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Global Health Econ Sustain Hypnosis: Refiguring health care practice

says, “Wow! It’s hot” and in a short while – on account the day can cause bad things to happen. Thus, the adult’s
of suggestion from someone else – the man notices that critical faculty is bypassed (i.e., illogical premise that the
he is perspiring profusely. In this respect, and similar to day can cause bad things to happen) and selective thinking
the previous example, the individual’s critical faculty is is established (i.e., the day will cause bad things to happen),
bypassed (i.e., the false premise that it may be hot) and which precipitates a hypnotic effect (i.e., the day has [or
selective thinking is established (i.e., I will be hot), which is], similarly to before, caused [or is causing] bad things to
precipitates a hypnotic effect (i.e., I am hot and he begins happen – referred to as [hypnotic] illogical or irrational,
to perspire – control of the autonomic nervous system, although compelling, thinking or belief) occurring without
that is, involuntary body functions including, for example, the trance state (i.e., waking hypnosis).
body temperature and perspiration) occurring without the As the examples above illustrate, hypnosis is part
trance state (i.e., waking hypnosis; Phipps, 2019b).
of everyday life. Consequently, a prohibition of the
A further example: The tired and weary office manager occurrence of hypnosis is unenforceable. It constitutes
– who, after a particularly busy, demanding morning and a contradiction of the maxim of human communication
with 10 min to spare before her friend arrives at her office that, because any communication necessarily entails the
for their lunch appointment – closes her eyes, exhales a communication of suggestion and because it is not possible
sigh, and becomes increasingly aware of her breathing, her to not communicate (Watzlawick et al., 1967), it is not
sense of increasing comfort and relaxation, and then, in possible to not communicate suggestion of – again, with or
time, she begins to imagine that she is back in her garden without awareness, thereof – not only waking suggestion
– when it was in full bloom in spring earlier this year – but also, on occasion, trance hypnosis and/or waking
her own garden, her pride and joy, its beauty, the perfect hypnosis of/by oneself (i.e., trance and/or waking self-
leaf of a tree, green like springtime, with a single drop of hypnosis), and/or of/by another (i.e., trance and/or waking
moisture on it, just like a warm and gentle rain passed hypnosis) and is, thus, unenforceable.
by… and just as she is enjoying, for what seems a short
while, the peace and tranquility of her garden – while also The second part of the problem is that the prohibition
hearing the giggling and laughter coming from a nearby was in error and thus, unnecessary, in that the prohibition
office – she is somewhat startled by the knock at the door was based on a misconception about psychotherapy and its
and the familiar sound of her friend’s voice, whereupon she use of hypnosis in treatment, that is, hypnotherapy.
opens her eyes – and quite different to how she was feeling 5. Unnecessary prohibition
earlier – now feels rested, refreshed, relaxed, and ready for
her lunch appointment. 5.1. Misconception about psychotherapy
In the example above, the office manager – on account In his book, Handbook of Suggestive Therapeutics, Applied
of suggestion to herself – believes that she can experience Hypnotism, and Psychic Science: A Manual of Practical
being in her garden now. Thus, the individual’s critical Psychotherapy, Designed Especially for the Practitioner of
faculty is – by way of self-pretence or fantasy – bypassed Medicine, Surgery, and Dentistry, Munro (1917) explains:
(i.e., the illogical premise that I can experience being in my The tool of psychotherapy is suggestion [emphasis
garden when I am here in my office) and selective thinking added], and all suggestion operates on the conscious
is established (i.e., I will experience being in my garden), every-day actions and beliefs of the patient,
which precipitates hypnotic effects (e.g., “I am in my influencing the higher intellectual faculties and
garden,” which is referred to as [hypnotic] hallucination, motor functions, and the subconscious, involuntary
namely, seeing, hearing, feeling, smelling, or tasting, which psychophysiological mechanisms comprising the
is not real or does not exist; and “for what seems a short functions of the entire animal physiology.
while” when it was closer to 10 min, which is referred to As comprehended today, psychotherapy is as much in
as time distortion) occurring with the trance state – that the domain of physical and physiological therapeutics
is, associated with eye-closure and an accompanying as is medicine … surgery, [dentistry,] or any other
increase in self-awareness and relaxation) – (i.e., trance therapeutic expedient, and its application is just as
self-hypnosis). scientific – its indications just a clearly defined.
Psychotherapeutic methods of procedure may
A final example: The fearful adult – on account of
suggestion from his grandmother at 5 years of age – practically be reduced to three measures –
believes that if the day is Friday the 13 , something bad or psychotherapy by hypnotic suggestion [i.e., trance
th 1
unlucky will happen. In this respect, the adult believes that hypnosis], that by suggestion in the waking
state [i.e., waking hypnosis], and finally that
1 In Western superstition, this day is believed to be unlucky. by persuasion, reasoning, or re-education [i.e.,

Volume 2 Issue 1 (2024) 5 https://doi.org/10.36922/ghes.1713