Hypnotism :: essays papers

Hypnotism The Encarta encyclopaedia defines hypnosis as,altered claim ofconsciousness and heightened responsiveness to suggestion it may be inducedby normal persons by a variety of methods and has been employ occasionallyin medical and psychiatric treatment. Most frequently brought or so throughactions of an operator, or hypnotist, who engages the attentionof a subject and assigns indisputable tasks to him or her while uttering monotonous,repetitive verbal commands much(prenominal) tasks may embarrass muscle relaxation, eyefixation, and arm leviation. Hypnosis also may be self-induced, by trainedrelaxation, concentration on ones own breathing, or by a variety of monotonouspractices and rituals that are found in many mystical, philosophical, and spiritual systems. Another frequently reliable source Websters NewUniversal full-length Dictionary defines it as,a sleep like conditionpsychically induced, normally by another person, in which the subject losesconsciousness solely res ponds, with veritable limitations, to the suggestionsof the hypnotist. As I stated earlier, these two sources are veryreputed and the general population believes that they are correct. Yet,however often they may be correct, in this case they are not, or at leastnot completely. non according to the scientific corporation at least. Mysources for this statement are The worldly concern Book Encyclopedia, The Wizardfrom Vienna Franz Anton Mesmer, Applied Hypnosis An Overview, AmericanMedical Journal, and Hypnosis Is It For You? Although they state it indifferent ways they all basically agree that null can give a very accuratedefinition or description of hypnosis, or hypnosis. Although some may getthe definition partially correct, the chances of doing so completely are very,very low. So although I get out probably not be able to give a entirely accurateaccount of hypnosis and its workings, I will try. Although evidence suggeststhat hypnosis has been practiced in some form or anothe r for several thousandyears, such as in coal walking, the earliest recorded history of hypnosisbegins in 1734. It begins with a man named Franz Anton Mesmer. Althoughhe was eventually disavowed by the scientific community because of hisunorthodox methods that made him seem more of a mysticist that a scientist,he is generally known as the father of hypnotism. Mesmer called his methodsMesmerism, thus the word mesmerize, but the name didnt stick, it laterchanged to hypnosis, its name being derived from Hypnos, the Greek godof sleep. He believed that hypnosis was reached by using a persons animalmagnetism. He utilise mesmerism to cure illness. In 1795an English physician named James Braid, who was originally opposed to Mesmersmethods became interested. He believed that cures were not due to animal