A state of altered consciousness, sleep or trance, induced artificially in a subject by means of verbal suggestion by the hypnotist or by the subjects concentrating upon some object The degree of hypnotic state may vary from mild, increased suggestibility to that comparable to surgical anesthesia
(from Greek, "sleep") A state of heightened awareness and focused concentration that can be used to manipulate the perception of pain, to access repressed material and to re-program behavior
Hypnosis is the art or practice of hypnotizing people. = hypnotism. State that resembles sleep but is induced by a person (the hypnotist) whose suggestions are readily accepted by the subject. The hypnotized individual seems to respond in an uncritical, automatic fashion, ignoring aspects of the environment (e.g., sights, sounds) not pointed out by the hypnotist. Even the subject's memory and awareness of self may be altered by suggestion, and the effects of the suggestions may be extended (posthypnotically) into the subject's subsequent waking activity. The history of hypnotism is as old as that of sorcery and magic. It was popularized in the 18th century by Franz Anton Mesmer (as "mesmerism") and was studied in the 19th century by the Scottish surgeon James Braid (1795-1860). Sigmund Freud relied on it in exploring the unconscious, and it eventually came to be recognized in medicine and psychology as useful in helping to calm or anesthetize patients, modify unwanted behaviours, and uncover repressed memories. There remains no generally acceptable explanation for hypnosis, though one prominent theory focuses on the possibility of discrete dissociative states affecting portions of consciousness
An artificially induced altered state of consciousness, characterized by heightened suggestibility and receptivity to direction An Altered State of Consciousness involving a heightened degree of suggestibility [Also see "Mesmerism" and "Altered State of Consciousness (ASC)" for more info ]
or trance is a naturally occuring state, like sleep or daydreaming, where attention is turned inward, with heightened openness to new ideas Hypnotherapy induces the trance state of heightened receptivity, and offers direct or indirect suggestions to the unconscious, which it may or may not accept Hypnmania
temporary, induced trancelike state; intense concentration changes the way the brain processes perceptions, makes the person suggestible to instructions Used therapeutically to help people stop smoking, to alleviate pain and so forth
a trancelike condition usually induced by another person in which the subject is in a state of altered consciousness and responds, with certain limitations, to the suggestions of the hypnotist
A trance-like state induced by suggestion in which the mind readily accepts ideas, resulting in a focusing of attention and a reduction of the ability to make conscious decisions; a state of total mental concentration, yet complete physical relaxation An alternative state of consciousness
Hypnosis is a state in which a person seems to be asleep but can still see, hear, or respond to things said to them. Bevin is now an adult and has re-lived her birth experience under hypnosis