Table Of ContentMODERN TRENDS
IN HYPNOSIS
MODERN TRENDS
IN HYPNOSIS
Edited by
DAVID WAXMAN
Chairman of the Scientific Program
International Society of Hypnosis
London, England
C.
PREM MISRA
Gartloch Hospital
Glasgow, Scotland
MICHAEL GIBSON
Child Guidance Centre
Edinburgh, Scotland
and
M. ANTHONY BASKER
British Society of Medical and Dental Hypnosis
Westcliff-on-Sea, England
PLENUM PRESS • NEW YORK AND LONDON
Library of Congress Cataloging in Publication Data
Main entry under title:
Modern trends in hypnosis.
"Proceedings of the Ninth International Congress of Hypnosis and Psychosomatic
Medicine, held August 22-27, 1982, in Glasgow, Scotland" - T.p. verso.
Includes bibliographies and index.
1. Hypnotism-Therapeutic use-Congresses. 2. Hypnotism-Congresses. I. Wax
man, David. II. International Congress of Hypnosis and Psychosomatic Medicine (9th:
1982: Glasgow, Strathclyde) [DNLM: 1. Hypnosis-congresses. W3 IN415 9th 19821
WM 4151612 1982n]
RC490.5.M6 1985 616.89'162 84-26432
ISBN-13: 978-1-4684-4915-0 e-ISBN-13: 978-1-4684-4913-6
DOl: 10.1007/978-1-4684-4913-6
Proceedings of the Ninth International Congress of Hypnosis
and Psychosomatic Medicine, held August 22-27, 1982,
in Glasgow, Scotland
(C) 1985 Plenum Press. New York
Softcover reprint of the hardcover 1st edition 1985
A Division of Plenum Publishing Corporation
233 Spring Street, New York, N.Y. 10013
All rights reserved
No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted
in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, microfilming,
recording, or otherwise, without written permission from the Publisher
To Eric Wookey, MC, LDS, Honorary Consultant Dental
Surgeon of the Royal Free Hospital, First President of
the London Dental and Medical Society for the Study of
Hypnosis. He imparted his enthusiasm and knowledge of
hypnosis widely, and thus played a prominent part in
securing the acceptance of hypnosis by professional
colleagues throughout the United Kingdom.
FOREWORD
The 9th International Congress of Hypnosis and Psychosomatic
Medicine expresses the continuity in the effort to gain scientific
knowledge of hypnosis and scientific status for it, ever since the
1st International Congress for Experimental and Therapeutic Hypnotism
was held in Paris in 1889, attended by many of the best-remembered
psychiatrists and psychologists of the day - men such as Babinski,
Bernheim, Binet, Delboeuf, Freud, James, Lombroso, F.W.H. Myers,
Ribot, and many others. The continuity was broken by the period of
reduced interest in hypnosis between the time of the 2nd Inter
national Congress for Hypnotism in Paris in 1900, and the revival of
interest shown by the 3rd International Congress for Hypnosis and
Psychosomatic Medicine in Paris in 1965. Since then, the Congresses
have met more regularly, making the one of which this is the report,
the 9th.
The programs of these Congresses have become increasingly rich
through the years, with many of the older problems still with us but
now studied more dispassionately in the light of new knowledge and
new scientific methods in the design of investigations and the vali
dation of scientific findings.
An examination of the titles of the papers and the places from
which their authors come shows how diverse and widespread the
interests in hypnosis have become, both in the effort to define the
nature of hypnosis and its boundaries in relation to other categories
of behavior and experience, and to explore its potential service in
psychotherapy and other social applications, as in forensic medicine.
On the side of understanding hypnosis itself, there are the
papers on the nature of hypnotic responsiveness and its physiological
vii
viii FOREWORD
correlates, on the subjective experiences within whatever the hyp
notic condition may be found to be, the nature and consequences of
self-hypnosis, and the characteristics of the dissociative phenomena
manifested in hypnosis. On the clinical side there are cases and
discussions reflecting the use of hypnotic methods in the treatment
of disorders of self-control, in obstetrics, in pain and anxiety
reduction, in psychosomatic disorders, in symptoms met in dentistry,
and with problems met in children and adolescents. Comparative
studies relate hypnosis to meditation and behavior therapy. Hypnosis
and the law receives attention in several contributions.
One cannot help but be impressed by the seriousness with which
the direction has been taken to move away from "it has been my
experience ••• " as the way of validating hypnotic practices to the
interest in comparative and controlled studies which place hypnosis
on the same status as other medical or psychiatric practices as they
are taught and studied in our medical schools and university depart
ments.
