Hypnosis

Hypnosis: Myth and Reality

In 1843, James Braid, a Scottish physician who has been called the father of modern hypnotism, coined the term hypnosis from the Greek word hypnos, meaning to sleep. This was later determined to be an unfortunate term, as the state now described as hypnosis does not involve sleep. In fact, Braid later tried to change the term to “neurynology” or “monoideism”; however, the original term had already taken root. Braid first became involved with the practice of mesmerism, named for Franz Anton Mesmer, a German physician of the late eighteenth and early nineteenth century. Mesmer claimed the ability to cure or control many biological and psychological disorders. By most accounts, however, he was more charlatan than scientist, and was reported to have based much of his work on ideas that were plagiarized from an English physician, Dr. Richard Mead. Interestingly, Mead's writings were derived from the research of one of his patients—none other than Sir Isaac Newton.

Through the years, much has been written about [Page 867]hypnosis, primarily as it relates to the work of physicians and psychologists; however, the extravagant and often frivolous claims offered by early practitioners continue to cloud the credibility of this practice. Misconceptions about hypnosis abound, and the continuing exploits of stage hypnotists and other entertainers have done little to clear the waters. As a result, the adoption of hypnosis techniques in the criminal forensic arena met with some difficulty. There were cases using hypnosis in criminal investigations going back hundreds of years, but the investigative use of hypnosis became more popular in the United States in the early 1970s.

The actual hypnotic experience can be somewhat different for each individual, making a strict definition of it elusive. Hypnosis is not sleep; this is probably one of the most common myths regarding hypnosis. Stage hypnotists' use of statements such as, “You are getting sleepy,” and their repetition of the word “sleep,” are carryovers from the nineteenth century. Actually, the hypnotized subject is not asleep, as that would clearly preclude asking questions. The depth or level of this state can be quite different for each person. A deep state of hypnosis has been described by some as similar to the twilight time either right before one falls asleep or right before one fully awakes in the morning. Many people have experienced what has been termed “highway hypnosis”: a person may occasionally arrive at a point in traveling down a highway where the person suddenly realizes that he or she does not recall recent events in the drive. Clearly, the person was operating a vehicle and was not asleep, but the person's attentive state was altered. It is most likely the case that the person was processing some event or thought that took conscious precedence over the routine of driving.

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