Lin Peng To: From: Date: Subject: Mrs.

Vicky Brain Lin Peng October 24, 2011

October 24, 2011

Proposal regarding the use of hypnosis as a legitimate medical therapy rather than prescribing medical pills to ill patients, in conjunction with Group 4: Science

Purpose The therapeutic healing practice of hypnosis is a powerful tool to overcome our weaknesses from undesired behaviors to bad habits as well as converting one to live a healthier and better lifestyle. Hypnotherapists can effectively help to alleviate improved lifestyle by reducing psychological, emotional and physical sufferings or terminal illnesses. According to William Coes article, Expectations and hypnotherapy in the 1993, edition of American Psychological Association, Hypnosis has been used as a legitimate therapeutic tool in medicine, dentistry, and psychotherapy (Coe). As a student majoring in psychology, I have always been intrigued by the healing practice of psychotherapy. Upon further research, I was enlightened and more intrigued when I found out the use of hypnosis as a form of therapy. In one of the Psychology Today articles, Hypnosis: The Power of Trance by John Ryder Ph.D. stated The use of hypnosis is based on scientific research on what techniques work and the artistic skill of pacing a patient in a trance and communicating the specific goals of the session effectively (Ryder). Hypnotherapy can be traced all the way back to the ancient Egypt, China, Greece, and Rome. In the late 18th century, doctor Franz Anton Mesmer finally introduced the use

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October 24, 2011

hypnosis to the modern western world. Over the years, hypnosis has been characterized as a mystical, strange, and subjective phenomenon (Coe). The practice of hypnosis has proven to have many wonderful benefits due to successful patients testimonials but the inability to measure and quantify them causes many scientists to believe hypnosis is not real. However, drugs, for example, appear at times to be no more effective than the patients expectations of the treatment. In fact, the importance of expectations overshadow the effects of the specific treatments that one claims to have administered, such curative effects are called placebo effects. According to the article, Clinical hypnosis as a non-deceptive placebo in the 1999, edition of American Psychological Association, Dr. Irving Kirsch says, Placebos are sham treatments given to please patients rather than to cure them (Kirsch). Nevertheless, hypnotherapy is intended to treat psychological treatments without the use of any pharmaceutical drugs. Hence, within the context of medical research, hypnosis is a placebo effect (Kirsch). The success from using hypnosis depends on how the techniques are utilized, most importantly whether or not if a person is willing to cooperate. It is important for a hypnotherapist to consider a patients faith and motivation for improvement of self, in order to maximize their therapeutic potential. Subsequently, a patient does not lost control but remains aware of their immediate surroundings and the words being said to them. When applied properly, the patient, based on the overall expectation of the treatment will be convinced that the particular procedure will alleviate their suffering, which ultimately will maximize the probability of success. For example, while writing a drug prescription, physicians may say, Take this and you will feel better, suggesting the drug is most definitely effective, thereby raising the clients expectations (Coe).

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October 24, 2011

Conversely, the placebo effects play a basic principle in expectancy of human experience and behavior. When people expect changes in their own responses and reactions, their expectations can produce those changes (Kirsch).

Certainly, expectancy and trust are powerful psychological factors on which the outcome of treatment depends. Moreover, hypnosis is one solution to the dilemma of maximizing patients therapeutic outcome expectancies without deception. The label hypnosis induces the procedures of clanging gongs, flashing lights, applying pressure to subjects heads, suggesting relaxation, and suggesting alertness (Kirsch). Administered drugs that are found to be independent of its specific ingredients, by the same token of inert drugs or preparations which produce the same effect, the drugs are considered to be a placebo. Similarly, the effects of hypnosis on suggestibility are independent of any specific component or ingredient is certainly akin to placebos (Kirsch). According to Kirsch, it is possible to produce all of the suggestive effects of hypnosis by giving subjects placebos and telling them the medication produces a hypnotic state (Kirsch).

Lin Peng Topics:

October 24, 2011

The increase of hypnosis in physical performance; the increase of hypnosis in better memory performance; the different techniques of hypnosis; the practice of hypnosis as being some kind of dark magic; Can hypnosis be fully employed by modern medicine? Can hypnosis lead to a new age of spirituality?

Note: Under the typically public view, the use of hypnosis does not work because it is considered as subjective yet it is merely a myth. People who oppose this point of view contend that hypnosis is a form of entertainment as shown by the media; one can lose complete control over itself, and it is an evil phenomenon of opening doors to evil spirits. Clearly, it is simply misunderstood by people in general as the fully do not understand the actual facts of hypnosis.

Lin Peng Bibliography/Works Cited:

October 24, 2011

Coe, William C. "Expectations and hypnotherapy." Handbook of clinical hypnosis. 7393. American Psychological Association, 1993. PsycBOOKS. EBSCO. Web. 26 Oct. 2011. Kirsch, Irving. "Clinical hypnosis as a nondeceptive placebo." Clinical hypnosis and selfregulation: Cognitive-behavioral perspectives. 211-225. American Psychological Association, 1999. PsycBOOKS. EBSCO. Web. 26 Oct. 2011. Ryder, John. "Hypnosis: The Power of Trance." Is Hypnosis Really an Altered State of Consciousness? Psychology Today, 05 May 2009. Web. 04 Dec. 2012. <http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/hypnosis-the-power-trance/200905/ishypnosis-really-altered-state-consciousness>.