Medical Hypnosis is not a Mind Game

The use of hypnosis is not a game, and it’s extremely dangerous if you don’t take it seriously.

“In spring 2011, North Port High School in North Port, Florida had a disturbing number of students die in a short period of time. The first deceased individual the school’s 16-year-old quarterback, Marcus Freeman, who died in a car accident on March 15th. According to his girlfriend, Marcus had a strange look on his face and then drove off the road. Then there was Wesley McKinley, age 16, who was found hanged to death outside his home on April 8, 2011. The final victim, 17-year-old Brittany Palumbo, was found hanging in her bedroom closet in May 2011.

The day after Wesley’s death, George Kenney, the school’s principal, told the police that these three students were participants amongst the 75 students and staff that he had previously hypnotized. He had taught Marcus how to hypnotize himself so that he could focus better during football. To help Wesley get into the Juilliard School of the Arts, Kenney had hypnotized the young guitar player the day before he hanged himself. Kenney had also hypnotized Brittany to help her with her test anxiety. When her marks didn’t improve after five months, she killed herself.

After being put on administrative leave, Kenney resigned in June 2012. He was given a year’s probation for practicing therapeutic hypnosis without a license. The school board settled with the families of the students, giving each family $200,000.”



The American Society of American Hypnosis defines Hypnosis as “A state of inner absorption, concentration, and focused attention. It is like using a magnifying glass to focus the rays of the sun and make them more powerful. Similarly, when our minds are concentrated and focused, we are able to use our minds much more powerfully. Because hypnosis allows people to use more their potential, learning self-hypnosis is the ultimate act of self-control.

While there is a general concensus that certain effects of hypnosis exist, there are differences of opinion within the research and clinical communities about how hypnosis actually works. Some researchers believe that hypnosis can be used by individuals to the degree they possess hypnotic trail, much as they have traits associated with height, body size, hair color, etc. Other professionals who study and use hypnosis believe there are strong cognitive and interpersonal components that affect an individual’s response to hypnotic environments and suggestions.”



Hypnosis may be used in the following disorders:

Gastrointestinal disorders (ulcers, Colitis, Crohn’s Disease;
Dermatology Disorders (Eczema, Herpes, Pruritus [Itching], Psoriasis, Warts),

Surgery/Anesthesiology.

Acute and Chronic Pain (back pain, cancer pain, migraines, arthritis),

Burns: It’s possible that second degree burn can often be kept from going to third degree if hypnosis is used soon after the injury;

Nausea and Vomiting associated with chemotherapy and pregnancy.

Childbirth: Used as analgesic for labor.

Allergies, high blood pressure, and Raynaud’s disease among other uses.

As you can notice, Hypnosis is an excellent tool if it’s used correctly. The following mentions some basic misconceptions about what hypnosis is and what isn’t:



Hypnosis is not a game and is not used as a party trick by a ‘magician’.

Most people have encountered hypnosis, but chances are that it wasn’t in a doctor’s office. All the way to from stage performers to party magicians, many think of hypnosis as an “act”, and almost as an exaggerated display that’s designed for an audience’s amusement.
However, the practice of medical hypnosis can be traced back thousands of years in cultures around the world. It was once used for pain management during surgery, that was until doctors started using ether.

Today, it’s commonly used as a tool by physicians, dentists, licensed social workers, psychologists, and therapists. Hypnosis has been known to help patients cure things such as depression, weight loss, stress management, and irritable bowel syndrome. Some hospitals even use it as a tool to reduce pain in individuals before, during, and after surgery, as well as in patients with chronic conditions or diseases.



Hypnosis is a phenomenon in which one person – the “subject” – is prompted by a hypnotherapist to enter into a state of deep mental relaxation, says Dr. David Patterson, a professor of psychology in the departments of rehabilitation medicine, surgery, and psychology at the University of Washington, School of Medicine. The subject’s critical judgment decreases, making them more responsive to outside suggestions or ideas. “It’s almost as if you’re talking directly to the centers of the brain that influence things,” Patterson says. “You’re able to adjust them.”

For every medical professional who practices hypnosis, there’s another who remains skeptical of it. Research suggests susceptibility toward hypnosis varies widely from person to person, and some are resistant to the procedure all together.

Bottom line? It’s hard to pinpoint the exact strength of its power, or to define precisely what constitutes a “hypnotic state.” However, brain scans indicate that changes occur in the brain’s activity during hypnosis. The “control mechanisms” that help an individual make critical decisions during a conflict are lowered, Patterson says, and causes them to reach a more open state of consciousness. Also, randomized controlled clinical trials indicate that the end goal of hypnosis isn’t simply to reach a state of mental relaxation, but to reach efficacy for everything from pain reduction to irritable bowel syndrome relief.



