Suggestive abilities, hypnosis in the service of gentlemen of fortune.

Suggestion translated from Latin means suggestion. In psychology, this concept means a method of psychological influence on a person’s consciousness, the purpose of which is to convey certain beliefs and attitudes and perceive them uncritically by the receiving party.

On a subconscious level, all people are susceptible to suggestion to varying degrees, and it is an integral part of relationships. This idea was first voiced by the Soviet and Russian psychiatrist Bekhterev, being several decades ahead of his colleagues in this regard.

The concept of suggestion in psychology

Suggestion in psychology is a form of communication between people in which information is transferred from the suggestor to the suggestible person by transmitting special signals at the non-verbal and verbal level.

This form of communication can be built between:

• two people;
• groups of people;
• one person and a group of people.

In psychology, the suggestible person is called a suggestor, and the suggestive person is called a suggestor.

Susceptibility to suggestive influence or suggestibility depends on the psycho-emotional state of the object.

For many people, even those who are not psychologists, it is well known that suggestibility increases under certain conditions:

• uncertainty;
• A state of trance;
• fatigue;
• extreme situations;
• in crowd;
• as a result of media influence.

Psychologists highlight:

• heterosuggestion - suggestion aimed at forming certain views in other people;
• autosuggestion - when a person tries to suggest something to himself.

Suggestion can also be:

• direct – when the target of influence clearly knows from whom the suggested information comes;
• indirect – when the impact on the human psyche is made indirectly, using intermediate links.

  

Indirect veiled suggestion is more effective.

Autotraining

This technique is also called self-hypnosis or self-hypnosis. Already from the definition it is clear that all work is carried out by the patient independently, but under the strict supervision of a specialist. In the process of auto-training, a self-healing mechanism is launched in the human body, getting rid of bad habits and the like.

Autotraining was proposed as a therapeutic method back in the 30s of the last century by the German scientist Johann Schulz. In Russia, this method became widespread only 20 years later.

Autotraining is not just repeating the same key phrase. This is a whole series of exercises that are divided into two stages. The lowest includes auto-training training to restore smooth breathing, a calm heartbeat, dilation of blood vessels, and muscle relaxation. Exercises of the highest level consist of calling up mental images of a certain color, shape and size.

Also, auto-training training for the purpose of influence includes five categories:

• neutralizing (forms in the patient indifference to irritating factors, for example: “pollen, I don’t care” - in case of allergies);
• reinforcing (activate hidden thought processes, for example: “I will wake up when I want to go to the toilet” - with enuresis);
• paradoxical (use the effects of “reverse action” of formula phrases with a suggestive function);
• abstinence-oriented (get rid of bad habits and addictions, for example: smoking, alcoholism);
• supportive (considered the gentlest, stimulating the development of positive personality traits).

Contraindications for auto-training include confusion, delirium, acute somatic attacks, and vegetative crises.

Definition of suggestion and counter-suggestion

Suggestion in psychology is an unreasoned and purposeful influence by one person on the psyche of another person or group of people in order to convey and consolidate in their minds any significant theses or views. This process is unilateral, personalized and active.

Suggestion is most often used in psychiatry, teaching and politics. Suggestion, which forms certain generally accepted values ​​in a person, has an important social function, as it contributes to the integration of the individual into society.

In contrast to suggestion in psychology, there is the concept of counter-suggestion, which is based on the opposite mechanism - distrust of the received signal (information, actions).

Psychologists define counter-suggestion as the ability or ability to resist other people's influence and infection with alien thoughts and attitudes and the ability to analyze incoming information offered to a person. Counter-suggestion may decrease when being among a large number of people, as well as under the influence of hypnosis.

In the actions and behavior of a particular person, suggestion is identified with the submission of the individual, his dependence on collective coercion. The opposite concept of counter-suggestion leads the individual to psychological independence and the development of his individuality.

Suggestion contributes to the unification of society, the preservation of conservative views and traditions and forms of behavior, while counter-suggestion is the engine of social change and transformation.

Suggestive abilities in humans

Not all people have the ability to convince other people and influence their beliefs and will. Suggestive abilities are a person’s ability to influence other people and convey to them their attitudes and views.

It is important to have these abilities:

• teachers;
• educators;
• parents;
• politicians.

This skill depends on a whole complex of personal qualities of a person, such as:

• charisma;
• determination;
• excerpt;
• persistence;
• demandingness.

It will be difficult for a person to succeed in some professions if he does not adequately possess the gift of persuasion and suggestion. For example, it is important for teachers to be able to influence students, since through their suggestive abilities they lay the educational foundation for entire generations.

