The Institute for Human and Machine Cognition (IHMC) Evening Lecture speaker Dr. David Spiegel, Associate Chair of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Stanford School of Medicine in California, had audience members mesmerized during parts of his talk Wednesday.

Literally. Lecturer says Pain is in the Brain Self Hypnosis

In his talk “Tranceformation: Hypnosis in Brain and Body,” Spiegel, a medical doctor, discussed using hypnosis to help patients with controlling pain, relieving stress, to quit smoking, controlling motor movement in patients with Parkinson’s Disease, perform some surgeries with limited or no pain medicines and other applications.

“The strain and pain is mainly in the brain,” Spiegel said.

At one point he asked the audience if they would like to participate in a self-hypnosis test. He invited those wanting to participate to “get comfortable” in their seats and imagine they were floating like in a warm or cool bath and let tensions out. He told the participants to imagine their body discomforts were being eased by the warm or cool bath and imagine a screen with a pleasant scene.

After the test ended, about 60 audience members raised their hands indicating they had some reaction to the exercise.

Spiegel, a physician for 45 years, said he first used hypnosis while he was in medical school. He said the patient had asthma and was prepared for steroid and other treatments but he asked the patient to breather deeper and easier during a hypnosis treatment and the patient improved.

“About two-thirds of adults are (able to be) hypnotized,” Spiegel said. He said the ability or trait to self-hypnotize is usually seen in people who, for example, can “get caught up in a good movie” and “give (themselves) to their imagination.”

He said when a person is in a hypnotic state they are less likely to (use critical judgment) which might lead them to do “things they might not otherwise do” like in stage performances. He said that is why only a licensed professional should be used.

Spiegel’s research in hypnosis includes extensive studies of the reaction of parts of the brain of persons under hypnosis and clinical trials.

“The hypnotic ability to focus attention and modulate perception has clear clinical application, especially in pain and anxiety control,” states a handout describing the talk and Spiegel’s research work and writings which include 12 books and 385 scientific journal articles.