Hypnosis

1
Hypnosis

• C. Alexander Simpkins PhD
• Annellen M. Simpkins PhD

2
What is Hypnosis?

• People have been asking this question since the
  time of the Greeks
• The only thing everyone agrees on is that one
  definition of hypnosis has not been agreed on
• The phenomena of hypnosis are subject to many
  variables that influence how they are responded
  to and expressed.
• But thanks to more methods of examining hypnosis,
  including imaging the brain, we are learning more
  all the time!

3
Franz Anton Mesmer (1734-1815)

• Viennese physician
• Vital energy like magnetism that could be made to
  act on the human body.
• It could be influenced by the practitioner to
  bring about cures of disease, both mental and
  physical
• He came into conflict with the medical
  establishment because of his claims.
• Today we are revisiting magnetism without
  mysticism through treatment of conditions by
  magnetism
• This slowed the initial progress of
  experimentation

4
(No Transcript)
5
James Braid (1795-1860)

• One of earliest researchers who altered the
  course that Mesmer had initiated
• Medical doctor who gave hypnosis the name
• He believed Mesmer had made errors in how he
  conducted his experiments with patients
• Used careful observation of individual subjects
  to demystify hypnosis and categorize its effects
• For example, experiment with sharpening senses
• Hypnotized person, blindfolded, could locate
  someone in crowd with sense of smell
• Developed the theory of hypnosis as focused
  attention, still an important view

6
Jean Martin Charcot (1835-1893)

• Some consider him the founder of neurology as
  distinct discipline
• Created the Salpetriere School of Hypnosis
• Scientific approach
• Used narrow subject pool female patients with
  hysterical symptoms
• Defined hypnosis as hysteria
• But did reveal a link between mental states and
  exhibited symptoms
• Also gained acceptance by scientific community
• Freud studied with Charcot and translated his
  writings

7
Charcot Examining a Brain
8
The Nancy School

• Liebeault (1823-1904)
• Provided free medical hypnosis to thousands of
  people suffering from physical and mental
  conditions
• Bernheim (1840-1919)
• Studied with Liebeault and developed the view
  that hypnosis is suggestion
• Suggestion is influence exerted by a suggested
  idea on the mind i.e. the ability to respond to
  an idea
• Freud studied with Liebeault and Bernheim and
  translated Bernheims book, Hypnosis and
  Suggestion in Psychotherapy

9
Ivan Pavlov (1849-1936)

• Russian physiologist
• Studied hypnosis extensively
• Believed in the power of the word as a signal to
  bring about a response
• Hypnosis became foundational in Russian
  psychology
• He did careful neurological measurements
• Defined hypnosis as scattered sleep excitation
  and inhibition

10
First International Statistics of Susceptbility

• Largest hypnosis study performed in 1892
• 8705 subjects
• 15 countries
• Each kept track of success in inductions
• Measuring many aspects of susceptibility

11
1892 Study Findings

• Susceptibility Findings 75 susceptible
• 25 Deep, 50Moderate 25 Mildly
• No differences among different races or countries
• No sex differences
• Children more susceptible
• More intelligent more susceptible
• More imaginative more susceptible
• This research dispelled myth that hypnosis is for
  the weak-minded
• By 1888 there were more than 1172 books written
  on hypnosis and hundreds of studies

12
Other Important Labs

• Clark Hull (1884-1952)
• Lab at Yale
• Research applied John Stuart Mills method of
  difference comparing hypnotized and
  non-hypnotized
• Tested hypnotic phenomena
• Used normal subjects
• Adapted the technology of his day inventively for
  experiments
• Measuring postural sway from suggestion with a
  simple sensor connected to the shoulder that
  reacted to movement and record it on paper

13
Stanford Lab

• Ernest Hilgard (1904-2001) and Josephine Hilgard
• Researched using college students
• Did careful, scientific work
• Extensive work on many hypnotic phenomena
• Found pain responses were there but subjects
  didnt feel pain
• Developed Stanford Susceptibility Scale
• Did much to promote respect for hypnosis
• Firmly believed that through the study of
  hypnosis we could come to better understand such
  cognitive processes as attention, memory,
  learning, etc

14
Ernest Josephine Hilgard
15
Milton H. Erickson (1904-1980)

• Dedicated to hypnosis his whole life
• Known for his clinical work but also a skilled
  researcher
• Developed naturalistic methods to study hypnosis
  unobtrusively as well as studying it in the lab
• Early fruit study
• Concluded hypnosis takes place in the mind of the
  subject and the less the hypnotist interferes,
  the stronger the effects
• Developed the indirect method of hypnosis

16
Milton H. Erickson MD
17
Theories of Hypnosis

• Many theories
• Each has some merit
• Think of them as models that can be useful
• Only problem when a theory is a nothing but
  theory
• House analogy

18
Theories of Hypnosis

• Fixation of Attention
• On one idea with monotony
• Partial Sleep
• Scattered inhibition and excitation
• Suggestibility
• Response to the idea
• Ideodynamic processes
• Neo-Dissociation
• Reduction of executive control by consciousness
• Social-Role Theory
• Role playing
• Expectancies
• Altered State of Consciousness
• Trance or alteration of consciousness
• Unconscious functioning
• Literalness because not thinking about them--just
  thinking them

19
Experimental Hypnosis

• To capture it well, must respect the phenomena
  being studied
• Research needs to use the same procedures for all
  subjects
• As a result, may be using crude procedures
• People respond differently
• Fails to take enough time to induce a good trance
• People vary
• May not distinguish between induction and
  utilization

20
Clinical Hypnosis

• Distinguishes induction and utilization
• Take time to learn how to go into trance
• Then use it for change
• Direct vs Indirect
• Pain relief
• Vast research on applications for purposes
• Obstetrics, anxiety, pain control, depression,
  fears, habit control, moods to name a few

21
Research Project to Test Indirect

• Compared Hypnosis using Ericksonian Therapy (ET)
  Brief Dynamic Therapy (BDT)
• Simpkins Simpkins, 2008
• Comparison study of two very different approaches
  to brief therapy
• ET no direct discussion of problem
• BDT Discussion and analysis of problem

22
Research Continued

• 2 Groups ET BDT
• 4 Tests for 4 dimensions
• 1-CPSAS - Social/interpersonal
• 2-HSCL- Internal/experiential
• 3-TC - Target complaint
• 4-GI - Global improvement
• Results
• Both methods equally effective for changing the
  target complaint

23
Implications of Results

• Not always necessary to address a problem
  directly in order to resolve it
• Indirect hypnosis activate inner processes for
  specific as well as nonspecific changes

24
Clinical Hypnosis involves Relationship

• Although takes place in the mind of the subject,
  it is best activated through a trusting
  relationship
• Dont usually follow advice from someone you
  mistrust
• In self-hypnosis, learn to trust ones own inner
  self
• When people have problems, sometimes mistrust
  self
• sometimes for good reason
• Learn through self-hypnosis to know when to trust
  and how to develop inner capacities

25
Learning to Experience Hypnosis

• Open attitude
• Curiosity
• Allowing responsiveness
• May be subtle
• Like flickers between boxcars of a passing train
• Utilizing the natural abilities you have and
  building on them
• Relax and enjoy!