Who is not amenable to hypnosis: susceptibility to hypnotic influence, who is most susceptible, hypnotizability of different categories of people

Hypnosis is often associated with something magical and mysterious, causing fear and mistrust. And this is not surprising, because the first thought that comes to mind is fraudulent hypnosis. In 90% of cases, gypsies use their skills for criminal purposes. However, with the help of hypnotherapy, professionals cure people from psychological and physical illnesses, sometimes even incurable from the point of view of traditional medicine.

Story

Humanity has been familiar with the phenomena of geology since ancient times. Many techniques and means of inducing this state were known to the servants of ancient religions (spellcasters, sorcerers, shamans), who often used them for healing purposes. The first attempt to give a rational interpretation of the phenomena of G. was made by the Viennese doctor Mesmer (FA Mesmer), who presented a report to the French Academy of Sciences in 1774, which contained the rationale for the method of treating patients he practiced by influencing the psyche.

According to Mesmer, an invisible liquid is diffused throughout the universe - “magnetic fluid”; people who are able to accumulate this liquid in themselves pass it on to others and thereby treat their illnesses. The Academy commission, having not discovered such a “fluid,” rejected the treatment. Mesmer's method as allegedly charlatan. In fact, Mesmer’s argumentation was scientifically unsubstantiated, combining the features of a vulgar-materialistic approach to understanding mental phenomena with elements of a mystical worldview (about “gift”, “chosenness”, etc.), but the psychotherapeutic effect it had on patients suffering certain neurotic disorders, was very effective. The beginning of the scientific understanding of G. was laid in 1843 by the English. surgeon J. Braid; He is also the author of the term “hypnosis.” Attention to G. awoke only in the 80s and 90s. 19th century During these years, geology became the topic of work by many outstanding researchers, who soon divided into two schools. Some, following J. Charcot, who headed the Parisian Salpêtrière clinic, attached leading importance in causing G. to sharp physical. irritants (sudden flash of bright light, loud sound of a gong, etc.) and physiol, changes in the body that arise under their influence, considering psychol, G.’s features as secondary, derivative symptoms of this condition. Others adhered to the views of H. Bernheim, a professor at a therapeutic clinic in Nancy, who argued that G. is not some special, independent condition and that all its unusual features are a direct result of the effectiveness of medical suggestion, which is also possible in waking conditions. Domestic scientists V. M. Bekhterev, A. A. Tokarsky and others objected to both, arguing their arguments with references to the data of their own research, which convinced of the significance of both the physiological and psychological aspects of G.

At the beginning of the 20th century. Due to the widespread use of the concept of psychoanalysis abroad (see), interest in G. has decreased significantly. In Russia at the beginning of the 20th century. I.P. Pavlov and his followers conducted experimental research in. n. d. In the course of these works, physiol was created, the concept of sleep as partial in depth and localization of sleep with a focus of wakefulness remaining during it (the so-called sentry point). The presence of this isolated focus ensures selectivity of contact between the hypnotized and the hypnotizing (so-called rapport), which constitutes the main feature of G.

The hypnotic state is induced with the help of special artificial conditions, which are a combination of factors favorable to falling asleep with influences that create and maintain a wakeful guard point, through which verbal suggestion is carried out.

From the end of the 19th century. interest in G. was subject to significant fluctuations. Thus, after international congresses on experimental and therapeutic hypnotism, held in 1889 and 1900. in Paris, followed by a long break. Only in the 50-60s. 20th century this problem is again beginning to attract attention - the III International Congress on Hypnosis and Psychosomatic Medicine was held in 1965 in Paris, IV - in 1967 in Kyoto (Japan), V - in 1969 in Mainz (Germany), VI - in 1973 in Uppsala (Sweden).

How does hypnosis affect a person’s psychological and physiological state?

The trance state is one of the natural states of a person, which does not have a negative effect on the body. Hypnotherapy allows you to overcome phobias, fears, get rid of pain, and reveal your creative abilities. With the help of hypnosis, psychological and somatic diseases are cured and physical fitness is improved.

Patients with increased anxiety in a trance state are asked to imagine a stressful situation, thereby tracking at what stage of events they feel emotional discomfort, after which the session is paused and allowed to relax. This technique allows you to get rid of fears and anxieties and feel a sense of relief.

Hypnotherapy is also used to relieve pain in cancer patients. Hypnosis sessions can significantly improve the condition of patients and ease the body’s response to chemotherapy. Many alternative medicine doctors use hypnotherapy to find the cause of cancer. Having worked and eliminated the true cause of the disease, many patients completely get rid of oncology.

