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Mind Over Mind Mind Over Mind The word hypnos is Greek for “sleep,” but the hypnotic state is far removed from sleeping. In fact, studies of hypnosis provide the nearest thing we have to a window on the operations of the unconscious mind. Hypnosis produces an altered state of consciousness. Under the supervision of an expert hypnotist nearly everyone can be hypnotized lightly and some people are deeply affected. And hypnosis may even improve some faculties, such as memory. The use of hypnotic techniques goes back to at least the time of the ancient Greeks and Egyptians. Both cultures had special hypnotic centers where people went to receive help with their problems. Hypnotic methods similar to those in use today were used to their feet, using no metallic plates, he decided endorsement did encourage others to try discover the nature of a patients dreams, which that his own body must be a magnetic channel. hypnotic techniques. priests then studied for clues about what The marquis de Puysegur (1751-1825) Another French doctor, A.A. Liebeault anxieties were worrying the dreamer. became one of Mesmer’s followers. Puysegur’s (1823-1903), pioneered the use of hypnosis in These ancient civilizations also had contribution to the history of hypnosis was to general practice. Liebeault thought everyone sleep temples for the sick, where music, drugs, describe a state like modern hypnotic trance in was susceptible to hypnosis, and he placed great and reptilious speech were used to induce sleep. which patients can walk, speak, and follow emphasis on rapport between doctor and While asleep, sufferers were told that their instructions, which he called “artificial patient. He made a point of stressing the fact symptoms would disappear, thus helping who C@>?2>3E=:C> OK&EIC68EB 5:C4@F6B65 D9:C that he possessed no mysterious power. effect a cure. trance state by accident when he applied Modern experimental studies of Centuries later, a Swiss physician, Mesmer’s methods to a young shepherd, Victor, 9IA?@C:C 3682? G:D9 D96 G@B< @7 =2B< "K E== 2D Paracelsus (1493-1541), put forward the idea who suffered from hysterical convulsions. Yale University in the early 1930’s. Hull and his that the stars influenced humans through some Using Mesmer’s techniques, which became co-workers showed that it is possible to kind of magnetic force. Another doctor, Van known as mesmerism, Puysegur put the influence human behavior by hypnotic Helmont (1577-1644), developed this idea by shepherd into a quiet, sleeping stupor. Victor suggestion. For example, they demonstrated suggesting that each person radiated a kind of then did whatever Puysegur told him to, even changes in responses to sensory stimuli and also strong “animal magnetism,” which had an when asked to behave like a cat. indicated that childhood memories became influence on others. These speculations were the Puysegur developed this technique more accessible. background for the growth of hypnosis that took further by asking his patients to describe their Experiments with hypnosis expanded place during the latter half of the 18th century. symptoms and problems while in a trance, an greatly in the 1950’s and 1960’s and Franz Anton Mesmer (1734-1815) was a approach that is still practiced in modern standardized scales of suggestibility were graduate of the University of Vienna Medical hypnotic treatment, Puysegur believed that the devised by E.R. Hilgard of Stanford University Faculty. His doctoral thesis discussed the mesmerist controlled the patient by the power of in 1961. One of Hilgard’s most interesting possibility of the stars and planets influencing his will and that the mesmerist’s brain secreted findings was that children between 8 and 12 are our powers to cure. Mesmer began practicing as fluid with the power to cure. This fluid was easiest to hypnotize. (Young children find a physician in 1767 and for six years he worked passed along nerves and then to the patient. concentration difficult and older children as a conventional doctor. But in 1773, a young, James Braid (1795-1860) was a Scottish become less suggestible.) female relative, Franzl Oesterlin, came to visit surgeon who became interested in mesmerism, In the first half of the 20th century, most him. And her stay was to have profound but rejected the idea of a magnetic fluid. At first, medical personnel continued to regard hypnosis repercussions. Braid was convinced that the trance state was very warily. But bu 1958 the American Medical related closely to natural sleep. Braid Association had acknowledged that hypnosis Depressing symptoms mistakenly thought that protracted eye fixation could be useful medically. However, many Oesterlin suffered from severe illness that brought about a state of fatigue in part of the people remain suspicious about what can included such symptoms as conclusions, brain. He believed that a subject entered a happen when hypnosis is used. [] depression, temporary blindness, and hysterical condition of nervous sleep that he termed spasms. Mesmer tried to treat her with “neurohypnotism,” later shortened to conventional medicine, but nothing seemed to “hypnotism.” But he was correct in a sense, in help. that he realized there was no direct Finally, a university colleague suggested physiological link between a hypnotist and his Mesmer try fixing metallic plates to the patient or her subject. to restore her magnetic “harmony.” When the girl’s condition improved following this Revival of interest treatment, Mesmer was reminded of his After Braid’s death, hypnotism fell out of favor doctoral thesis. In it he had theorized that the with much of the medical profession until the two halves of the human acted like the poles of 1880’s, when a French neurologist, Jean-Martin a magnet, and that illness was caused by an Charcot (1825-1893), revised interest by his improper distribution of this magnetism. When insistence that hysterical symptoms such as Mesmer discovered that he could improve his paralysis, deafness, and blindness could be patients’ conditionss simply by passing his influenced by hypnosis. While Charcot’s ideas hands over their bodies and downwards towards have turned out to be largely erroneous, his