- Curse Hypnotism
or
Cure for Smokers?
Bernard Kinman, FRSH, FLCM Ashover, 78 Langley Road, Watford, Herts WD1 3PL
INTRODUCTION From time to time one hears of the fascinating claim that hypnotism is the sure and easy cure for the nicotine addict who
is unable to release himselffrom his habit. Were the claim true, then the world in general - and the smoker in particular - would be eternally grateful to the sleep-inducing operators called hypnotists. On the other hand if the claim is false then ’treatment’ by hypnosis will only add to the problems that face a smoker in his efforts to become a non-smoker. Let us examine first of all the causes which contribute to bring a smoker to the place where he feels the necessity to call upon the aid of a hypnotist to help him to break his habit pattern. Nicotine is tobacco’s best-known ingredient named after Jean Nicot, a French diplomat in Renaissance Italy, who passed along a sample of the seed of the tobacco plant to Catherine de Medici. She liked it so much she honoured him by calling the plant ’Nicotiana’ hence Nicotine. Pure nicotine is one of the quickest and most fatal poisons known to man. A fatal dose is roughly 100 milligrams - about as much as in one cigar. If injected directly into the bloodstream of a human being 500 milligrams would kill instantly; but as recently stated by a leading scientist, the real crux of the matter lies in the fact of nicotine dependence. ’The most important pharmacological effect of nicotine is the liberation of adrenalin and the increase of the adrenalin as well as of the serotonin level in the blood. One can therefore identify nicotine hunger in the drug dependent smoker with adrenalin hunger. The smoker feels compelled to steal this craving by smoking another cigarette which for a short period relieves this selfcreated tension. As soon as the effect wears off tension builds up again until it reaches the limit of individual tolerance. Hence, the next cigarette and so on in a vicious circle.’ Once the smoker is caught up in this vicious circle he naturally looks for a way of release. To help anyone to stop smoking is not easy. It is really a psychological problem. The psychological urge is reinforced by a pharmacological craving - a real hunger for tobacco. The only way to avoid the state of intolerable craving for tobacco is to stop smoking once and for all. This, however, demands a mind decision, which the body will follow. The sovereign agency of the mind is the will.
The brain areas which affect the judgement, self-control and will-power, are those very areas which nicotine affects, thus it is vital that : a) nicotine shall be removed and b) that those areas which have for so long been left dormant in decision-making should acquire strength through ~ action. How then can hypnotism clear the body of nicotine and strengthen the will-power in order that the smoker is able to resist the constant craving? If ever there were a time in a smoker’s life when he requires the full and unfettered operation of his mental faculties it is when he is fighting the tobacco habit. He needs to be in control of his own mind. Now, hypnotism offers to let somebody else do the thinking and decision-making for him. Many well-informed medical authorities are in no doubt about the permanent danger that
hypnotism presents. Dr J A Whieldon MD, in his book ’The Perils of Hypnosis’ writes:
’Psychic-hypnosis is in my opinion a therapeutic tool of but questionable value and in many instances a harmful procedure which can in reality undo the very thing those in psycho-therapy are trying most to accomplish - the growth ofthe individual to emotional independence and personal responsibility. The more experienced therapists - the men who have solved their need to dominate and build themselves up at their patients’ expense - seldom use hypnosis. Often the men who use hypnosis have an unconscious need to dominate - to exert themselves over others. Doing hypnosis often is little more than satisfaction of a person’s narcissism. Psychic hypnosis is then an understandable phenomenon and can be performed because all people are suggestible. Hypnosis does not cure - and actually may be dangerous or a hindrance to the recovery of the patient. It may not be without its sting to the hypnotist himself for it may feed his narcissism.’
Again, Dr F L Ruch in ’Psychology and Life’ writes ’Hypnotic suggestion is sometimes dangerous because it make direct treatment unnecessary. It removes the danger signal of pain without curing the organic disease’. seems to
238 Downloaded from rsh.sagepub.com at The University of Iowa Libraries on May 24, 2015
,
Dr Meerloo lays bare hypnotism as a method of mind control. He calls it the ’bastard son of fantasy and reality’ and goes on to say ’Many psychologists would deny that such a thing could happen and would insist that no person can be compelled to do under hypnosis what he would refuse to do in a state of alert
consciousness but actually what a person can be compelled to do depends on the degree of dependency that hypnosis causes and the frequency of repetition of the so-called post-hypnotic
suggestions. True, no hypnotist can take away a man’s conscience and inner resistance immediately; but he can arouse the latent murderous wishes which may become active in his victim’s unconscious by continual suggestion and continued playing upon those deeply repressed desires. Actual knowledge of methods used in brain-washing and menticide proves that all this can be done’. No individual should be permitted to take control of person’s mind, thinking that in doing so he is causing him to receive great benefit. Mind cure - like brain-washing is one of the most dangerous deceptions which can be practised upon any individual. It is true that temporary relief may be felt but the mind of the one thus controlled is never again so strong and reliable. It was never the purpose of our Creator that any human being should yield his mind and will to the control of another. Hypnotism is no cure for the smoker. He has an in-built cure given to him in the beginning - the mastery of his own mind, by the power of the will.
another
239 Downloaded from rsh.sagepub.com at The University of Iowa Libraries on May 24, 2015
or
Cure for Smokers?
