Despite the innocent images you see in circus performances, media presentations, comedy routines, and smoking-cessation programs, hypnotism causes serious side effects. One effect of this popular therapy is frontal lobe impairment.
The connection between hypnotism and the frontal lobe comes as no surprise to those who understand the technique. Hypnosis, by design, bypasses the frontal lobe as it helps the subject enter a trance-like state. Dr. Freda Morris, a former professor of medical psychology at UCLA, has written several books on hypnosis. In her words, hypnosis is a state characterized by a single-minded focus on only one thing “like a bird watching a snake.”i
While hypnotized, the subject is unmindful of all other environmental input. How do hypnotists induce such a state? The typical hypnotist will first help the subject remain quiet and still—free from all outside diversions. Next, the hypnotist will help the subject develop a focus “on a certain point.”
For example, fixing the eyes on a flickering light trains the person to focus on one place, thereby inducing a hypnotic state. Once the subject enters the hypnotic state, he is encouraged to follow the hypnotist’s suggestions.
When brain waves are measured with an EEG during this process, we see that the hypnotized person loses beta wave activity. Beta activity denotes sound thinking and involves dynamic frontal lobe activity. Conversely, in the hypnotized state, an alpha brain pattern is active,ii a state where there is no critical analysis of incoming information.iii Alpha waves are a lower frequency then beta waves. In this state, an individual will register information and suggestions without interpretation and without frontal lobe filtering.
Hypnosis Short Circuits the Frontal Lobe
During the hypnotic state, individuals can receive information and mentally record the duties the hypnotist asks them to perform. Indeed, their memory works well, their emotions work fine, and they can laugh and cry. But as they continue to focus on a flickering light—or similar object—they do not critically analyze the information they receive.iv None of the information is filtered according to their sense of values or moral worth. Their very reasoning powers are bypassed. The frontal lobe has be short-circuited.
The dangers of hypnotism are listed below:
- Loses thought activity (weak beta brain waves)
- Has a short-circuited frontal lobe
- Has no reasoning power
- Has depressive tendencies
- Has his mind under the control of the hypnotist
i. J. Mander, Four Arguments for the Elimination of Television (New York, NY: Quill, 1977): 195-202.
ii. Merrelyn and Fred Emery, then at the Center for Continuing Education, Australian National University at Canberra, as quoted in J. Mander, Four Arguments for the Elimination of Television (New York, NY: Quill, 1977): 205-211.
iii. A. C. Guyton, Textbook of Medical Physiology 8th edition (Philadelphia: WB. Saunders Company, 1991): 662-663.
iv. J. Mander, Four Arguments for the Elimination of Television (New York, NY: Quill, 1977): 194-196.
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This article is adapted from the book Depression: The Way Out by Dr. Neil Nedley. Visit Dr. Nedley's website
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