#985 - Dr David Spiegel - Hypnosis, Brain Hacking, & Mental Mastery

Researchers explore the transformation of brain activity and functional connectivity under hypnosis, reflecting changes in consciousness and cognitive control.

Hypnosis Alters Brain Activity vs. Wakefulness

Volunteers under hypnosis exhibit notable alterations in brain activity compared to their usual wakeful state. These changes reflect the unique cognitive adjustments facilitated by the hypnotic state.

Reduced Dorsal Anterior Cingulate Cortex Activity Disrupts Concentration

During hypnosis, individuals display reduced activity in the dorsal anterior cingulate cortex, a region engaged by the brain's "salience network" when attention needs to be redirected due to errors or problems. Hypnotic states allow for deeper concentration by suppressing this "alarm system." David Spiegel discusses using transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) to potentially enhance hypnotizability and augment the hypnotic response for pain relief in people not normally highly responsive to hypnosis.

Enhanced Dorsolateral Prefrontal Cortex-Insula Connectivity for Improved Mind-Body Control

There is increased functional connectivity between the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex and the insula during hypnosis. The dorsolateral prefrontal cortex is linked to planning and activity execution, while the insula connects the mind and the body. This enhanced connection allows better control and heightened awareness of bodily sensations. Spiegel emphasizes the use of breathwork with self-hypnosis, underlining the mind-body synchronization likely associated with this bolstered connectivity.

Inverse Connectivity Between Prefrontal Cortex and Posterior Cingulate Reduces Self-Referential Processing, Enhancing Openness To New Experiences

An inverse relationship in functional connectivity is observed between the prefrontal cortex and the posterior cingulate during hypnosis. Since the posterior cingulate forms part of the "default mode network," associated with self-reflection and social processing, its reduced activity during hypnosis may lead to diminished self-referential thought. This allows individuals to embrace new experiences without the interference of preoccupied self-related thinking.

Hypnosis Enables Focused Attention Like Flow States

Hypnosis Allows People to Set Aside Concerns and Self-Consciousness

Hypnosis enables a level of attention akin to flow states, where individuals can immerse themselves fully in activities. David Spie ...

Understanding the nuances of hypnotizability in individuals is crucial for effective hypnotherapy. Hypnotizability varies among different people, and this stability of a person's degree of susceptibility to hypnosis requires appropriate assessment methods.

Hypnotizability: A Stable Trait Ranging From Low To High

Highly Hypnotizable People Experience Strong Effects Quickly

David Spiegel emphasizes that hypnotizability can be measured on a 10-point scale and is a stable and reliable trait. If an individual is highly hypnotizable, they can feel the effects of hypnosis almost immediately. An example is a woman with an esophageal fistula who, being rated high in hypnotizability, showed immediate effects during a hypnosis session, feeling cool, tingling, and numbness, and her pain disappeared. Spiegel notes that these "highs" can undergo the induction process swiftly and that imaginative involvement or dissociation from trauma can heighten one's hypnotizability.

Medium-Range Individuals Need Negotiation and Practice for Effective Hypnosis Usage

People with medium hypnotizability may require negotiation to locate the appropriate imagery and practice to refine their response to hypnosis. Spiegel illustrates this with a case where a professional pianist, also working in construction, needed to alleviate his pain. Through a negotiated hypnotic session, where the pianist imagined his body floating while playing air piano, his pain significantly reduced.

Cognitive Approaches May Benefit Low-Hypnotizable Individuals More Than Hypnotic Induction

For individuals with low hypnotizability, cognitive strategies may be more beneficial than hypnosis. These strategies can involve understanding and managing one's reaction to pain through control and distraction methods.

Evaluating Hypnotizab ...

Clinical hypnosis has proven to be a valuable tool in medicine and psychology, aiding in pain management, stress reduction, and overcoming trauma.

Hypnosis Powerfully Reduces Procedural Pain and Anxiety

Surgery Patients Report Less Pain and Anxiety With Hypnosis Over Standard Care

David Spiegel discusses the profound analgesic properties of hypnosis, reported even in situations as extreme as combat. A randomized control trial including surgery patients who underwent procedures through their femoral artery without general anesthesia revealed remarkable benefits of hypnosis over standard care. The hypnosis group reported an average pain level of one out of ten compared to five out of ten in the standard care group, and zero anxiety compared to standard care’s level of five out of ten.

Hypnosis Reduced Pain Medication Use and Complications

The same study showed that the self-hypnosis group used half the amount of pain medication than those receiving standard care, which led to fewer complications such as constipation. Procedures were also completed faster, indicating increased comfort and efficiency.

Hypnosis Aids Pain, Stress, and Issues Through Self-Regulation and Perspective-Shifting

Hypnosis Allows Control Over Physiological and Emotional Responses

Spiegel enhances thousands of patients' control over their pain and stress levels using hypnosis, with four out of five people experiencing a significant reduction within 10 minutes. Through apps like Reverie, users learn to reduce their somatic responses to stress and pain, gaining instant relief. Breathwork techniques, such as cyclic sighing, complement the practice by triggering parasympathetic activity, aiding in rapid relaxation.

Helping Patients Learn Self-Hypnosis For Independent Use

Spiegel points to the power of self-hypnosis, which can be learned independently, allowing patients to continually manage their pain, as evidenced by his wife's use during childbirth and metastat ...

Hypnosis has been shown to have profound effects on individuals dealing with trauma, chronic pain, and addiction. The following case studies, recounted by Spiegel, demonstrate its power to reframe experiences, alleviate pain, and change habits.

Vietnam Veteran Reframed Trauma of Child's Death, Resumed Life

Veteran Grieves as Informally Adopted Vietnamese Child Dies In Combat

A Vietnam veteran underwent a hypnosis session with Spiegel after experiencing a breakdown. This breakdown was triggered by an incredibly traumatic event during the war when he discovered the Vietnamese child he had informally adopted lying dead on the street following an assault.

Veteran Uses Hypnosis to Recall Positive Memories and Accept Loss, Overcoming Guilt

Through the process of hypnosis, the veteran was asked to relive the traumatic event, and then redirect his focus to a joyous memory—the birthday party he had thrown for the child. This practice allowed him to accompany each moment of grief with the recollection of the good times they had shared, which played a significant role in his rehabilitation from the guilt and trauma he had been carrying.

During the hypnosis session, he visualized images of a grave and a cake, signifying the entwinement of his sorrow with positive memories. Though he couldn't remember every detail post-session, he retained enough to feel solace, come to terms with the loss, and shift his outlook regarding his culpability for past occurrences. This approach enabled him to discontinue medications and return to a more normal life. He eventually began training kids in long-distance cycling.

Hypnosis Helped Woman Reduce Severe Chronic Pain Without Medication

Woman Born With Condition Causing Severe Throat Pain

Details for this specific case are not provided in the transcript. However, hypnosis can be incredibly effective in managing pain, even severe chronic pain that may not respond well to medication.

Hypnosis Quickly Eased Her Pain Unlike Medications

While specific patient information is not available, the general effectiveness of hypnosis can be implied from the context, highlighting how hypnotherapy can serve as a rapid and drug-free pain relief option.

Hypnosis Equals Medication in Effectiveness For Smoking Cessation

Study: Single Self-Hypnosis Led To 25% Quitting Smoking, 50% Reducing Habit

David Spiegel presents the findings from a study he conducted 30 years ago in which a single self-hypnosis session led to 25% of the participants quitting smoking. Furthermor ...