The Very Interesting History of Hypnosis

Never in a million years did I ever think I would be a hypnotherapist. Hypnotherapy had only crossed my radar during graduate school when a stage hypnotherapist visited the university I attended. The show was fun and interesting. And that was that until just over a year ago when I stumbled across hypnotherapy while researching alternative healing modalities.

This research into alternative modalities was prompted after reading multiple articles that report there is a large percentage of clients who drop out of or don’t complete regular mental health therapy treatment programs. I was and am concerned about those clients and wanted to find ways to help them. Here is where hypnosis enters. I discovered there is much more to hypnosis than I had originally thought.

Despite the extensive research and widespread clinical application of hypnosis, there are still many myths and misconceptions surrounding it. Unfortunately, the stigma of being a mystical or esoteric practice can deter people from exploring its potential benefits. Things are beginning to change, however. And change, like in so many other arenas, begins with knowledge.

The truth is that hypnosis has been utilized in the United States for well over a century and was even embraced by early pioneers of psychology such as Sigmund Freud, Pierre Janet, and Alfred Binet. And, in reality, the practice of hypnosis, in one form or another, goes back even further, way, way back.

A Long, Long, Long Time Ago

My research into the fascinating world of hypnosis took me all the way back to ancient times. In particular, I stumbled upon an article written by John Mongiovi that contained a wealth of information. Mr. Mongiovi located an Egyptian papyrus (Pap. A. Nr. 65) dating back to the 3rd century C.E., which detailed a technique for inducing visions using various methods known to induce hypnosis: fixation of the eyes and a combination of auditory and physical stimulation. Who knew?

Located in the ancient city of Saqqara in Greece, the Temple of Imhotep held great significance as a healing center during the late 3rd Century BCE. One of its most notable methods was known as "temple sleep," during which those seeking a cure sent from the gods would make a pilgrimage to the temple to experience this state of sleep and heal.

Moving forward in ancient Greece, during the sixth century B.C.E., the Cult of Asclepius, dedicated to the God of medicine and healing, became immensely popular. Many temples were erected in his name, and visitors would fall into a trance-like sleep called encopresis within these structures. Under priest-physicians' guidance, they would have healing dreams while in this sleep state.

Moving on to Italy. Velia, Italy, has inscriptions referencing a long-standing tradition of healers dating back to 500 B.C.E., known as "Pholarchos." These individuals were responsible for patients' health, and they would rest in designated healing caves and enter a restful state conducive to having healing dreams or visions.

Moving into the Dark Ages (1100-1453ish)

During the Dark Ages, many kings and queens of France and England were believed to have a healing “Royal Touch.” This touch was especially used to treat tuberculosis or scrofula (the King's Evil). This "Royal Touch" went in and out of favor until as recently as approximately 1825.

Moving Forward Even More

In the 16th century, Paracelsus, a physician from Switzerland, was the first to use magnets in medical treatments instead of relying on divine intervention. This method continued to be used into the 18th century when Maximillian Hell, a Jesuit priest and Royal Astronomer in Vienna, became known for using magnetized steel plates to heal patients.

One of Paracelsus' students was Franz Mesmer, an Austrian physician who made "mesmerize" a well-known term. Mesmer had great faith in the mystical elements of Western medicine, such as how astronomy and magnets could impact human well-being.

During a magnetic treatment session with a female patient in 1774, Mesmer experienced the sensation of a fluid moving through her body and believed it to be influenced by his own will. This inspired him to name the fluid and its manipulation "Animal Magnetism." He developed a complex theory about its impact on overall health. According to Mesmer, every person possessed this magnetic fluid, which flowed through channels in their body. He believed that blockages in this flow could lead to physical or emotional ailments. Additionally, he theorized that some people had a stronger innate ability to manipulate this fluid than others.

The practice of mesmerism evolved into a form more akin to modern hypnosis under the guidance of one of Dr. Mesmer's followers, the Marquis de Puysegur, a member of the French aristocracy. The story of his session with a peasant named Victor is considered the earliest example of using mesmerism to impact an individual's mood or mental state positively.

As the Marquis considered what had transpired, he noticed a correlation between Victor's behavior and sleepwalking. This led him to coin the term "Artificial Somnambulism," which is still used today. While somnambulism typically refers to sleepwalking, it can also describe someone who is highly susceptible to hypnosis. This person is often called a somnambulist.

