Our minds are incredible tools that we have allowed to lay partially dormant for much of recorded history. We use only about 20 percent of our brain capacity and much of that is accomplished by our everyday conscious mind; the part of our mind that thinks, reasons, judges and criticizes.

New research has been working to unlock the mysteries of the other 80 percent, termed the “subconscious” it lays within the brain behind the part that governs our everyday conscious thinking abilities. For several decades, neuroscientists and cognitive psychologists have been gradually decoding the operating system of the subconscious, or “unconscious” as it is sometimes termed.

We are already living in the age of unconscious influence, says John Bargh, Yale University psychologist. “This science is currently used to sell soap, win votes and calm prison violence.” It is also used by many sports teams to improve performance and by college students to enhance concentration. Now, hypnosis is used by an increasing number of people to gain control over bodily functions such as chronic physical conditions and pain.

Bruce Lipton, a stem cell biologist who taught at the University of Wisconsin’s School of Medicine and performed pioneering research at Stanford University before writing his bestselling book, The Biology of Belief, in 2008, states that, ”The good news is that more and more promising techniques dealing with the subconscious mind are being discovered. Especially good results regarding hypnosis and subliminal hypnotic tapes when being used for the purpose of pain control are being observed.”

“By using hypnotic techniques, individuals are able to ‘filter the hurt’ from the pain and dissociate themselves from the painful stimulus." ~ Dr. Herbert Speigel

 

The impact on medicine is profound, says Lipton. “Our health is really based on our perception and our beliefs and attitudes,” with negative attitudes running the show, we are actually using our own self-sabotaging mind programs that generally contribute to disease. Lipton believes hypnosis can be used to reprogram the subconscious mind toward more positive perceptions.

There has been an increase in scientific support for hypnosis, says David R. Patterson, author of Clinical hypnosis for Pain Control. He says that the potential for hypnosis to offer dramatic pain relief above and beyond other approaches is promising. Among the areas where hypnosis research is proving to have positive results include headaches, fibromyalgia, irritable bowel syndrome, burn pain, neuropathic pain and chronic cancer pain. Sleeplessness and the relaxation of stress and anxiety which are all major contributors to such chronic conditions as high blood pressure and arthritis are showing very positive results. Even phantom limb pain can be addressed.

Dr. Herbert Spiegel, a pioneer in the medical use of hypnosis at Columbia University, states that while scientists are still unsure about some of the mechanisms that underlie hypnosis, they believe that the trance state is simply one of the manifestations of the intricate communication network that links our bodies and our minds. He states, “By using hypnotic techniques, individuals are able to ‘filter the hurt’ from the pain and dissociate themselves from the painful stimulus.” 

Spiegel believes that a combination of concentration, imagination and cooperation make the technique work. Public interest in participating in and being responsible for their own health and wellness, combined with continued increases in the cost of medical care, are two main reasons why hypnosis is fast gaining nationwide acceptance as cost-effective and efficacious modality of therapy for pain management.

It is important to state that the goal of hypnosis is not to eliminate pain altogether. Some pain, specifically acute pain, is the body’s warning signal that something could be wrong. In certain situations, some pain may be quite necessary for diagnostic purposes by a physician. Hypnosis is a complimentary therapy for pain, not a substitute for medical intervention; it is one of the pain-control tools.

As for what hypnosis feels like, it is important to realize that we all go in and out of mild states of hypnosis daily. Most of us have experienced driving down the road and experienced “highway hypnosis”, suddenly realizing that we have driven for miles with no conscious recollection of how we did it. Becoming absorbed in a movie or a book to the point of tuning out the surroundings is also hypnosis. The period when we begin to rouse from sleep, but before we are completely awake, is also a hypnotic state. Hypnosis is a natural, albeit altered, state of mind we have all experienced that promises to unlock many of the mysteries of the human psyche.

Maia Rizzi is certified in pain management and is a nationally certified clinical hypnotherapist, practicing for more than 20 years. Call 850-291-8041 for a complimentary consultation.

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Frequently Asked Questions About Hypnosis

by Maia Rizzi

Is hypnosis sleep?

Hypnosis is actually an expanded sate of awareness. It is merely a state of relaxation that allows communication with the subconscious mind for the purposes of healing and becoming whole.

Does hypnosis act like a truth serum?

The client never needs to reveal what they are not comfortable discussing. In hypnosis, one is quite capable of editing any information they want to.

Is hypnosis involved with any religious affiliation or is it anti-religious?

There are no religious connotations associated with hypnosis. Hypnosis is expressly a brain-oriented scientific and creative focus which only encompasses the brain’s functioning.

During hypnosis, is the subject under the control of the hypnotist?

During hypnosis, the subject will never go against his or her moral principles. Hypnosis is used to make only those suggestions to the client that will alleviate their condition and make their life better. The subject is always in control.

Can a person inadvertently get stuck in the hypnotic state?

No one has ever remained indefinitely in a hypnotic state. The state can be terminated at will.

Is a hypnotist a person with mystical or unusual powers?

A hypnotist has no such unusual powers. A well-trained hypnotherapist understands that all hypnosis is essentially self-hypnosis, because participation by the subject is required. The hypnotherapist uses this participation to effectively deliver positive suggestions while they are in an altered state of mind in order to promote well-being. Suggestions are always discussed with the subject prior to the onset of hypnosis in order to insure the subject or client is in agreement with the way suggestions are progressing.

Is hypnosis is a panacea?

In the majority of cases a number of sessions are required before a favorable result is established. Hypnosis cannot cure all human problems and does a lot of work in conjunction with medical intervention.

Is medical hypnosis used to cure illness?

Hypnosis can alleviate or eliminate certain chronic conditions or pain. It does not cure the underlying disease, but works alongside medical intervention.