoever. However, it can be disquieting to the individual. Therefore, we recommend that after clearing there is some formal, gradual process to wait the individual up. The process can be as simple as saying, "on the count of three you will wake. One -- two -- three." This gives the brain, the subconscious mind, and the ability to register the fact that they are going to be in a different state than they were.

4.7. Wakeful Clearing.

When the subject awakens from the hypnotic session, it is highly advisable to consciously clear any suggestions made under the influence of Hypnosis. For example, he told the patient to touch his index finger to his nose, have the subject do this immediately after you or she awakens from hypnosis. This is especially important if a subject did not perform a task he has specified. Any time in the next day or so they could be overcome with a tremendous urge to perform the task, and you hope they don't do it while her driving. Wakeful clearing prevents this possibility.

Image clarification. The conscious mind often recalls only a portion of the information scene by a subject. The subconscious mind, however, is far more photographic. The conscious mind, often storing fragments of information occasionally jumbles the information stored. Under posthypnotic suggestion, and without conscious distraction, far more often than not a subject has a clearer and more accurate of sights, sounds, tastes and smells. Often subjects can clearly remember something under hypnosis which is only dimly remembered by the conscious mind.

We must, however, make a distinction between the clarification of a partial recollection and the recall of an action, event, or site that was previously on recall. The recovery of forgotten memories is a completely different physiological mechanism and the enhancement or clarification of existing memories.

Behavior modification. One very common use of the posthypnotic suggestion is behavior modification. It is sometimes very difficult to break a habit or to change a behavior that has been done routinely one way for many years. Hypnotherapy works best on psychological behaviors. Smoking cessation is a prime example of a behavior that can be modified successfully by post hypnotic suggestion. The addiction to tobacco is both a physical addiction and a psychological. The psychological addiction to smoking, or, if you will, the mental is extremely powerful. It is not only the use of a substance such as nicotine, but it is including the actions involved -- old in the cigarette, puffing a cigarette, tamping the pack of cigarettes, inhaling and exhaling the smoke. These are all part of the psychological, ritualistic smoking. These can be easily counter through posthypnotic suggestion. Although it is very difficult to completely eliminate the physical objection to nicotine, some posthypnotic suggestions can be implanted in the subject mind to make the process of ingesting the nicotine distasteful. This then makes it much easier for the subject to quit smoking. In appendix AAAA, as we describe some of the specifics of the smoking cessation posthypnotic suggestions.

Another common application of posthypnotic suggestion is weight control. There can be many reasons, both organic and behavioral, for excessive weight gain. Although somewhat less effective on weight loss than on smoking cessation, posthypnotic suggestion is still highly effective. The reasons for smoking are generally common is, however, there are several different root causes for weight gain caused by excessive eating, or excessive caloric intake therefore, there are a number of different approaches to weight loss via hypnosis that we discussed in appendix.

3. Using Hypnotherapy for Others. (Draft 1)

In this section, we will describe the role of the hypnotherapist and the subject. 

Time Required.

A hypnotherapy session typically requires at least 45 minutes to an hour. There appears to be no limit to the maximum session length. Although, in very long sessions, subjects have been known to switch from a state of hypnotic, relaxed suggestibility too true sleep.

The Environment.

Hypnotherapists can communicate directly with the patient’s unconscious mind. In fact, it is often mistakenly assume that the hypnotherapist actually induces a state of sleep in the subject. However, this is not correct. What actually happens is that the hypnotherapist induces a state of deep relaxation in the subjects conscious mind, inducing a state which is very sleep like. But, during the induction of this state, the subjects conscious mind is put to rest or quiesced, while allowing the hypnotherapist to communicate directly with the subject’s subconscious mind, which is now active and without the distraction of conscious attention.

The Room. The room where the subject will be hypnotized should be quiet, free from the distractions of loud noises and outside sounds. 

Lighting. Lighting should be a gimmick and interact. It is not necessary for the room to be darkened. In fact, a dark room may actually induce sleep rather than a suggestible hypnotic state. 

Sound. The room should be quiet. White noise, such as the sound produced by a radio tuned to an inactive radio station may be used to mask other sounds. It is also possible that soft relaxing music may be played in the background.

Position. There is no specific position in which a subject must be placed to induce a hypnotic state. However, lying down with a head and shoulders slightly elevated is typically the most effective for the largest group of individuals.

Suitability of the Subject.

