Hypnosis

A subject that is guaranteed to create controversy in a conversation, hypnosis even has the scientists arguing over if it can be proven or not. Many people swear they've been cured of various addictions or helped in some way by hypnosis. Others say it's a total waste of money that only benefits the people running the scams. Defined by dictionaries as "a type of trance state resembling sleep induced by someone who is apparently readily obeyed by a subject", seen by some as a kind of mind control, it scares us and fascinates us at the same time. Although there are many different theories of what it is, if it works and if so how, let's just look at the basic, broadly recognised viewpoints.

The Scientific view

Through subjects completing various tests and exercises (including the well documented Stroop test) it has been shown that people's brains react differently under hypnosis. Greater activity occurs whilst in a hypnotised state in the left side of the prefrontal cortex and also in the anterior cingulated gyrus, these area's functions include response to errors, evaluation of behaviour and emotional outcomes. In other words and very basically, under hypnosis we react subconsciously instead of consciously.

The Role Playing theory

One theory suggests that hypnosis is in fact just illusion, a complicated type of role playing and social interaction based on the relationship between the hypnotist and subject. This could act on our deeper sensibilities and could suggest why some people seem easier to hypnotise than others.

A form of partial sleep

Many pro-hypnosis supporters say that hypnotism is in fact a form of pre-sleep, similar to meditation. They say we perform a type of self hypnosis when we watch the television or drive long distances on straight roads; that type of trance where you're watching something without consciously taking it in.

The scientific view goes some way to uphold the therapeutic side of hypnosis. Used as a way to change your behaviour and attitude, this has been helpful to many people when it comes to stopping smoking, losing weight, fighting alcohol addiction and other things such as anger management and insomnia.

The role playing theory seems to share many similarities with the stage hypnotist. Apparently picking unknown strangers from the audience to act as subjects in front of the audience, he asserts his power over the subject and appears to effortlessly persuade the subject to engage in behaviour that is completely out of context or abnormal. Acting out roles or situations onstage or simply following instructions from the hypnotist, the subject seems totally unaware of what is happening sometimes. This could just be harmless fun or it could be seen as a type of mind control or power over the individual that some find frightening or stimulating.

Regarding the sleep/meditation theory, many renowned and respected hypnosis associations and colleges claim that using their audio tapes to relax to or even go to sleep with can help you in many ways. By changing the way you perceive yourself and others you can boost your confidence, control stress levels, learn languages, become more feminine and improve your concentration and creativity.

Whether you believe or disbelieve, consider it good or bad, hypnosis is here to stay and seems to be affecting more and more of us in our daily lives.

Have you tried it yet?