The battle to establish hypnosis on a sound scientific basis has
not yet been won; even where it is accepted as permissible, there are
still too few scientists among those outside its active practitioners
who show any enthusiasm for it. The gains that are being made,
however, as these Proceedings show, augur well for its future.
Ernest R. Hilgard
PREFACE
Practitioners whose interests extend over the entire spectrum of
the healing disciplines assembled in Glasgow from August 22nd to the
27th 1982 to attend the 9th International Congress of Hypnosis and
Psychosomatic Medicine. They came to listen to learned addresses,
to present papers, often the culmination of many years of research
and clinical experience, to participate in workshops and generally
to mark, learn and teach a subject as old as mankind and yet amongst
the most recent and sophisticated of psychotherapies in the multi
disciplinary field of the treatment of psychological illness.
The excellent of the ambiance, the impressive array of speakers
and the high quality of the lectures culminated in a meeting which
was without doubt a considerable academic success. As a result the
9th Congress proved an outstanding event, and it is hoped, made a
real contribution to the practice of hypnotherapy. The significance
of the occasion was additionally marked by the joint sponsorship of
the University of Glasgow and the Royal Society of Medicine, as well
as the warm support of the City of Glasgow.
In these proceedings appear some of the papers which were pre
sented at this meeting. Although there were over 100 speakers, it
is regretted that in view of the restrictions of space, only a very
carefully selected number of these papers could ultimately be
included in the publication.
Each paper was rated independently by a panel of referees and
the final selection represents a wide cross-section of the subject
matter outlined in the program.
ix
x PREFACE
In view of the high quality of all the talks given the referees
were faced with a formidable task and it is hoped that those speakers
whose papers do not appear in this volume will in no way feel that
their efforts were in vain. Abstracts of all papers were published
in the issue of The International Journal of Clinical and Experimen
tal Hypnosis of April 1982 and the Editor has given his kind per
mission for this to be used as a citable reference.
The principal aim of the Scientific Program was the encourage
ment of learning and research in hypnosis both in clinical practice
and experimental study, with the actual participation of as many as
possible in the wide range of subjects which were offered.
The general scientific papers consisted of clinical reports and
experimental findings covering as extensive an area as time per
mitted. The subjects included the neuroses, pathological anxiety and
the many incapacitating symptoms resulting therefrom. Other papers
covered the considerable field of personality problems, the addic
tions and sexual dysfunctions. Hypnosis for the modification of pain
and its use in obstetrics and in pediatrics was discussed and a full
session was devoted to hypnosis in dentistry. Dynamic and behavioral
techniques were included and the many lectures dealing with self
hypnosis proved very popular. Of particular interest were the' case
histories which provided evidence of the practical results of hypno
therapy. One fact that has emerged clearly over the past few years
is that clinical hypnosis, however good the results, will never be
fully accepted unless validated by experimental studies and scien
tific evidence. It is essential that the clinician works closely
with the experimental psychologist and the research neurophysiol
ogist. With this in mind, theories explaining hypnotizability and
suggestibility as well as the neurophysiology of hypnosis were
explored and numerous experimental studies were described. The use
of hypnosis in criminology occupied several hours of talks as well
as the final Plenary Session.
In addition to the scientific papers Special Invited Addresses
were given by recognized authorities and National Presidents talked
on their individual specialities. Other Invited Addresses and
Speciality Seminars were designed to complement the workshops.
In the concluding paper, the President Elect of the Inter
national Society of Hypnosis, Professor Germain Lavoie combining
learned experimental studies with clinical findings, chose as his
subject The Clinical Relevance of Hypnotizability in Psychosis. This
presentation will undoubtedly prove a valuable contribution to future
research.
Thus after five days of intensive work and study, of scientific
lectures and learned discussion, the 9th Congress was bought to a
close. Perhaps it was because of the considerable amount of well-
PREFACE xi
constructed laboratory investigation, coupled with the clinical
experiences so ably reported by so many devoted therapists, that the
meeting was such a success. Perhaps it was the Scotch mist, the
warmth and generosity of the hosting society or some magnetic influ
ence, but somehow the purple cloak of Mesmer which had hung over the
city of Glasgow that August week seemed to have been lifted to allow
bright sunshine to penetrate a subject that had been shrouded in
myth, mystery and misunderstanding for so many years.
As a result it is hoped that Modern Trends in Hypnosis will
influence many to explore further the psychological and neuro
physiological understanding of the hypnotic state and that it will
advance the therapeutic skills of all who read it for the ultimate
benefit of the suffering.
D.W.
P.C.M.
M.G.
M.A.B.