Almost anyone can be hypnotized. It is very rare to find that the subject cannot be hypnotized, although a few of those people do exist. A belief in the efficacy of hypnosis does not appear to be a requirement to have a hypnotic state induced. However, adamant and willful resistance to the concept of hypnosis and an active resistance to hypnotic suggestions usually results in an unsuccessful session.

Hypnosis and Memory.

Conscious memory of the events of a hypnotic session may, in some cases, be eliminated. The subject may be induced to forget the session or any part of it. However, this is not a permanent erasure from memory, nor is it typically desirable. Where it is therapeutically beneficial for a subject to forget a particular event, and when there is agreement in advance that conscious memory of that event should be suppressed, that is usually possible through hypnotherapy. However, memory of the event is typically desirable and beneficial. 

Subject with a full recall of the event are often surprised at the state in which their body becomes hypnotized and are usually rested and refreshed at the end of the session. In fact, under hypnosis it is possible to induce a sleep like state which imitates and apparently rejuvenated identically to actual sleep. It is important to note however, that there is no clinical evidence to indicate that this long-term induction of a sleep like state is as beneficial to the body has actual sleep.

Objective of the Session.

Prior to the beginning of a session is advisable that the hypnotherapist and subject reach an explicit agreement as to the desired outcome of both this specific hypnosis session, and, if multiple sessions are involved, as is often required, the overall outcome and objective of all such sessions.

Committing this information to writing create a contract or agreement between the participants, clarifies the objectives and outcomes, reinforces the legacy of hypnosis to the subject, and to some degree, protects the hypnotherapy.

2. A Brief History of Hypnosis. (Draft 1)

Fritz Anton Mesmer (1783 to 1815) was the originator of what we call today, hypnosis or hypnotism. It is his name which gives us the term mesmerism. Interestingly enough, Mesmer was a medical doctor and his original application of mesmerism was used to treat illnesses, believing that most, if not all illness was the result of an imbalance in the body's electrical fields which manifested themselves as disease. 
Despite conventional medicine, there is still a substantial population which believes that a proper balance of energy within the body can eliminate the symptoms of organic disease. There is certainly some evidence that one’s state of mind can directly affect one’s health.

Mesmer's work was followed up on and expanded by James Braid (1795 to 1860), a Scottish medical doctor who coined the term hypnotism which was actually a shortened version of the term neuro-hypnotism which meant "sleep of the nerves."

It is interesting to note that hypnotherapy and hypnosis in general was originally developed as a medical therapeutic process. It wasn't until much later that hypnosis became a carnival sideshow attraction and a form of entertainment.

Today, both the allopathic (MD) and osteopathic (DO) medical professions recognize hypnosis as a valid form of therapy. Hypnotherapy is used for such objectives as smoking cessation, weight control, and pain management. In the many instances, hypnosis has been seen as defective as drugs for pain management and relief.

Even today, some practitioners credit the balancing of bodily energies through hypnosis as a way to ameliorate the effects of disease caused by microorganisms, viruses and injury. We must date however that there is insufficient clinical evidence to state that conclusively. However, there is substantial anecdotal evidence to support the position.

Fortunately or unfortunately, depending upon your point of view, hypnotism and hypnotherapy are largely unregulated in the United States and Canada. There are a few sanctioning bodies for hypnotherapy practitioners. And still, there seems to be no prohibition on using hypnosis as a carnival sideshow act. As a result, the efficacy of hypnotherapy is, all too often, discounted by some physicians and certainly some, if not a majority of, medical patients.

1. Is Hypnosis Real? (Draft 1)

Hypnosis is real. The human mind has two states -- conscious and subconscious. There are those functions of the mind and body which we control through our will such as reading, walking, and talking. There are also those functions of the body which happen automatically. We breathe, we blink our eyes, our heart beats, we digest food without consciously thinking about it.

Some of these subconscious function occur in the brain. Creamy and breathing are examples. Some of subconscious functions occur locally or in the spinal column. The reflex to remove a finger from a flame occurs in the spinal column. Our body moves the finger even before the brain registers the pain. Our heart beats its particular rhythm as a result of localized electrical impulses. This is not to say that messages are not sent to the brain, and even to the conscious mind while these things are occurring.

There is also ample evidence to suggest that the brain or the mind can exert influence and control over otherwise automatic, subconscious bodily functions. With proper training, we can exert some control over the automatic and beating of our heart. Although we breath automatically, almost anyone can consciously regulate the rate at which they breath.

There is clearly a link between the subconscious or autonomic bodily and mental functions and those which are volitional. Through hypnosis we can intentionally control both conscious and subconscious function.