Current state

The search for means to increase the effectiveness of hypnotherapy has revealed that many of its issues are not sufficiently developed. There was a need to revise the understanding of the mechanisms of sleep organization and physiol. mechanisms of G. It turned out that hypnotherapy does not yet have an objective criterion for the moment of the onset of G. The debate about whether G. exists as a special condition has once again revived. Research by Barber (T. X. Barber, 1962) appeared, resurrecting Bernheim's point of view. Orne (M. T. Orne, 1970) believes that it could be overcome by the creation of an experimental situation that would allow, if not to exclude (all such attempts have so far been in vain), then at least to more fully take into account the distortions introduced into experimental data by the factor of suggestion . Weitzenhoffer (A. M. Weitzenhoffer, 1953) and Hilgard (ER Hilgard, 1969) believe that clarification of the issue of G. can be achieved using a new improved research technique. Gill, Brenman (M. Gill, M. Brenman, 1959) and Kubie (LSKubie, 1961) attempted to synthesize psychoanalytic ideas about G. with certain new physiological data (for example, about the role of sensory deprivation). It is believed that a sufficiently satisfactory theory of geometry, capable of covering all its aspects, has not yet been created [Kroger (W. Kroger), 1963; Chertok (L. Chertok), 1972; Langen (D. Langen), 1972].

Soviet researchers (N.A. Aladzhalova, V.E. Rozhnov, S.L. Kamenetsky, 1972) managed, using the method of recording ultra-slow oscillations of brain potentials, to register the moment of abrupt transition of the initial stage of sleeplessness - somnolence - into its deepest stage - somnambulism . In this case, against the background of waves typical for a doubtful state, a strong shift in the potential level suddenly appears in the curve of potential oscillations in one of the leads. Physiol., psychol., and social-psychol., analysis of G.’s development shows that the degree of significance of the impact plays an important role in managing this process. According to a number of researchers (F.V. Bassin, V.E. Rozhnov, etc.), the leading place in the occurrence and course of hypnosis belongs to far from fully realized psychological factors - the nature of the influences emanating from the hypnotizing person, as well as the significant attitudes of the subject (determining his attitude to the social environment, the personality of the hypnotizer, and the process of hypnotization itself). In the deep stage of G., this dominant role of unconscious psychol factors is especially obvious. The unusual nature of such a reaction always seemed paradoxical. However, from the standpoint of the idea of a person as a qualitatively special, social being, such a character of reactions of a hypnotized person to a psychol. influence appears as a completely natural phenomenon. G. is a qualitatively defined psychophysiol. a condition that occurs as a result of the restructuring of the brain to a special mode.

A distinctive feature of sleep as a condition is the strict selectivity of assimilation and processing of received information, which is not characteristic of either sleep or wakefulness.

Who is subject to hypnosis?

As you can see, not all people are hypnotizable. Hypnotizability depends on various factors. Milton Erickson, for example, was convinced that everyone was susceptible to hypnosis, except for infants and severe cases of mental illness. If a person during a session cannot succumb to hypnosis, then this is solely the fault of the hypnotherapist. A necessary tool for inducing trance is increased suggestibility. Since this quality is inherent in everyone to one degree or another, hypnotizability is present in everyone.

But in practice, not everything is so simple. Because people are susceptible to varying degrees, hypnotizing some people may take many attempts, which is not ideal for a hypnotherapy session.

So who is most susceptible to hypnosis? First of all, these are people who know how to concentrate attention on one thought or object. It is easier for them than others to concentrate on the voice of the hypnotist and not be distracted by extraneous thoughts. People with the following qualities also have increased hypnotizability:

mobile, labile psyche;
high level of sympathy, empathy;
rich imagination;
stable psyche.

Many patients experience a deepening of hypnotizability as they attend sessions.

Methodology

Use G. for treatment. purposes is permitted only to the doctor and is regulated by Methodological Letter M3 of the USSR dated 15/III 1957. The doctor must master the art of establishing positive emotional contact with the patient.

To immerse a patient in a hypnotic state, they most often use the method of verbal suggestion (suggestio) - the mental influence of one person on another (or group of people); in honey practice - a doctor on a patient (or a group of patients) with treatment goals. In the process of suggestion, there is a passive perception of new ideas, sensations and actions without criticism from the person being suggested, without any arguments.