Although hypnosis can be an effective medical tool, it is not closely regulated. Some states require mandatory licensure and/or registration, and have certain protocol for its practice. However, the majority of states have a laissez-faire approach towards the regulation of hypnosis – meaning that anyone from a psychology Ph.D. candidate to a curious layperson can join a local hypnosis guild and learn it on their own.

Patterson says that the lack of oversight combined with misconceptions gleaned from stage performers, means many individuals who might benefit from hypnosis don’t take it seriously. Emily herself, harbored doubts about whether hypnosis would work for her. Apparently, she had previously dismissed hypnosis as the domain of charlatans. But after her therapist told her to search for an “ethical” and reputable professional, she made a specific point to locate a seasoned therapist who offered hypnosis. These individuals, Emily says, exist, and are the best bet if you're considering hypnosis for medical reasons.

To make the long story short, when searching for someone who performs medical hypnosis, don’t just simply, “Google “hypnotist” and see what comes up”, says Charlene Williams, a clinical and health psychologist at the University of California-Los Angeles, who uses hypnosis as preparation for surgery. “A lay hypnotist has no medical or mental health training,” Williams says. “It’s not recommended, for safety and efficacy’s sake, to see them for health reasons. Even with panic and things like smoking cessation, there’s often anxiety involved. And you can’t treat anxiety if you don’t understand psychology and anxiety treatments. It’s very important to go to a hypnotist that’s a licensed medical professional and has a comprehensive understanding of all three of the above mentioned categories. They’ll be more ethical in knowing the limits of their expertise.”



While some licensed medical professionals advertise hypnosis services, a majority don’t. Williams recommends that individuals seek a qualified hypnotherapist through their therapists/primary care physicians, or to contact organizations like the American Society of Clinical Hypnosis for more information.

Under Hypnosis you are not unconscious or powerless.

Although you might be sitting or supine, with your body completely still and eyes closed, you're still awake during hypnosis, Emily says. She recalls her hypnotist’s words and instructions during the hypnosis process.

“He asked me to identify any reason, event or thing in my subconscious that might be causing me to have trouble connecting with my son and the people in my life,” she says. She was also able to move her fingers at will; lifting one right-hand finger meant “yes;" a left-hand finger meant “no.”



Of course, everyone’s response varies. Some people have a clear memory of what happens during hypnosis, while another’s recollection might be vague and fuzzier. Some might be able to move their head or lift a finger if they’re prompted, whereas others will remain impassive. However, you aren’t rendered unconscious, Patterson says – you’re simply in a deeply relaxed state.

“We usually first focus on slowing down breathing, and then there’s a stage of deepening,” Patterson says. “That’s often done by getting people seeing themselves walk down staircases or counting numbers. You go deeper and deeper into the subconscious until you reach the suggestion phase. Then, you give them whatever clinical suggestions you want to give.”

Although you're receiving “suggestions” from the hypnotist, you aren’t at the practitioner's mercy, says Sally Greer, a clinical therapist who practices in Alexandria, Virginia, and performs hypnotherapy for smoking cessation, weight control, phobic responses, and stress reduction.

“Whatever you do under hypnosis, there is an underlying consent or compliance within you,” Greer says. If you’re trying to use hypnosis to quit smoking, the hypnotist can’t force you to shed the habit if you do not deep down have a real desire to give up your pack of Marlboro’s. Instead, you have to be receptive to the suggestions they give you, and if you’re not, hypnosis won’t work on you.

Hypnosis will not cure a disease



“A common misconception is that hypnosis is a magic bullet, and the problem will be magically erased by the power of the hypnotist,” Williams says. Hypnosis can be highly successful in some individuals, but ineffective for others. Sometimes hypnosis works well in conjunction with other treatments. For example, hypnosis can work well with therapy if you’re depressed, medication if you’re physically hurting, or diet if you’re attempting weight loss. Sometimes hypnosis works after one session, and other times, it takes multiple appointments. Ultimately, hypnosis alone is rarely the end-all solution to someone’s problems.

And although it’s a versatile tool that can be used for everything from pain to panic, experts caution that it could worsen trauma or severe psychological disorders if the provider isn’t skilled and the patient is unstable. “Hypnosis can sometimes cause as many problems as it can help,” Patterson says.

And in many cases, experts say, it’s not even clear where the hypnosis ends and where the psychological or physical healing begins. All one really knows is when their body or mind is working again – even if you’re unsure of whether or not the hypnosis did in fact work appropriately.



“Most people walk through the world in a trance of disempowerment. Our work is to transform that into a trance of empowerment”. - Dr. Milton H. Ericsson.



Sources:

Kirstin Fawcett
American Association for Medical Hypnosis

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