TRICK OR TREATMENT?
Magic shows have long been a popular form of entertainment. They often include a hypnotist, who astonishes and amuses the audience with his ability to control another person's actions. Typically, he asks a volunteer to sit down and look into his eyes. "Your body feels heavy," he says slowly and quietly. "You feel very, very tired." In a few seconds, the volunteer appears to be asleep. "When I clap my hands," continues the hypnotist, "you will wake up and quack like a duck." And indeed, that is exactly what happens.(lines 1–6)
Was this person really in some strange hypnotic state? The answer is, probably not. In interviews, many volunteers said they only did what the hypnotist told them because there was an audience watching them. But there are circumstances in which people seem to be truly hypnotized – and can even benefit from it. For over fifty years, doctors and therapists have used hypnosis to treat a wide range of problems by making suggestions that affect people's daily lives. For example, to help someone become more physically active, a therapist might say, "You will go to the gym twice a week." Among other things, hypnosis has enabled people to overcome the fear of flying and to give up smoking.(lines 7–14)
There has long been a debate about what happens during medical hypnosis, when people hear suggestions from their doctor or therapist. According to one theory, offered by several scientists, hypnosis works by affecting brain function: The changes it causes in some brain regions lead to changes in the person's behavior. Other scientists believe that hypnosis does not alter the brain in any way. According to their theory, people receiving this treatment simply choose to make the life changes that were suggested to them. They do so because the suggestions come from someone they trust – often their own doctor or therapist.(lines 15–21)
However, not everyone can be hypnotized. This was clearly shown by a questionnaire given to people while they were being hypnotized. It was found that only about 20% are hypnotized easily, and that they are the ones who find hypnosis most helpful. A further 20% cannot be hypnotized at all. A recent experiment at Stanford University checked for differences between these two groups. Using brain scans, the researchers tracked brain activity in about 30 people from each group before and during a session of hypnosis. This enabled them to see any changes that occurred in the brain at the time of hypnosis.(lines 22–28)
The findings were fascinating. The scans showed increased activity during hypnosis in brain regions that control behavior – but only in the group that could be easily hypnotized. "Now that we know which brain regions are involved, we may be able to use this knowledge to alter someone’s capacity to be hypnotized," said Professor David Spiegel, head of the Stanford research team. If that becomes possible, a much larger percentage of the population could benefit from this type of treatment.(lines 29–34)