During hypnosis, stages of muscle relaxation and mental calm are sequentially instilled, which is subjectively perceived by the hypnotized person as the onset of a dream-like state. Sometimes direct influence on various analyzers is used - visual, auditory, tactile. The hypnotized person is asked to fix his gaze on shiny objects, is exposed to monotonous sounds (the ticking of a clock, the sound of a metronome), and thermal passes are used (passing electric heating devices over the surface of the patient’s face and body).

The doctor conducting hypnosis must be well aware of the nature of the hypnotic state in order to be able to promptly eliminate any deviations from the usual development of the hypnosis: the transition from the hypnosis to natural sleep (see), hysterical hypnosis, spontaneous somnambulism (see) , prolonged lethargy (see). A specialist can eliminate all these complications without any consequences.

To avoid causing harm to the mental health of people, hypnosis for entertainment purposes is not practiced in the USSR.

Various options for hypnotherapy have been proposed - fractional G. according to O. Vogt, long hypnosis-rest (up to 16-18 hours) according to K. I. Platonov, stepped - active G. according to E. Kretschmer and Langen, extended G. (up to 1 ,5-2 hours) and emotional stress G. according to V. E. Rozhnov, narco-hypnosis (G. against the background of premedication with various sleeping pills) in modifications of various authors. There are individual and collective hypnotherapy. The latter was first used by I. V. Vyazemsky (1904), Pratt (Pratt, 1905), V. M. Bekhterev (1911).

The question of dividing G. into stages caused a lot of controversy. It was proposed to divide it into 3,6,9,12 or more stages. The most accepted division of G. into 3 stages: small, medium and deep G. - according to V. M. Bekhterev or the stage of drowsiness, hypotaxia and somnambulism - according to O. Forel. Drowsiness is characterized by slight drowsiness and muscle relaxation; during hypotaxia, spontaneous and inspired catalepsy (the phenomenon of waxy flexibility of joints and muscles) is observed. Somnambulism, the deepest stage of sleep in the proper sense of the word sleep, is characterized by a number of features, among which we should first of all highlight the so-called. sleepwalking (which explains the name of the stage - somnambulism), as well as the possibility of suggesting hallucinatory images, anesthesia, obtaining perverted reactions to presented real stimuli, amnesia of what was experienced during sleepwalking, the possibility of carrying out post-hypnotic suggestions, etc. However, it has been established that even those in deep D. a person is able to resist suggestions that are unacceptable to his personality. Thus, attempts to instill morally unacceptable actions in the hypnotized person led to a sudden exit from the hypnotic state, sometimes even leading to a hysterical attack. This particularly clearly demonstrates the primacy of the importance for a person of moral principles arising from his social essence.

Is all hypnosis the same?

Many types of hypnosis are now used, but in general this phenomenon used in therapy can be divided into several main groups:

The hypnologist influences the patient using permanently repeated stimuli. In everyday life, you may have repeatedly noticed that constant exposure to irritating factors dulls the nervous system and even tires it. This property of the central nervous system is used by hypnotists, who during sessions introduce a state of hypnosis with the help of constant monotonous stroking, repeated speeches, the use of a pendulum, etc.
Exposure using a weak stimulus. The basics of this type of hypnotic influence are identical to the previous one, but in this case an unobtrusive trigger is used. Braid, for example, used the neck of an ordinary glass bottle for this purpose; a slightly flashing light is often used in therapy.
Shock therapy. In this case, on the contrary, a strong stimulus is used. As a result, it is expected that a person will be immersed in a state of hypnosis almost instantly, because the cerebral cortex must enter a state of inhibition. This manifests itself in almost complete physical immobilization and trance. One of the similar manifestations is the Charcot method, in which he used a tambourine to stop attacks of hysteria in patients.
Reorienting the body using metaphors and memories. This method of inducing trance requires extraordinary skill and knowledge of the patient himself. In this case, the hypnologist, with the help of an associative series, changes the body’s orientation towards imagination and fantasy, and suggested images prevail over the unconditional work of the brain.
Ratification involves adapting the hypnologist's actions to the expectations of the subject himself. Echoes of this method of immersion in a trance are used in Ericksonian hypnosis. With this effect, the subject's suggestibility increases, but his hypnotizability does not change or increase.

These are just a few of the basic terms of hypnosis that will help you understand the phenomenon a little better. Therapy with a good specialist is not mysticism or magic, but one of the aspects of psychology that has repeatedly proven its effectiveness in working with the most complex neurotic pathologies and problems. Make an appointment with our therapists for effective help and professional therapy.

