The Origin And History Of Hypnosis
Author: Milos Pesic

Hypnosis or hypnotism is a psychological phenomenon of
exceeding interest to both layman and scientist. Its history is
as old as that of the human race, and it has been utilized by
the most primitive of peoples, ancient and modern, in the
practice of religious and medical rites to intensify belief in
mysticism and magic. The striking character of this
psychological manifestation, its inexplicable and bewildering
phenomenology, and the seemingly miraculous results it
produces.together with its long use for the bewilderment of the
observer.have served to surround it with an aura of the
supernatural and the unreal. As a consequence, the attitude of
the general public toward this phenomenon, now scientifically
established, has been, and too often still is, one of
superstitious awe, misunderstanding, incredulity, antagonism,
and actual hostility and fear. This attitude is perpetuated by
the exploitation of hypnosis by the charlatan and the stage
performer and the well-intentioned but mistaken and inadequate
utilization by inexperienced experimenters and medical men.

The scientific history of hypnosis began about 1775 with Anton
Mesmer, whose name is still attached to it, but unfortunately,
even this scientific beginning was founded on a mystical belief
that it was constituted of a peculiar cosmic fluid with healing
properties. Mesmer.s use of hypnosis began with his discovery
that suggestion in various forms could be used to induce a
condition resembling sleep in certain types of patients, and
that, in this state, therapeutic suggestions could be given to
alleviate and even remedy their complaints and symptoms.
Unfortunately, Mesmer failed to recognize the purely
psychological character of his discovery and attributed it to a
cosmic force he termed .animal magnetism.. Although Mesmer
successfully treated large numbers of patients on whom orthodox
medical procedures had failed, he fell into disrepute because of
the mysticism with which he surrounded his therapy.
Nevertheless, his discovery and utilization of it served to lay
a foundation for the therapeutic use of hypnosis and for a
recognition of the validity of psychotherapy as a medical
procedure.

Since Mesmer's time there has been a succession of scientific
men, chiefly medical, who have contributed greatly to its
scientific growth. Elliotson, the first British physician to use
a stethoscope, used hypnosis effectively about 1817 in his
medical practice and published extensively on its suitability
for certain types of patients. Esdaile, through Elliotson's
writings, became so interested that he succeeded in having a
government hospital built in India primarily for the use of
hypnosis, where he extended its use to all types of patients,
especially surgical.

In 1841 James Braid, an English physician who bitterly opposed
.mesmerism,. was induced to make a physical examination of a
mesmerized subject. He recognized both the validity of the
phenomenon and its psychological character, with the result that
he coined the terms hypnosis and hypnotism and initiated the
first scientific studies of hypnosis as a psychological
condition of extensive medical and scientific significance.
Since then, clinicians first and psychologists later, among them
many outstanding scientists, have contributed increasingly to a
better understanding and utilization of hypnosis as a scientific
tool and as a medical procedure of immense value for certain
types of patients. Particularly has interest been developing
rapidly during the last 25 years among psychiatrists and
psychologists. During the last 15 years there has been an
increasing wealth of publications dealing with the effective use
of hypnosis in the fields of psychiatry and experimental
psychology.

Regrettably, however, there is still a persistence of outmoded
ideas and concepts of hypnosis which vitiate experimental
studies and therapeutic efforts. For example, some psychologists
are still publishing studies based upon techniques and
psychological concepts belonging to the 19th century, and some
medical men still employ it for direct symptom relief rather
than as an educative procedure for the correction of personality
disorders.

As yet the scientific study of hypnosis is still in its infancy
despite the development of a healthy, intense interest in it as
a scientific problem of merit. There is still lacking an
adequate general appreciation of the need to integrate hypnotic
studies with our presentday concepts and understandings of
personality, of inter- and intrapersonal relationships, and
psychosomatic interrelationships and interdependencies.


About The Author: Milos Pesic is a professional hypnotist and
owner of highly comprehensive and popular Hypnosis and NLP web
site. Visit now for more articles and resources on hypnosis and
NLP related topics. http://hypnosisandbeyond.com/
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