H Y P N O S I S
Hypnosis
Hypnosis is gaining increased public attention. More and more doctors, dentists and psychologists are using hypnosis as an additional technique within their specialty.
There are many theories about why and how hypnosis works. Most experts agree that hypnosis functions on the basis of the innate influenceability of the individual. There are some people who seem to be more easily influenced than others. At a certain point, influence becomes hypnosis. Where, when and how, is something no one knows yet.
The term hypnosis is derived from the Greek word hypnos, the God of sleep. It means that as long as a person is hypnotised, he or she is in a state not unlike sleep. Some consider this state not to be sleep, but a state of heightened consciousness, a kind of super-consciousness. In this state, the hypnotist has almost total control over the will of the hypnotised person. Anyone who has seen a hypnotist on stage will have noticed that certain people immediately comply with the hypnotist's instructions: They move body parts, fall to the floor, behave like animals, etc. But we are not actually talking about stage hypnosis here.
It seems that hypnosis, which for years had been on the verge of respectability, is crossing the threshold of full recognition. Hypnosis, praised as hypnotherapy or alternative medicine, is highly popular and a seemingly harmless remedy for minor ailments of all kinds. Hypnosis offers itself to us as a help with addictive behaviours (smoking, nail biting) and all sorts of anxieties and even for weight loss.
The British Medical Association sees hypnotism as a temporary state of the hypnotised person - the "subject" - which can be induced by another person or by self-hypnosis. It is thought of as a state of "modified attention", which means that the subject's attention is diverted from ordinary objects and directed towards ideas that are introduced to the person by the hypnotist. The state of being hypnotised can also be called a hypnotic trance. In connection with this trance, many unusual behavioural changes occur.
Hypnotism is usually evoked by repetition of certain words, or by the subject himself by concentrating on a single object that catches the eye, e.g. a swinging pendulum or a clock. The hypnotist goes into repetition in a low voice until the subject falls into a deep trance. If the hypnotist has done his job well, the subject will become happy and relaxed, wanting to be of one mind with the hypnotist and even do everything the hypnotist suggests. At the same time, the subject pays less and less attention to what else is going on in the room. The trance deepens as orders are suggested to the subject, which become more and more difficult to carry out. Eventually, the subject will respond without resistance to any suggestion coming from the hypnotist. The trance usually ends when the hypnotist commands the subject to return to the normal state.
How does hypnosis affect behaviour?
The subject's actions are influenced or even completely controlled. Whatever is suggested to the subject, he or she will respond to it, even subconsciously.
This is sometimes used in dental treatments. The patient can be conditioned by hypnosis to feel no pain at all. In psychiatry, the patient's forgotten experiences can be brought back to consciousness, the subject can be made to feel as if he is reliving the past, along with the emotions and physical signals that accompanied the past experiences. Mood changes and emotional changes may occur and persist after awakening. A hypnotised smoker, because of his or her highly suggestible state, can easily accept the hypnotist's suggestion that he or she stop smoking, and this can help them break the habit.
What is really happening?
When the hypnotist puts his subject into trance, he is trying to thereby gain access to areas of the human personality that are normally inaccessible. In doing so, hypnotists acknowledge the fact that the psyche has some kind of door that blocks access to undesirable influences. Knowing that many things come in and go out, the psyche filters them all, deciding what is helpful and what is not. What is not useful at the moment is either stored or eliminated altogether. In this way, the person is protected from many undesirable influences. Now, when the hypnotist puts a person into trance, he suspends the "door mechanism" of the psyche and thus bypasses the normal ability of the psyche to determine the occurrence or non-occurrence of influences.
Significantly, the hypnotist rarely commands his subject to do anything. Why? Hypnotists have learned from experience that subjects are unlikely to accept commands. But they do respond easily to suggestions. This underlines the fact that the hypnotist has "smuggled" himself into the personality and now acts there as if he were really a part of it. From this we can conclude that the psyche subjected to hypnosis is a psyche that has been invaded by eliminating the defence mechanism. In other words, the will of the hypnotised person is impaired to a certain degree or is suspended for a certain duration.