Even though Mesmer's ideas on the workings of animal magnetism were eventually disproven, many early practitioners of Mesmerism persisted in their own beliefs and methods well into the 19th century. One who took up the study and practice of hypnosis was Abbe Faria.

In 1813, a priest named Abbe Faria, originally from India and Portugal, researched hypnosis in India before returning to Paris to continue his studies under Puysegur. While many believed that the hypnotist's abilities or magnetic forces induced trance and healing, Faria proposed a different explanation. He proposed that these phenomena were actually produced within the subject's own mind. His findings were published in his book, "On the Cause of Lucid Sleep."

Fun Fact

This work was written near the end of Abbe Faria's life, and his journey to that point is like a story itself. Faria inspired a character in Alexandre Dumas's famous novel The Count of Monte Cristo, which shares the same name. However, unlike the fictional version, Faria did not pass away while imprisoned; instead, he completed his sentence and relocated to Paris. It was there that he developed a strong interest in Mesmerism.

Moving on…

Faria's approach to hypnosis laid the foundation for the French psychotherapy school, known as the Nancy School or the School of Suggestion, which focused on hypnosis. This school believed hypnosis was a natural result of suggestion rather than being connected to magnetism. Ambroise-Auguste Liebeault, a rural doctor known as the "father of modern hypnotherapy," founded the Nancy School and rejected magnetism theories in favor of a psychological explanation for hypnosis. He noticed similarities between sleep and trance states and saw hypnosis as an achievable state through suggestion.

In 1866, Liebeault's book, "Sleep and its Analogous States," was published. His work and success in curing patients caught the attention of Hippolyte Bernheim, a prominent physician of the time. At first skeptical, Bernheim eventually visited Liebeault's clinic and was amazed by what he saw. He even gave up his career in internal medicine to become a hypnotherapist influenced by Liebeault's ideas on suggestion. With Bernheim's book "Suggestive Therapeutics," hypnosis became recognized as a real scientific practice. Today, Liebeault and Bernheim are credited as pioneers in modern psychotherapy, and their belief that hypnosis is a form of suggestion remains prevalent.

Hypnosis Begins to Gain Credibility

As hypnosis was being extensively studied for its psychological effects, several doctors began exploring its potential use in anesthesia. The first recorded instance of using hypnosis as an anesthetic during surgery occurred on April 12, 1829, in Paris, when Dr. Jules Cloquet collaborated with a local mesmerist named Chaplain to operate on a female patient with breast cancer. In 1821, Récamier also successfully performed a major operation using hypnosis for anesthesia. Later, in 1834, British surgeon John Elliotson, known for introducing the stethoscope to England, reported multiple painless surgeries achieved through hypnosis. Scottish surgeon James Esdaile further popularized the use of hypnosis in surgery by performing over 2,000 minor and 345 major operations utilizing this technique in the 1840s and 1850s.

Another Scottish doctor, James Braid, is known as the founding father of modern hypnosis. In 1841, he coined the term "neuro-hypnotism" (nervous sleep), which later evolved into "hypnotism" and "hypnosis." Braid was initially skeptical of mesmerism and became a pioneer in suggesting that hypnosis was a psychological phenomenon. He is also considered a pioneer in the field of psychosomatic medicine. In 1847, he introduced the idea of "monoideism" (focusing on one idea) to explain hypnosis. Still, by then, the term "hypnosis" had already been established by the Nancy School and remains in use today.

Other Notable Figures in Hypnosis

Some psychology pioneers studied hypnosis in both the Nancy and Paris Schools. Pierre Janet (1859-1947), who developed theories of unconscious processes, dissociation, and traumatic memory, studied hypnosis with both Bernheim in Nancy and the rival school of Charcot in Paris. Sigmund Freud also studied hypnosis with Charcot and later observed Bernheim and Liebeault. Freud began practicing hypnosis in 1887, and hypnosis was crucial to his invention of psychoanalysis.

Sigmund Freud

In 1885, a young Sigmund Freud became a Charcot's Salpetriere School student, drawn in by his fascination with neurology. However, as he completed his studies, his focus shifted towards psychology. He began to explore Hypnosis at the Nancy School, broadening his understanding of the subject. Building on Breuer's core theory and practice of psychoanalysis, Freud further developed this technique. In the early stages of his private practice, he used Hypnosis with many patients, preferring a dominant and paternalistic approach. But as he continued to refine psychoanalysis and introduce free association, he eventually rejected traditional Hypnosis for its inability to break through client resistance and provide only temporary results effectively. Due to Freud's influential role in establishing psychology as an academic field, Hypnosis is not commonly taught at universities even today. However, despite Freud's rejection, hypnosis gained wider acceptance at the turn of the century, including recognition from organizations like the British Medical Association in 1892.

