Psychological and Physical Aspect of Hypnosis

"What is hypnosis?" Describe the psychological and physical aspect of hypnosis

And discuss the role of relaxation in hypnotherapy.

In this essay I am going to give a definition of what hypnosis is. I will look at the nature of hypnosis and its role. I will also be giving details of how and where hypnosis began and will include important detail about the history. I will also be discussing the psychological and physical aspects of hypnotherapy, including the role of relaxation. This essay will show how effective hypnosis can be.

We experience the "hypnotic state" in everyday in our life and it happens without us knowing. It is said that our mind can just drift from alert state into another level of consciousness when we do activities in involuntary mode, like driving, walking, etc. Hypnosis contains trance-like condition, but when the person is in this state they are more aware and only focusing on the hypnotist's voice. This state is where the conscious mind is suppressed and the subconscious mind is exposed.

The British Society of Clinical and Experimental Hypnosis states:

"In therapy, hypnosis usually involves the person experiencing a sense of deep relaxation with their attention narrowed down, and focused on appropriate suggestions made by the therapist."

http://www.hypnosis.me.uk/pages/whatis.html

Everyone takes on and understands hypnosis differently. Some Famous people such as Derren Brown will apply Hypnotherapy and will refer to it as 'Hypnotism'. When it comes to hypnosis, there is no debate within science as to whether it exists or works. For some people that have strong beliefs in Hypnosis they believe it works where as a number of people will say that it doesn't work. It is true that hypnosis doesn't work on everyone. Only recently people started to accept hypnosis with an open mind. I had the opinion that by starring at a crystal that moves back and forth could be put into a hypnotic state, well now I know how important relaxation is and how important it is that we understand our client's needs for us to help them to relax.

It is hard to explain about hypnosis as the experience is always different for every person, where it can work for some but it may not for others. Everyone has different experiences; some may have a life-changing experience whilst some may experience just a relaxation or some may not experience anything at all. I believe the main focus of hypnosis is to get the client to relax for the hypnosis to actually work.

Hypnosis is a state of mind brought about by the use of a set of techniques. It leads to better concentration as well as increase their responsiveness to submission in order to make helpful changes that an individual may wish to make in their thought patterns, their behaviour or their psychological state.

A brief history on hypnosis - hypnosis starts with Franz Anton Mesmer (1734 -1815) He studied theology at university. Mesmer's first attempt was at healing using strong magnet after being influzed by his friend Maximillian Hell who was Jesuit priest and an astronomer. Mesmer has watched performances by Father Johann Gassner in early 1770s. The priest used hypnotic techniques to carry out exorcisms using metal crucifix. Franziska Osterlin was the first patient in 1774 on whom Mesmer applied his theory of applying magnets to the patient's body and attributed his success at healing. Mesmer moved from magnets and electrodes to using his hands which made him well known in the community.

In France By 1780 magnets were no longer in Mesmer's toolbox. He made a deep tub filled with water that had iron rods protruding from it that were help my patients to achieve a cure. Mesmer's own body was the source of the 'animal' type magnet.

Animal magnetism was practiced all over Germany. In 1812 Mesmer was visited by Karl Christian Wolfart so that he can learn Mesmer's ideas and methods.

Marquis De Puysegur was one of Mesmer's disciples. His first subject was deeply hypnotisable and in place of the usual convulsions de Puysegur witnessed a patient seemingly falling asleep. De Puysegur rejected the idea of magnetic fluid in the body believing that what he was witnessing was the result of psychological force.

An English doctor called James Braid created 'Hypnosis' from the Greek god of sleep Hypnos in 1840. This name didn't work as to people believed that you would have to sleep to go through hypnoses which is incorrect. After realising his mistake he tried to change it to monoeidism but that also failed due to the original name stuck.

Dr James Esdaile used hypnosis to conduct about 400 successful operations in India but hid report to medical journal was not met with enthusiasm.

During the same period, Dr John Elliotson was the first to demonstrate the use of hypnosis in British medicine but his activities did not make him popular.

Doctor Bernheim is responsible for the development of the soothing lilting screeds we use today.

In 1992 Milton Erickson was born, he established his work in indirect suggestions and he is considered the father of modern hypnosis.

(Chrysalis, page - 6-8)

Hypnosis shows differently from one person to the other that is why it is important to know and understand the psychological and physical aspect when considering the process.

According to the advanced science research it is said to be much easier to examine brain activity as well as physical response to the hypnotic state. Getting a great beneficial state of quiet and calm happens through the deeply relaxed feeling which is achieved through the hypnotic state. Being in that feeling offers some kind of solution to the stress that modern society may face which help reduce negative behaviour and turn it into a positive behaviour.

It is said the Hypnosis is known as a complex process because it includes a number of psychological processes. There are two sides of the brain right and left. The mind that's full of feelings, imaginations and dreams are controlled by the subconscious mind which is the right side of the brain. The mind that is conscious and does reason, logic and order is the left side of the brain. Our subconscious mind has a great deal of power of collecting our memories and anything that has happened including our reaction even though our conscious mind hasn't got any recollection of it. Things like our breathing, digestion, heart rate and body temperature is controlled by our brain. When we are fully awake and alert our