Now, to what extent is the will impaired during hypnosis?
Some will say that our actions are the result of the influence that others exert on our lives. This implies that hypnotism is an entirely natural state.
Admittedly, the borderline between following suggestions and carrying out the orders of a hypnotist is not clearly defined. But as we have already pointed out, human beings have a built-in system for warding off unwanted influences on the soul. We called it the "door mechanism". The hypnotist aims to suspend this defence system. For this, the hypnotist must first gain the trust of the subject/patient. Since there is no consensus as to whether or not a hypnotist can make a person do something against their will, it is crucial for the hypnotist to maintain the idea in the patient that the control of will lies with him or her, the subject/patient. The patient finds it easier to trust the hypnotist if he can be sure that his will will not be interfered with in the state of hypnosis....
The hypnotic state begins with a system of verbal and non-verbal manipulations intended to bring the person into a state of heightened suggestibility - a state of believing almost anything.
This process involves a kind of division of consciousness in which the individual can still make a decision in certain areas (executive control), while other areas are at the mercy of the hypnotist. In this way, during hypnosis, the patient may feel that he or she has retained control because he or she can make many decisions.
In an experimental hypnosis, for example, where the subject was free to move as he or she wished, the hallucinations were still consistent with the hypnotist's suggestions. This indicates that there is a sharing of control. While the hypnotised person retains control over many areas, other areas have been surrendered to the hypnotist. For example, if the subject is told he or she cannot move the foot, they will not be able to move it. It is seen that the perception of the world of external reality disintegrates and that at a certain point the voice of the hypnotist is heard within the psyche of the subject, which now acts upon the expression of the hypnotist's will as if it were its own will. The hypnotist achieves this when the subject surrenders to him an area of will known as the 'control function'. This function is vital to the making of responsible will choices. It works by recalling situations from the past and comparing them with the present situation. Such recall provides us with information that influences and controls our decisions, decisions about how to act in the situation at hand. For example, if I run around in circles with my arms flapping like wings, making sounds like a chick, I will give the image of a madman; therefore I refrain from doing so. When this agency controlling our actions is damaged, individuals may very well perform actions they would not normally even consider.
The hypnotist's influence temporarily removes the controlling function, which is why reality is distorted for the subject and the evaluation of actions, that is which of them are useful and which are not, cannot be carried out properly; this means that during the hypnotic trance state, an individual moves his arms flapping his wings when it is suggested to him by the hypnotist that he has wings.
Now, if an individual is prevented from making judgements based on reality, his ability to make a responsible decision is seriously impaired. This can lead to the individual surrendering some of these areas to the hypnotist. If someone does not fully retain the normal ability to evaluate and choose, then quite obviously his will may be disturbed and at least partially violated.
The "Modern Synopsis of Comprehensive Textbook Psychiatry" states: "Hypnosis may be described as a modified state of intense and sensitive interpersonal connection between hypnotist and patient, characterized by the patient's non-rational submission and relative surrender of control over one's actions, to a more or less regressed, dissociated state."
In summary, a hypnotised person is incapable of responsible willful decision-making.
Hypnotherapy - Does hypnosis have therapeutic value?
Although obviously the impairment of choice and reality verification is temporary, hypnotherapy is based on the assumption that the suggestions received under hypnosis continue to have a determining influence on the patient.
For example, a person appears to be cured of nail biting or smoking because of the negative suggestions that were put in against these habits during hypnosis. Experience has shown that "cures" of this kind do not last long. At least there is no sufficient scientific proof of the longevity of such cures.
It seems to be the case that the posthypnotic influence on the patient - similar to the impairment of freedom of choice and reality verification - is limited in time. Moreover, it has not yet been sufficiently investigated - in the event that the healing is permanent - whether and to what extent the dissociation of control over one's own actions is also maintained.
