Could Hypnosis be a Useful Tool for the Police - Essay Example

Could Hypnosis be a Useful Tool for the Police? al Affiliation Could Hypnosis be a Useful Tool for the Police? Introduction James Braid, who was a surgeon coined the term hypnotism, an abbreviation for neuro-sleep or neuro-hypnotism was established by a surgeon known as James Braid. The term hypnosis comes from the Greek language and was taked from the word Hypnos meaning sleep. The originator of the term stated that hypnosis is different from regular sleep and defined because it is related to the nervous system. As such, the condition is motivated by an abstract and fixed attention of the visual and mental focus on an object of interest (Gezundhajt, 2007). Braid refined the definition later on stating that it involved the the induction of a habit that comes about from mental focus where the power of the mind is focused on a single object. Hypnosis was also used in primitive cultures as an aspect of cure and also social change in society where individual were trained to focus on a single most important issue. It is widely known that witchdoctors and priests for a long time used hypnosis to train the conscious part of the mind for people who seek their services. In many societies, witchcraft or other practises where hypnosis was used involved chanting of rhythmic beating of drums superimposed on a ritual. From the above, it can be clearly stated that hypnosis is real and brings about healing but requires more research into it (Gezundhajt, 2007). Historically, hypnosis has been used by ancient people in temples and shrines with the belief that it induced sleep or healing to patients. For instance, Hippocrates heavily emphasized on the essence of harmony between mind and body and hence described the body as a seat of emotion highlighting an aspect of hypnosis. The bible can also be stated to have included aspects of hypnosis. In the past, medicine relied on remedies, and folklore and had little scientific basis meaning that hypnosis was at the centre of both. In the development of the hypnosis, Romans such as Paracelsus emphasized that heavenly pressures had an effect on diseases and people’s ability to heal through a universal magnetic field (Fromm & Nash, 1992). In 1765, a Viennese doctor stated that people had the ability to use the magnetic fluid in their treatment. This made him come up with salons that he used on patients to bring about healing using magnets. During the Great War, Germans used hypnosis to treat the shell shock and it proved to be significant making it possible to bring soldiers to trenches rapidly. A German doctor Schultz also contributed to the understanding of hypnosis by creating a form of hypnosis called autogenic training that contributed to the understanding of the subject. In hypnosis, the patient only responds to the person doing the procedure. The patient ignores all other environmental factors and responds to the things that the hypnotist has introduced (Kirsch, Montgomery & Sapirstein, 1995). The patient’s senses is directed to the directions of the hypnotist only. Patients can also be helped to learn self-hypnosis and be able to administer it themselves for personal healing. One can respond to hypnosis or fail. (Milling, Kirsch, Meunier & Levine, 1992). Other people that have contributed to the understanding of hypnosis include Joe Griffin and Ivan Tyrell who the founders of the humans given approach. They consider hypnosis as an artificial way to access REM where dreams occur when people are asleep. The authors explain that this is the main reason for the fact that people in a post-hypnotic state have different senses because what they focus in is varied. They also observe that hypnosis is preceded by Hypnotic induction (Kirsch, Montgomery & Sapirstein, 1995). Traditionally, hypnosis was considered as a method of putting an individual in a dreaming instance. However, this has been developed further in the current world and includes aspects of consiciousness rather than the unconscious. For instance, the eye fixation technique is an example of a conscious activity that was invented by Braid. Eye fixation approach exists in different ways including the famous induction used in the Stanford Hypnotic Susceptibility Scale for research in the field. However, after further investigations, Braid noted that that this method was less important in the field. The hypnotic induction can be used to explain individuals’ imagination in their daily activities and lives. The fact that hypnosis targets the senses and specifically imagination makes it real. Therefore, the differences between the understanding of hypnosis today and in the past can be made through the hypnotic induction method (Woody, Drugovic & Oakman, 1997). Different stages of hypnotism have been used to show the use of hypnosis including its reality. Braid developed the stages of hypnosis and referred to them as the first and the second conscious stages of hypnotism. However, after seeing that these stages did not represent what he wanted he changed them to sub-hypotonic, full hypnotic and hypnotic comma stages. Jean Martin also contributed to the stages of hypnosis by creating three different ones that he referred to as lethargy, catalepsy, and somnambulism. This was not the end of it because another researcher known as Ambrose introduced more complex stages basing them on a combination of subjective, behavioural and physiological responses. When the Stanford scale of hypnotic susceptibility was introduced in 1959, it introduced 12 items of suggestion to test in hypnosis and was followed by a standardized hypnotic eye-fixation method to be used for induction. Since then, the scales that have been introduced have concentrated on degree of self-evaluated responsiveness. These scales have been used widely and have proved to be significantly efficient and also provide positive results of hypnosis tests. As such, they have been used to clinically test persons with dissociative identity disorder and also individuals with the posttraumatic stress disorder (Braffman & Kirsch, 1999). Hypnotherapy can be referred to as the use of hypnosis in the field of Psychotherapy. Psychologists have used it to treat different conditions especially involving mental health including conditions such as depression, sleeping disorders, eating disorders, anxiety and posttraumatic stress. Hypnotherapists have also used hypnosis to treat smoking and weight management because they are related to mental fixation. Hypnotherapy has proved to be significantly helpful in the treatment of psychological disorders, for instance the ones listed above. It has been combined with cognitive therapies to bring about reliable results. Hypnosis helps in developing confidence, which an important attribute in the healing process in persons with mental conditions, which proves that hypnotherapy is important in mental training (Nogrady, McConkey & Perry, 1985). Modern hypnotherapy has been used in a variety of forms with varying success. These include fears and phobias and clinical hypnosis combined with elements of cognitive behavioural therapy. Others include pain management, relaxation and skin disease. Hypnosis is also effective in the reduction of pain from chronic conditions and cancer (Nash, 1987). Symptoms of incurable diseases and nausea can also be managed by hypnosis. Some practitioners have claimed that hypnosis may also control fatal diseases. It cannot however influence the development of cancer. Other uses in the management of pain include reliving of pain during dental surgery. Researchers have also reported that it can also help patients that have dental pain. Hypnotic methods have been found to be a very fruitfully reduction of anxiety in severe mental patients (Labelle, Laurence, Nadon & Perry, 1990). Hypnosis has been used in a variety of conditions other than mental conditions. For instance, it has been applied in the treatment of skin diseases where success has been realized in treating conditions, such as warts and atopic dermatitis. It has also been helpful when applied with hypnopaedia in the virtual gastric band procedure to train alimentary habits. It has also been applied by nurses in the treatment of symptoms, such as arousal, anxiety and negative behaviors. However, the use of hypnosis in this field is restricted because it can only be used where physicians and nurses have relevant training on the associated clinical side effects. A study conducted on the use of hypnosis to stop smoking showed a success rate of 20 to 30%. Another study done on the use of hypnosis on pulmonary conditions revealed that patients admitted for pulmonary ailments because of smoking used hypnosis to quit the behaviour and had a double chance of success (Bailey, 2009). In conclusion, hypnosis can be referred to as a methd used by clinicians to make suggestions or proposals to people who have undergone a procedure to help them focus their minds on particular things and relax. It dates back to centuries ago and has supporters as well as critics. Nevertheless, it is an important phenomenon. The police cannot use hypnosis as a tool in investigations because it could lead to inconsistencies. In addition, it is not developed for use in such a setting unless further development is made. Despite the fact that its use has been controversial, it is widely accepted that it is powerful and effective technique in therapeutic treatments for conditions, such as pain, anxiety and mood disorders. It has also been proven that it can help people overcome certain behaviours such as smoking or alcoholism. The studies that have been done on the subject and its use in different areas show that hypnosis is real. However, due to the inconsistencies with respect to the information regarding its use, the police cannot depend on it because police work must be accurate and consistent. Hypnosis cannot provide assurance for accuracy and consistency. Therefore, until the two aspects are proven, it is difficult for the police to use it in their work. Some of the areas that have attracted the application of hypnosis include pain management and treatment of skin disorders, nausea and symptoms of incurable diseases and dental surgery among others. Mostly, it has been used clinically showing that its use in security issues, such as police work is not researched and cannot be depended upon until proper researchers are done. References Bailey, G. (2009). Creating trance and hypnosis scripts. Winchester, UK Washington: O Books. Braffman, W. & Kirsch, I. (1999). Imaginative suggestibility and hypnotizability: An empirical analysis. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 77, 578-587. Fromm, E. & Nash, M. (1992). Contemporary hypnosis research. New York: Guilford Press. Hypnotic analgesia Gezundhajt, H. (2007). An evolution of the historical origins of hypnotism prior to the twentieth century: between spirituality and subconscious. Contemporary Hypnosis, 24(4), 178-194. Kirsch, I., Montgomery, G., & Sapirstein, G. (1995). Hypnosis as an adjunct to cognitive- behavioral psychotherapy: A meta-analysis. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 63, 214-220. Labelle, L., Laurence, J.-R., Nadon, R., & Perry, C. (1990). Hypnotisability, preference for an imagic cognitive style, and memory creation in hypnosis. Journal of Abnormal Psychology, 99, 222-228. Milling, L. S., Kirsch, I., Meunier, S. A., & Levine, M. R. (1992). Hypnotic analgesia and stress innoculation training: Individual and combined effects in analog treatment of experimental pain. Cognitive Therapy and Research, 26, 355-371. Nash, M. (1987). What, if anything, is regressed about hypnotic age regression? A review of the empirical literature. Psychological Bulletin, 102, 42-52. Nogrady, H., McConkey, K. M., & Perry, C. (1985). Enhancing visual memory: Trying hypnosis, trying imagination, and trying again. Journal of Abnormal Psychology, 94, 195-204. Woody, E. Z., Drugovic, M., & Oakman, J. M. (1997). A re-examination of the role of non- hypnotic suggestibility in hypnotic responding. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 72, 399-407. Read More