Indications

The most effective use of G. is to eliminate hysterical monosymptoms, such as astasia - abasia, amaurosis, surdomutism, analgesia and anesthesia, paralysis, contractures and other similar hysterical sensorimotor and autonomic disorders.

Hypnosis is of great importance for the treatment of psychogenically caused sleep disorders and sexual function, headaches, phobic conditions (cardiophobia and cancerophobia, agoraphobia, thanatophobia, claustrophobia), etc. The use of hypnotherapy, along with medication and other types of treatment, is indicated for peptic ulcers, hypertension, uncontrollable vomiting of pregnant women, with psychogenic disorders of the menstrual cycle and lactation.

Hypnosis brings significant benefits in the clinic of skin diseases in the complex treatment of diseases such as neurodermatitis, urticaria, eczema, psoriasis. G.'s treatment of various drug addictions plays an important role; special importance is attached to the treatment of alcoholism. The collective emotional-stress technique of hypnotherapy for chronic alcoholism, recommended for widespread implementation in practice by the Methodological Letter M3 of the USSR dated June 12, 1975, allows you to quickly (starting from the first session) achieve a pronounced reaction to the suggestion in almost everyone included in the treatment. a group of patients, regardless of the depth of the hypnotic state developing in them. Many years of experience in using G. shows its effectiveness as a means of promoting the formation of an anti-alcohol attitude, combining a psychologically active rejection of drunkenness with an emotionally intense physical activity. aversion to the smell and taste of alcohol.

G. should not be used in isolation from psychotherapeutic influences (conversation with the patient, suggestion while awake, self-hypnosis, occupational therapy), physiotherapy, and the use of resort factors. Often for strengthening to lay down. effect, patients undergoing hypnotherapy are prescribed additional medications. Thus, hypnotherapy, as a rule, is included in the complex to treat. methods. Only with such an integrated approach to G.’s treatment can one expect stable treatment from him. effect.

What is self-hypnosis

Hypnosis seems to us like something supernatural and mysterious. In fact, many people experience self-hypnosis from time to time. Often in transport you can meet a deeply thoughtful person who does not react to external stimuli. Already such moments of “withdrawal” are directly related to self-hypnosis.

As for full-fledged independent trance care, it is used to get rid of fears, phobias, psychological relaxation, and also to find inspiration. Self-hypnosis can be compared to affirmations—the repetition of positive statements. But in the first case, the possibilities are much wider, since those who have mastered self-hypnosis can control the somatic functions of the body.

To learn how to enter a trance state on your own, you need to practice a lot. As a rule, it is impossible to do without the help of a professional. The main thing is to find a real specialist in this field. For training, you can contact, for example, professional hypnologist Nikita Valrievich Baturin. Or gain useful knowledge by watching a video on the YouTube channel/

Contraindications

Hypnotherapy is contraindicated in psychotic states with delusions of hypnotic influence, more often found in patients with schizophrenia, as well as in cases of addiction to G. (so-called hypnomania), which sometimes occurs in hysterical psychopathy.

The significance of hypnosis is not only its therapeutic effect. The hypnotic state opens up opportunities for studying human mental activity, especially for studying the entire diversity of relationships between the conscious and unconscious in the general structure of the mental act. Such studies may be important for the creation of psychological theories of personality. G. is used in pedagogy as a means of correcting incorrect attitudes and habits. Psychology studies the possibilities of using G. in order to increase the reactive abilities of the individual.

What kind of people cannot be hypnotized?

With the help of hypnosis, you can pull out and work out the problem that triggered the development of psychosomatic disorders. But everyone's sensitivity to hypnosis is different. First of all, it is difficult to put people into a trance state who are initially skeptical about a hypnotherapy session. Also not amenable to hypnosis:

people who do not want to be hypnotized and at the time of the session are thinking about extraneous things;
strong-willed people who are energetically stronger than the hypnotist;
possessors of a stable psyche, reasonable and not prone to sentimentality;
persons with special thinking properties, this also includes patients with mental illness and those under the influence of psychotropic substances or alcohol;
children with autism; features of brain development provoke complete self-isolation of the child;
patients with mental retardation or mental retardation;
older people with senile dementia.

Also, those who cannot be hypnotized include people with impaired memory, attention, intelligence and concentration.

Note! Those who are hypnotizable have better concentration and make decisions more easily.