Bernard Kinman, FRSH, FLCM Ashover, 78 Langley Road, Watford, Herts WD1 3PL
INTRODUCTION From time to time one hears of the fascinating claim that hypnotism is the sure and easy cure for the nicotine addict who
is unable to release himselffrom his habit. Were the claim true, then the world in general - and the smoker in particular - would be eternally grateful to the sleep-inducing operators called hypnotists. On the other hand if the claim is false then ’treatment’ by hypnosis will only add to the problems that face a smoker in his efforts to become a non-smoker. Let us examine first of all the causes which contribute to bring a smoker to the place where he feels the necessity to call upon the aid of a hypnotist to help him to break his habit pattern. Nicotine is tobacco’s best-known ingredient named after Jean Nicot, a French diplomat in Renaissance Italy, who passed along a sample of the seed of the tobacco plant to Catherine de Medici. She liked it so much she honoured him by calling the plant ’Nicotiana’ hence Nicotine. Pure nicotine is one of the quickest and most fatal poisons known to man. A fatal dose is roughly 100 milligrams - about as much as in one cigar. If injected directly into the bloodstream of a human being 500 milligrams would kill instantly; but as recently stated by a leading scientist, the real crux of the matter lies in the fact of nicotine dependence. ’The most important pharmacological effect of nicotine is the liberation of adrenalin and the increase of the adrenalin as well as of the serotonin level in the blood. One can therefore identify nicotine hunger in the drug dependent smoker with adrenalin hunger. The smoker feels compelled to steal this craving by smoking another cigarette which for a short period relieves this selfcreated tension. As soon as the effect wears off tension builds up again until it reaches the limit of individual tolerance. Hence, the next cigarette and so on in a vicious circle.’ Once the smoker is caught up in this vicious circle he naturally looks for a way of release. To help anyone to stop smoking is not easy. It is really a psychological problem. The psychological urge is reinforced by a pharmacological craving - a real hunger for tobacco. The only way to avoid the state of intolerable craving for tobacco is to stop smoking once and for all. This, however, demands a mind decision, which the body will follow. The sovereign agency of the mind is the will.
The brain areas which affect the judgement, self-control and will-power, are those very areas which nicotine affects, thus it is vital that : a) nicotine shall be removed and b) that those areas which have for so long been left dormant in decision-making should acquire strength through ~ action. How then can hypnotism clear the body of nicotine and strengthen the will-power in order that the smoker is able to resist the constant craving? If ever there were a time in a smoker’s life when he requires the full and unfettered operation of his mental faculties it is when he is fighting the tobacco habit. He needs to be in control of his own mind. Now, hypnotism offers to let somebody else do the thinking and decision-making for him. Many well-informed medical authorities are in no doubt about the permanent danger that
hypnotism presents. Dr J A Whieldon MD, in his book ’The Perils of Hypnosis’ writes:
’Psychic-hypnosis is in my opinion a therapeutic tool of but questionable value and in many instances a harmful procedure which can in reality undo the very thing those in psycho-therapy are trying most to accomplish - the growth ofthe individual to emotional independence and personal responsibility. The more experienced therapists - the men who have solved their need to dominate and build themselves up at their patients’ expense - seldom use hypnosis. Often the men who use hypnosis have an unconscious need to dominate - to exert themselves over others. Doing hypnosis often is little more than satisfaction of a person’s narcissism. Psychic hypnosis is then an understandable phenomenon and can be performed because all people are suggestible. Hypnosis does not cure - and actually may be dangerous or a hindrance to the recovery of the patient. It may not be without its sting to the hypnotist himself for it may feed his narcissism.’
Again, Dr F L Ruch in ’Psychology and Life’ writes ’Hypnotic suggestion is sometimes dangerous because it make direct treatment unnecessary. It removes the danger signal of pain without curing the organic disease’. seems to
238 Downloaded from rsh.sagepub.com at The University of Iowa Libraries on May 24, 2015
,
Dr Meerloo lays bare hypnotism as a method of mind control. He calls it the ’bastard son of fantasy and reality’ and goes on to say ’Many psychologists would deny that such a thing could happen and would insist that no person can be compelled to do under hypnosis what he would refuse to do in a state of alert
consciousness but actually what a person can be compelled to do depends on the degree of dependency that hypnosis causes and the frequency of repetition of the so-called post-hypnotic
suggestions. True, no hypnotist can take away a man’s conscience and inner resistance immediately; but he can arouse the latent murderous wishes which may become active in his victim’s unconscious by continual suggestion and continued playing upon those deeply repressed desires. Actual knowledge of methods used in brain-washing and menticide proves that all this can be done’. No individual should be permitted to take control of person’s mind, thinking that in doing so he is causing him to receive great benefit. Mind cure - like brain-washing is one of the most dangerous deceptions which can be practised upon any individual. It is true that temporary relief may be felt but the mind of the one thus controlled is never again so strong and reliable. It was never the purpose of our Creator that any human being should yield his mind and will to the control of another. Hypnotism is no cure for the smoker. He has an in-built cure given to him in the beginning - the mastery of his own mind, by the power of the will.
another
239 Downloaded from rsh.sagepub.com at The University of Iowa Libraries on May 24, 2015
