The Uses of Hypnosis

When people hear about the word hypnosis, they usually suggest the image of a tall, mystical, evil figure with a potent glare that can control another person. Some people think itЎ¦s just magic or trick. Some movies show a hypnotized person can recall some forgotten memories in their past. Some people even said hypnosis helped them recall their alien abduction experience. What exactly hypnosis is? Hypnosis is a procedure in which a practitioner suggests changes in the sensations, perceptions, thoughts, feelings, or behavior of the subject (Wade 171). Hypnosis is not magic or fiction. In fact, it is normal ability of every people. However, there are still no explanations why people will fall into hypnosis. In the paper, I will tell you what are the functions of hypnosis, who can be hypnotized, some peopleЎ¦s misunderstanding, and how to choose a hypnotist. I want to state that hypnosis can heal some medical and psychological problems, such as pain reduction, quit smoking, etc.

Who can be hypnotized? Many people think they canЎ¦t, because being

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hypnotized make them feel they are stupid or weak-willed. However, research show that only intelligent, concentrate, focus and imaginative people are more like be hypnotized (Psychology Today, January/February 2001 60). There are only very few of people that absolutely can be hypnotized. Otherwise, almost all people can be hypnotized-the only question is how far. Some people can fall to the highest level of hypnosis after being hypnotized, but some people need much more time to deeper level. It really depends on the person.

After, thatЎ¦s talk about the functions of hypnosis. Many people think hypnosis can recall some forgotten memories. There was a kidnapping case in 1976. A student was kidnapped in Chowchilla, California. The bus driver can recall the license plate number of the kidnapperЎ¦s car under hypnosis (Wade 172). However, many studies show that hypnotized people have been completely mistaken of the memories. Moreover, a study at Ohio State UniversityЎ¦s Lima campus, 28% of subjects who being hypnotized were induced by a researcher to develop false memories about recent incidents in their lives(USA Today,1998). People are more likely to make up some stories during hypnosis and the hypnotist easily influences peopleЎ¦s memories. And we can conclude that we can not rely on peopleЎ¦s memories during hypnosis. Hypnosis cannot recall forgotten memories.

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Hypnosis can reduce pain. There are lots of studies sure hypnosis can reduce pain. During World War 2, hypnosis used to reduce the pain of the soldiers who were hurt. Some soldiers even lost their legs. However, they can feel nothing during hypnosis. There are no easy answer how the technique works, but there is a study at the University of Iowa used functional magnetic resonance imaging (FMRI) to find out if hypnosis alters brain activity in a way that might explain pain reduction(Ascribe Health News Service, 2005). Self-hypnosis was largely successful in reduce chronic tension headaches (Psychology Today Jan/Feb, 2001).

Hypnosis can help quit smoking. Many studies show hypnosis can quit smoking. Moreover, men are more likely quit smoking than women. According to Ohio State UniversityЎ¦s