A Practical Guide to Self-Hypnosis | Page 6

to remember that most medical therapy is
specifically directed to symptom removal. How permanent is most
medical treatment? Once you couple hetero-hypnosis with
self-hypnosis, you afford the patient the opportunity of utilizing
suggestions for his own benefit any time they are needed. This, of
course, can make symptom relief permanent. As an example, I would
see no harm in teaching a patient self-hypnosis for symptomatic relief
from a problem of insomnia. It would certainly be better than
physically depressing the higher brain centers with sleeping pills to
produce unconsciousness every night. I needn't tell you that millions of
dollars are spent every year on sleeping pills and patients become
dependent upon them, needing more and more pills in order to produce
sleep. Many accidental suicides stem from an overdose of sleeping pills.
Yet, despite the inherent dangers of sleeping pills which are glaringly
apparent, they are prescribed by the millions, to say nothing of those
that reach the market through illegal channels. Furthermore, how much
effort is really made to get the patient off the sleeping pills? There are
also more voluntary suicides by sleeping pills than by any other method.
Perhaps if these drugs weren't so readily available, many of these
unfortunate individuals would be with us today.
What about the often-quoted statement that "you might do some
damage"? Let's explore this area. I assume that the reader is somewhat
familiar with the work of Emile Coué or at least has heard of his
famous autosuggestion formula of "Day by day, in every way, I'm
getting better and better." During our time, thousands upon thousands
of seemingly helpless and hopeless cases have been cured by repeating
this affirmation over and over again, day after day, as the individual
falls asleep.

I think we should make it clear that whether we call it autosuggestion,
positive thinking, meditation, yoga, affirmations or self-hypnosis, we
are, in reality, talking about the same thing. All require certain basic
prerequisites before they will work effectively for the individual. We'll
discuss these prerequisites in the next chapter.
What should be remembered is that the suggestions are being filtered
into the subconscious mind which does not question, doubt, analyze or
dispute the efficacy of these beneficial thoughts. You can be sure that
the constant repetition will have its effect. Hasn't the mind, in the past,
accepted the individual's diagnosis when he said, "I'm sick," "I have an
inferiority complex," "I can't stop smoking," "I can't lose weight," "I
can't concentrate," "I can remember a person's face, but I can't
remember names," "I have a difficult time falling asleep," "I just can't
seem to relax." Isn't such an individual, in effect, using self-hypnosis?
And hasn't the person convinced himself of the validity of his present
state? This is truly dangerous. It is negative hypnosis.
The question that I raise is: "Why shouldn't the subconscious mind be
even more convinced and respond strongly to suggestions which are in
conformity with the natural desire to be of sound body and mind?" I
have never been able to find a logical answer.
I think this is what happens many times. A person seeks help with a
problem which, in reality, has nothing to do with hypnosis. His cure is
not contingent on being hypnotized or on suggestions he or the
hypnotist feel are indicated. You will read in nearly every book and
article dealing with hypnosis that "hypnotism is not a cure-all." No one
has suggested or implied that it should be used exclusively for all
emotional problems. You may read a newspaper article warning about
the "dangers" of hypnosis. It may tell of a person who rid himself of
one symptom and developed another in its place. You usually get a
grossly distorted picture of what happened, with many aspects of the
case not included. It's a matter of taking what you want to prove out of
context. Propagandists use this technique all the time to get across their
message. It's the old story of telling a half truth.
Honest criticism and a sincere difference of opinion are always

welcome. But criticism must be well-founded from a scientific point of
view and not stem from an emotional reaction. You have probably
heard the remark, "I won't let anyone hypnotize me." What are they
really saying, and what does hypnosis represent to such an individual?
To them, hypnosis represents some sort of "magic spell" which invokes
a state of complete helplessness and dependency upon the hypnotist.
We previously discussed how this erroneous conception can take place
because of the manner in which hypnosis is usually interwoven with
bizarre fictional stories.
For many, the hypnotic state represents a period in which the conscious
guard is dropped. They feel they may compulsively reveal the darker
side of their nature, confess their hostility or relate information