Applications of Hypnosis

Research on altered states of consciousness has led to many benefits. The
analgesic properties of hypnosis were verified in research conducted by Ernest
Hilgard at Stanford University. He found that hypnotic suggestion
could be used to reduce or eliminate experimentally induced pain. Even
though subjects were not consciously aware of the pain, Hilgard found that,
with the right questions, he could uncover a “hidden observer,” a dissociated
aspect of the subject’s conscious awareness that did monitor the feelings
of pain. Hilgard reports that hypnotic relief from pain has been reported
for the chronic pain of arthritis, nerve damage, migraine headaches,
and cancer. For individuals who are unable to be anesthetized because of allergic
reactions or fear of needles, hypnosis is often used as an effective substitute
for the control of pain. It has been effectively applied in cases involving
dental work, childbirth, burns, abdominal surgery, and spinal taps.
Hypnotic suggestion has also been effective in reducing the nausea associated
with cancer chemotherapy.

The use of hypnosis to recover forgotten memories is much more controversial.
One dramatic phenomenon displayed with certain hypnotic subjects
is age regression, in which the individual not only is able to recall vividly
childhood memories but also seems to reenact behaviors from childhood,
including body postures, voice, and handwriting characteristics of a given
age. There is no way of knowing, however, whether this represents true recall
or is simply a type of fantasy and role playing. Hypnosis has also been
used to enhance the memories of crime witnesses in court proceedings.
There is evidence, however, that actual recall does not become more accurate
and that the witness may be unintentionally influenced by the suggestions
of the hypnotist, which could lead to inaccuracies and distortions in
the “remembered” events. For this reason, courts in many states automatically
disqualify testimony obtained by means of hypnosis.