Hypnosis involves inducing an individual into drowsiness.
Hypnosis is the state or condition that generates hypnotism . This, in turn, is a procedure that consists of inducing a person to drowsiness . It should be noted that hypnosis comes from a Greek term that means "to put to sleep."
For example: "The mentalist subjected a man to hypnosis and made him crow like a chicken" , "I don't believe in hypnosis" , "The police, in the last century, used to use hypnosis to get suspects to say the truth in his statements .
Hypnosis concept
It is said that hypnosis is a physiological condition that allows a person to act unconsciously according to what the hypnotist orders. It must be clarified, however, that the results obtained in each case depend largely on the predisposition of the individuals.
Given its questionable use in magic shows and mentalism, the general perception of hypnotism does not position it as a serious topic, much less as a science . Often considered subscience, there are numerous books, both instructive and historicist, that address this phenomenon that raises countless questions, even in the most skeptical. Once again, these sources are not entirely reliable, given the media and sensationalist nature of hypnotism in society.
There are various mechanisms that can lead to hypnosis.
Differences with autosuggestion
Also known as autohypnotism , autosuggestion is associated with the repetition of acts or phrases with the aim of modifying one's own mind . The mechanism consists of making an idea part of our unconscious, of our conception of reality.
Although it is possible to find similarities, in cases where it is used to stop smoking or to eliminate bad habits, autosuggestion can also be an involuntary process that leads us to self-destruction . We find clear examples in people who despise themselves, who do not accept their bodies, who believe they are unpleasant to others, either because of their physique or their personality . These individuals tell themselves over and over again that they are worthless, that they are undesirable, and they end up believing their words.
Hypnosis, therapy and Neurolinguistic Programming
Outside of circuses and theaters, hypnosis has proven to be very effective in treatments against smoking , phobias of all kinds, obesity, as well as to combat pain and stimulate attention and improve memory . Often in no more than a couple of sessions, this procedure can uproot fears and feelings of rejection that make a person's life difficult. Likewise, altering the perception of a physical stimulus that used to be associated with great pain, turning it into a more bearable damage for the individual.
And here we come across a very popular concept since the '70s: Neurolinguistic Programming or NLP . This arises thanks to the work of Richard Bandler (computer scientist) and John Grinder (psychologist and linguist) and describes the possibility of changing the brain's perception of reality, consequently altering its reaction to different stimuli and situations. If we take into account that each person sees the world in a particular way, we understand why certain phrases are funny to some and boring to others, just as, on a deeper level, certain images go unnoticed by some but emotionally block others.
NLP can act on traumas, causing the patient to relive memories , reinterpret them with their unfailingly more mature mind and store them again. According to studies, it is currently impossible to erase a portion of memory, and this is the only way, discovered so far, to help those people who live tormented by a horrible past, which they would discard if they had the opportunity.
Likewise, this type of therapy achieves very positive results to strengthen self-confidence. It is often applied to patients with self-esteem problems, offering them a much more positive view of themselves and demonstrating, or allowing them to discover, those virtues that they have relegated for years.
Some theories
Hypnosis is the protagonist of numerous, diverse and contradictory theories , some focused on brain activity, and others that place it in the realm of the phenomenal. Furthermore, there is a clear division between those who believe that consciousness prevails during the state of hypnotism and those who flatly deny it.
The following stand out:
- Dissociation theories , which maintain that hypnosis is achieved through a cut or separation of certain elements of the conscious plane.
- The informational theory , which, for its part, states that hypnosis increases a person's abilities to receive a message, which allows it to arrive in a more defined way.
- The theory of social construction , also known as role theory , which ensures that the hypnotist gets the hypnotized to become involved in a role and act within a kind of parallel reality.
- The theory of hypersuggestibility , which indicates that the hypnotist manages to impose himself on the person's internal voice since his attention is limited.