Josef Breuer

Before studying under Charcot, Josef Breuer introduced Sigmund Freud to Hypnosis several years beforehand. This was during their collaboration together; and eventually they became colleagues. During this time, Breuer was helping a young woman who was suffering from hysteria. The onset of her symptoms began after her father was diagnosed with a terminal illness, but it worsened greatly after his passing.

Emile Coué

Born in 1857, Coué was the proprietor of a pharmacy in a quaint French town. He became intrigued by the power of placebos and positive suggestions. He noted how quickly patients seemed to heal when he praised a medication and left a positive note about the dosage. His interest was piqued further when he learned about the Nancy School's theories on suggestive therapeutics, leading him to seek instruction from Liebeault and Bernheim in 1901. He eventually started offering supplemental Hypnosis sessions to his pharmaceutical clients.

After practicing traditional Hypnosis for several years, Coué began to believe that the clients' suggestions were more powerful and had longer-lasting effects. This led him to become one of the pioneers of self-hypnosis, or as he called it, "conscious autosuggestion." His commonly used affirmation for self-improvement became "Every day, in every way, I am getting better and better," which is still used today. In 1922, he published a book titled "Self-Mastery Through Conscious Autosuggestion."

The 1900s up to the 20th Century

During the 1800s, America was fascinated with metaphysical, psychic, and spiritual phenomena. This led to various forms of spiritual healing and mental healing movements. Hypnosis was already a well-known practice, so it often played a role in these methods.

While hypnosis often fell into the realm of entertainment, scientists and academics continued to study and explore its potential. In the 20th century, Joseph Jastrow taught hypnosis at the University of Wisconsin, and his student Clark Hull became a renowned experimental psychologist at Yale University who made significant contributions to the research on hypnosis. Despite its use in tent shows and spiritual healing, hypnosis remained a subject of scientific investigation.

In 1933, Hull's publication "Hypnosis and Suggestibility" gained attention as the first comprehensive examination of hypnosis through the standards of modern experimental psychology. Following this, Ernest Hilgard and Andre Weitzenhoffer conducted significant research on the subject at Stanford University. Hypnosis continued to receive scientific recognition when it was used during World Wars I and II, as well as the Korean Conflict, for prompt treatment of injuries and trauma. It has been endorsed by major medical and psychological organizations in America, Great Britain, and Canada and has remained a topic of rigorous scientific study.

The 20th century saw the rise of many prominent figures in the field of hypnosis. Dave Elman, a popular performer and proponent of rapid induction techniques, trained numerous medical professionals in his methods. Milton Erickson, an American psychiatrist and psychologist, significantly impacted the field by believing that the unconscious mind is always receptive to suggestions. This led to the development of indirect methods such as subliminal suggestion and neurolinguistic programming (NLP).

Hypnosis in the Present Day

Today, hypnosis remains a prominent presence in various societies and cultures around the globe. Its use has expanded and continues to grow in its validity and practice. In fact, both the American Psychological Association and the American Medical Association have recognized hypnotherapy as a legitimate procedure since 1958, while the National Institutes of Health (NIH) has endorsed it as an effective treatment for chronic pain since 1995.

Sources

George J. Kappas, MA, LMFT, is the Director of the Hypnosis Motivation Institute (HMI) Accredited College and Clinic of Hypnotherapy located in Tarzana, CA, U.S.A.

John Melton, CHt, is a Certified Hypnotherapist and Instructor at HMI’s College of Hypnotherapy with over a decade of experience.

Clayton Campbell, CHt, is an Anthropology Graduate student at Columbia University.

Monogiovi, John Ct, is a board-certified hypnotist and Certified Instructor of Hypnotism with a hypnotherapy practice in New Youk, New Youk, USA.

Bryan, Cyril P. The Papyrus Ebers. Geoffrey Bles, 1930. p. xix.3. Kingsley, Peter. In the Dark Places of Wisdom. Golden Sufi Center, 2004. p. 78-80.

Griffith, Francis Ll, and Herbert Thompson. The Demotic Magical Papyrus of London and Leiden. Clarendon Press, 1921. p. 113“

Kingsley, Peter. In the Dark Places of Wisdom. Golden Sufi Center, 2004. p. 78-80.