The Webster’s New International Dictionary defines hypnosis as “the induction of a state resembling sleep or somnambulism, which is called hypnosis or hypnotic sleep; also loosely - the induced state of hypnosis.”
There are degrees of hypnosis which have been characterized as “lethargic, cataleptic and somnambulistic hypnosis; and again, simply as light and heavy hypnotic sleep, with corresponding variations in suggestibility.”
However, Encyclopedia Britannica further states “there remains no generally acceptable explanation for hypnosis, though one prominent theory focuses on the possibility of discrete dissociative states affecting portions of consciousness.”
The word hypnosis is derived from the Greek word hypnos, meaning sleep. Hypnotism is often presumed to make someone go under a state of reduced consciousness while the person remains awake. The general behavior of those under hypnosis are being extremely positive to suggestions, and achieving a high level of relaxation. Daydreaming is another activity likened to hypnotism, wherein a person looks oblivious to his surroundings yet experiencing heightened imagination – depending on how light the trance is.
There are two ways by which hypnosis is performed: (1) hetero-hypnosis, wherein a hypnotist induces a state of being in trance and being open to suggestions; and (2) auto-hypnosis, wherein the state is self-induced.
The results are the same. Any suggestion that is carried out a period of time after hypnosis, is known as post-hypnotic suggestion.
Believe it or not, we experience being hypnotized everyday – following the definition of hypnosis as being in a trance-like state, or intensely focusing on a particular activity/subject thus tuning out almost everything else internally and otherwise.
Ever been so engrossed with a movie or a book that you did not immediately notice someone calling you already at the top of his voice? Reading, writing, closely listening to a record are examples of activities that can put us in a light trance, and altering our attention such that we can become extremely attentive to these, that we unconsciously shut off outside subjects vying for our attention.
Furthermore, we sometimes become so affected by the imaginary world of a daydream or a chapter of a book that our emotions take over. We cry over an affecting song, feel fear as the villain gets near the hero’s hiding place, or even scream over a particularly frightening scene.
This kind of phenomenon, referred to as self-hypnosis, is so common and so human a trait that Milton Erickson, a hypnotism expert in the 20th century, concluded that people hypnotize themselves on a daily basis.
Note then, that this kind of “everyday trance” is different from the trance brought about by deep hypnosis, and is comparable to that relaxed mental state between wakefulness and sleep. There is also a difference between auto-hypnosis, where the state of extreme suggestibility is self-induced; and hetero-hypnosis, where it is induced by a hypnotist or another person. All these we will try to explain further in the succeeding chapters.
In all of the above mentioned categories, the hypnotized person, as stated in the Encyclopedia Britannica, “seems to respond in an uncritical, automatic fashion, ignoring aspects of the environment (e.g., sights, sounds) not pointed out by the hypnotist. Even the subject's memory and awareness of self may be altered by suggestions, and the effects of the suggestions may be extended (post-hypnotically) into the subject's subsequent waking activity…”
In self-induced hypnotism, a person feels relaxed and very open. As in while buried in a book or engrossed in a film, concerns about the “real world” seems forgotten for a while and temporarily escaped from.
This is parallel to hypnosis with the aid of a hypnotist. If the hypnotist states the person under his “spell” is in extreme heat, the person may start to sweat and experience high temperature, even if it the atmosphere is perfectly fine. If he suggests to a timid and painfully shy person that he is in fact an extremely confident man who is so sure of himself, the person may suddenly feel open to socializing with other people, strangers even.
But every person practicing hypnotism worth his work is the first to admit that the effect is only temporary. For example, a person can be made to quit smoking by suggesting through hypnosis that the smoke is poisonous and deadly. That person then starts to become adverse to smoke, and feel nauseous whenever he gets near it. Thus, he may shun cigarettes. But if this is not followed up by corresponding therapy and other methods geared for long-term results, the habit will come back eventually.
Another proven limitation of hypnotism is even while under it, a person’s common sense, principles, beliefs and life convictions remain unchanged throughout and after the experience. No one can also be hypnotized against his will, because the mind has to be willingly and consciously open to be affected by the hypnotist’s suggestions.
For example, hypnotism cannot make a Muslim eat pork or a Superman fan fly out of a window. Since the mind is still fully alert – only this time the subconscious is more open – the person’s sense of safety is still on guard. His sensibilities will continue to govern his decision-making process.
Then again, we can never really be sure. One story goes saying a man, undergoing hypnosis to boost his self-confidence, was told by the hypnotist that he “could do anything, anything as long as he puts his mind into it.” For more effect, the hypnotist says: “Why, you could even rob a bank if you want to.” Although the hypnotist may have meant the statement only as a metaphor, his subject then proceeds to rob a bank a couple of days later!
A study says that on the average, 25 out of 100 people can be hypnotized very easily. Almost all children belong to this group, who are perceived to be highly susceptible to suggestion. This ratio varies according to the hypnotist’s personality, technique, and experience. The success of the hypnotist also depends on the subject’s personality, attention span, and mental status at the moment. Interestingly, while it seems rational that persons with high intellect cannot be easily hypnotized because of their capacity to process all information that gets into their brain – it is in fact the opposite. It is believed that intelligent people are also the most creative – thus they can easily associate the hypnotist’s word play with their own visual or sensory representations.
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