Self-hypnosis
Self-hypnosis or auto-hypnosis is a form, a process, or the result of a self-induced hypnotic state.
Frequently, self-hypnosis is used as a vehicle to enhance the efficacy of self-suggestion; and, in such cases, the subject "plays the dual role of suggester and suggestee".
The nature of the auto-suggestive practice may be, at one extreme, "concentrative", wherein "all attention is so totally focused on that everything else is kept out of awareness" and, at the other, "inclusive", wherein subjects "allow all kinds of thoughts, emotions, memories, and the like to drift into their consciousness".
Typological distinctions
From their extensive investigations, Erika Fromm and Stephen Kahn identified significant and distinctive differences between the application of the wide variety of practices that lie within the domain commonly, equivocally, and ambiguously identified as "self-hypnosis". Based upon their distinctions, "self-hypnosis" practices can be separated into, at least, thirteen different types:| Hypnotist: present, or absent? | Motivation | "Hypnosis" | Suggestion involved? | Source of Suggestions | |
| 1 | Present | hypnotist-induced self-hypnosis | "laboratory-" or "clinically defined" | No | ——— |
| 2 | Present | hypnotist-induced self-hypnosis | "laboratory-" or "clinically defined" | Yes | Experimenter-initiated or clinician- initiated suggestions |
| 3 | Present | hypnotist-induced self-hypnosis | "laboratory-" or "clinically defined" | Yes | Subject's "self-initiated suggestions" and/or "self-directed responses" |
| 4 | Present | self-motivated self-hypnosis | "laboratory-" or "clinically defined" | No | ——— |
| 5 | Present | self-motivated self-hypnosis | "laboratory-" or "clinically defined" | Yes | Experimenter-initiated or clinician- initiated suggestions |
| 6 | Present | self-motivated self-hypnosis | "laboratory-" or "clinically defined" | Yes | Subject's "self-initiated suggestions" and/or "self-directed responses" |
| 7 | Absent | self-motivated self-hypnosis | "laboratory-" or "clinically defined" | No | ——— |
| 8 | Absent | self-motivated self-hypnosis | "laboratory-" or "clinically defined" | Yes | Experimenter-initiated or clinician- initiated suggestions |
| 9 | Absent | self-motivated self-hypnosis | "laboratory-" or "clinically defined" | Yes | Subject's "self-initiated suggestions" and/or "self-directed responses" |
| 10 | Absent | self-motivated self-hypnosis | "laboratory-" or "clinically defined" | Yes | Subject uses suggestions, affirmations, mantras, etc. taken from self-help books |
| 11 | n/a | self-motivated hypnosis | "self-defined" | No | ——— |
| 12 | n/a | self-motivated hypnosis | "self-defined" | Yes | Subject's "self-initiated suggestions" and/or "self-directed responses" |
| 13 | n/a | self-motivated hypnosis | "self-defined" | Yes | Subject uses suggestions, affirmations, mantras, etc. taken from self-help books |
History
James Braid
The English term "hypnotism" was introduced in 1841 by the Scottish physician and surgeon James Braid. According to Braid, he first employed "self-hypnotism" two years after discovering hypnotism, first teaching it to his clients before employing it on himself:In a later work, Observations on Trance or Human Hybernation, Braid provides probably the first account of self-hypnosis by someone using hypnotism upon themselves:
Émile Coué
was one of the most influential figures in the subsequent development of self-hypnosis. His method of "conscious autosuggestion" became an internationally renowned self-help system at the start of the 20th century. Although Coué distanced himself from the concept of "hypnosis", he sometimes referred to what he was doing as self-hypnosis, as did his followers such as Charles Baudouin. Modern hypnotherapists regard Coué as part of their own field.Autogenic training
is a relaxation technique developed by the German psychiatrist Johannes Schultz and first published in 1932. Schultz based his approach on the work of the German hypnotist Oskar Vogt. The technique involves a step-by-step progression that begins from physiological conditioning, such as muscle relaxation, breathing control and heart rate control. Then it advances to psychic conditioning through mental imagery, acoustic therapy, etc.Steps commonly used for self-hypnosis
Self-hypnosis requires four distinct steps.- Motivation. Without proper motivation, an individual will find it very difficult to practice self-hypnosis.
- Relaxation. The individual must be thoroughly relaxed and must set aside time to perform this act. Additionally, distractions should be eliminated as full attention is needed.
- Concentration. The individual needs to concentrate completely as progress is made each time the mind focuses on a single image.
- Directing. This is an option used only when the individual wants to work on a specific goal. The individual must direct their concentration on visualizing the desired result.
Uses
Hypnosis may help pain management, anxiety, depression, sleep disorders, obesity, asthma, and skin conditions. When this practice is mastered, it can improve concentration, recall, enhance problem solving, alleviate headaches and even improve one's control of emotions.
Pain
Fromm & Kaplan observe that the value, significance, and importance of self-hypnosis is not just that it promotes relaxation, relieves tension and anxiety, and reduces the level of physical pain and suffering, but also that, in teaching patients self-hypnosis, clinicians sensibly recognize that they can't be with their patients at all times—especially, at those times when they are in pain—and, through that process of teaching self-hypnosis, they actively provide their patients with a 24-hours-a-day-available "tool by means of which they can learn to control and master it, or at least be able to live with reduced pain".Self-hypnosis and stress
Patients who are stressed and/or lack self-esteem can be taught self-hypnosis techniques which can induce relaxation and/or strengthen their self-esteem. Specifically, once the patient is in a self-hypnotic state the therapist can communicate messages to the patient, allowing the relaxation and strengthening process to occur.Often, when teaching self-hypnosis, a subject is taught a specific "trigger word" to facilitate the rapid induction of the hypnotic state. Also, a phrase might be taught to the subject for them to repeat to themselves when in self-hypnosis.
In addition, since stress prevents well-functioning of the immune system, researchers from the Ohio State University came to a conclusion that self hypnosis to prevent stress can also help in protecting the immune system against the negative effects of it. They proved this by showing that students who performed self-hypnosis during stressful exam weeks showed a stronger immune system when compared to those who did not learn self-hypnosis.
Childbirth anesthesia
Self-hypnosis can help women who are in labor to alleviate their pain. Joseph DeLee, an obstetrician, stated in the early 20th century that hypnosis was the only risk-free childbirth anesthetic. Common self-hypnotic techniques include:- Glove anesthesia: Pretending the hand is numb and placing it upon a painful region to remove the sensation there.
- Time distortion: Perceiving periods of time accompanied by pain as shorter in length and those free of pain as longer lasting.
- Imaginative transformation: Viewing the pain as a non-threatening, acceptable sensation that causes no trouble.
Other uses