Hypnosis History – As Old as the Human Race!

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The religious and healing ceremonies of primitive people used monotonous drums, chanting, and eye fixation to create inductions.

In the 18th century, Father Gassner used hypnosis to cast out devils by using a gold crucifix. He told his subjects they would fall on the floor and “die” and when they “died”, he cast out the demons.

Once the demons were cast out, he would bring them back to consciousness or “life”.

In the mid 1700’s Franz Mesmer believed that disorders were a result of magnetic imbalance in the body.

Mesmer thought the metal cross that Gassner used magnetized the body and drew out the magnetic fluids, developing his theory of “animal magnetism”.

Mesmer’s form of hypnosis or “mesmerism” used a metal rod that touched the subject while he told them they would go into "crisis" and then come out healed.

Mesmer discovered that various forms of suggestion induced a condition resembling sleep in certain types of patients.

While in this “sleep” state, suggestions could be given to lessen and even get rid of their complaints and symptoms.

Although Mesmer successfully treated large numbers of patients on whom traditional medical procedures had failed, he fell into disrepute because of the mysticism surrounding “mesmerism”.

Nevertheless, his discovery and use of mesmerism served to lay a foundation for the use of hypnosis today and is the real beginning of hypnosis history.

Since Mesmer's time many scientific men have contributed to hypnotism’s growth.

John Elliotson, the first British physician to use a stethoscope, used hypnosis effectively about 1817 in his medical practice.

He began to experiment with ‘magnetic sleep’ in University College Hospital.

After publishing information on its successes with different types of patients,Elliotson aroused the jealousy of his peers.

Yet he continued to use mesmerism in spite of bitter opposition and published articles about numerous successful treatments.

Meanwhile, in India, Dr. James Esdaile, a young Scottish surgeon, became so interested in Elliotson’s successes that he convinced the Indian government to build a hospital primarily for the use of hypnosis.

In 1841 James Braid, an English physician who bitterly opposed mesmerism, was convinced to make a physical examination of a mesmerized subject.

After his examination he was so convinced of the power of mermerism that he coined the terms hypnosis and hypnotism.

Braid was the first to begin scientific studies of hypnosis.

He brought the aspect of science into hypnosis history.

Since then, many outstanding scientists have contributed increasingly to a better understanding and utilization of hypnosis as a procedure of immense value for certain types of persons.

During the last 25 years, hypnosis has risen in use by psychologists and psychiatrists.

Milton Erickson, recognized as the father of modern hypnosis, expanded hypnotic techniques with the use of non-verbal communication and metaphors.

Ericksonian hypnosis has been further built upon by Bandler and Grinder, the developers of neuro-linguistic programming (NLP), a technique gaining wide acceptance in colleges and businesses.

However, outmoded ideas and concepts of hypnosis still exist.

For example, some psychologists are still publishing studies based upon techniques belonging to the 19th century.

Because hypnosis evokes a feeling of the supernatural or unreal in some people, the attitude of the general public toward hypnosis is still often one of superstition, misunderstanding, and fear.

As people become more educated and open-minded, I believe that hypnosis and its newer techniques of NLP will be widely accepted and acclaimed.

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