To quote a former hypnotist: "Once you have been hypnotised, your psyche will never be yours again" ("Hypnosis in Court" KNX, Los Angeles, New Radio Editorial 7.4.82).
This raises the question of possible negative side effects.
Although the hypnotherapist assures the patient that the free will is not violated under hypnosis, there is little proof of this. As a person under hypnosis usually does something, provided it is presented as plausible and desirable, and as reality is perceived in a distorted way under hypnosis, a violation may occur as a result of the fact that the patient is in a more suggestible state.
Hypnotist Simeon Edmonds, in his book "Hypnotism and Psychic Phenomena", says, "It is thus possible for the hypnotist not only to perform an illegal act on the subject, but also to cause the hypnotised person to perform an illegal act".
What a Christian should bear in mind
Even if we only consider what has been said so far, we realise that at least a partial violation of the will takes place under hypnosis. Hypnosis deliberately interferes with fully conscious choice. The violation of the will is cunningly achieved by clouding the patient's view of reality and thus leading him to act in a way he would not have resorted to had he not been in a hypnotic trance. The human will is a divine characteristic that makes the creature the image of God. God has implanted in us the ability to choose, he has given us a free will. With this, he has given us the ability to say "no" thanks to our reason, so that in our actions we do not have to blindly follow every possible suggestion on the part of unscrupulous persons or even on the part of our own inner motivation, driven by not at all desirable ideas.
While in the normal state we may be influenced or even fascinated by suggestions, we still have this great scope of action to distance ourselves from our wrong or sinful actions. We can choose between doing right and wrong.
This is not guaranteed under hypnosis, not even when we come out of the state of hypnotism. Hypnosis, like brainwashing, should not be acceptable to a Christian. The similarities that hypnosis has with our normal state are attention and suggestion, but not hypnotism, just as persuasion is not brainwashing. Attention and suggestion may be part of hypnosis, but the whole is not equal to the parts. The argument that hypnotherapy is a means to a good end is misleading because, according to Christian understanding, the end does not justify the means.
As Christians we should be aware, especially in our times which sail under the flag of New Age, that all kinds of methods of changing consciousness have been spread among the people and have found acceptance among some strata of society; but this does not mean that they are also acceptable from a Christian point of view. No matter in what form they are offered, they all bear the danger of luring us away from God's law, His love and our final salvation.
Finally, we must point to dangers that stem from man's surrender to spiritual passivity. This is a state not unlike "empty meditation". We need to know what natural science teaches: nowhere in nature does a vacuum remain unfilled for long, but it fills up with what surrounds it. This means that a spiritually passive person is wide open to what comes at him or her from outside. And if we take note of what Jesus teaches in Lk 11:25, it is evil powers that are "entering". Once we have given up the steering wheel of our will, we become vulnerable to evil influences, be they human or occult. This is especially true when we are in a state of heightened suggestibility and distorted perception of reality.
Dennis and Rita Bennet warn against the use of hypnosis in their book "The Holy Spirit and You". They quote the case of a teenager, a girl whose behaviour changed dramatically after being exposed to "innocent" hypnosis. They say, "It is a fact that hypnosis also puts the psyche into a passive-receptive state, and therefore, even if the hypnotist does not intend it, opens the door of the soul to sickening spiritual influences which entail years of burden."
In many cases, demonic influences may not be apparent in all clarity. But the mind has grown weary in its constant effort to discern the truth. There may indeed be an opening into realms of deception.
For some Christians, hypnotherapy has the attribute of being scientific and medical, although proof of its validity or the permanence of its results is truly lacking. Since, on the one hand, there are so many unanswered questions regarding the nature of hypnosis and its medical benefits, and since, on the other hand, its use involves many dangers, Christians are well advised to keep their hands off hypnosis or hypnotherapy altogether.