Public people associated with politics, for the most part, have the gift of suggestion and try to develop and improve it. In medical practice, psychiatrists use the gift of suggestion at a professional level to correct various conditions of patients that deviate from the norm.

The effectiveness of suggestive programs

Suggestive techniques are used for most mental disorders of a non-psychotic level:

• neuroses;
• neurasthenia;
• hysterical disorders;
• sleep disorders;
• as well as for psychosomatic diseases, conversion disorders, i.e. such diseases of the body, the root cause of which is in the head: hysterical/conversion paresis, paralysis, deafness, blindness, dumbness;
• somatization disorder;
• somatoform disorder of the autonomic nervous system (modern name VSD);
• persistent somatoform pain disorder.

Being a directive technique, the suggestive approach is not recommended for people whose main problem is avoiding responsibility for their own lives and decisions. In general, suggestive technologies are safe and highly effective when used correctly.

Suggestive therapy is often used not as monotherapy, but in combination with methods and approaches of other psychotherapeutic schools. The final decision on the tactics of psychotherapeutic influence and the methods used is made by a specialist or a council of specialists from the Alliance Medical Center.

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Ashmeiba Nino Anatolyevna

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doctor of the highest category

more than 15 years of experience

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• Suggestive therapy
• Reconstructive-personal psychotherapy
• Rational psychotherapy
• Individual psychotherapy

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Krylatykh Victoria Yurievna

Psychotherapist, psychiatrist

more than 15 years of experience

108 positive reviews

• Individual psychotherapy
• Family psychotherapy
• Neurolinguistic programming
• Cognitive behavioral psychotherapy

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The use of suggestion in psychotherapy

Suggestion or suggestion in psychology is a way of influencing a person’s consciousness and subconscious with the aim of uncritically introducing certain attitudes into them. Uncritical implementation means that a person does not analyze or question the truth and veracity of incoming information flows and perceives them without alternative.

With the help of suggestion, you can influence feelings, emotions and actions, while the person does not subject the perceived information to logical processing.

To achieve these goals in psychotherapy, there are a number of methods that allow you to instill in a person this or that information. This can be both verbal and non-verbal influence, used in a state of hypnotic, narcotic or natural sleep, as well as in a state of wakefulness.

Hypnosis

Hypnosis is a state caused by self-hypnosis or under the influence of a hypnotist. Characterized by a sharp decrease in attention to the surrounding reality and concentration on the object of suggestion. During hypnosis, a so-called trance state develops, when the degree of conscious participation in processing incoming information changes.

There is still no consensus on exactly how processes develop in the human brain and consciousness under the influence of hypnosis. Most researchers tend to believe that while under hypnosis (or in a trance), a person is in a state of half-asleep and decreased consciousness. However, other researchers point out that the hypnotic state is not a full-fledged sleep.

There are many myths around hypnotic sessions, and the main one is that you can put a person into a trance against his will, although in reality this is not the case. Under the influence of hypnosis, people do not lose their memory and they are not characterized by the manifestation of unprecedented physical strength, as well as the performance of unacceptable things.

Most often, hypnotic sessions are used by practicing psychotherapists for peaceful purposes to correct psycho-emotional disorders - neuroses, depression, various phobias.

Some practitioners use hypnosis to rid patients of addictions - food, alcohol, nicotine. Hypnosis can be used for unscrupulous purposes by various charlatans who offer healing from diseases or who try to get money or property.

NLP

NLP stands for neuro-linguistic programming and is a special approach to interpersonal relationship building and personality development in general. Many experts do not consider NLP as a full-fledged practice and point to its pseudoscience.

This technique was developed by American linguist John Grinder and psychologist Richard Bandler. They argued that there is a relationship between neural processes, language of influence and behavioral components with the achievement of desired goals.

Therefore, NLP techniques combined linguistic influence and programming, which consisted of imitation, copying and modeling the behavior and thinking of people who had reached certain heights in any field.

These practices are criticized, since the techniques used in NLP are based on outdated ideas about how the brain works and have been shown to be ineffective in a number of studies.

Psychoactive texts

If you want to influence someone, texts are used that directly and indirectly influence the psyche. Under the influence of such information, a person can enter a trance, a state similar to hypnosis.

For this purpose, repeating words and phrases that carry a bright expressive color can be used. Most often, such suggestion occurs indirectly (indirectly) and is used to process a group of people, for example, a work or educational group.

Nonverbal influence on behavior and thinking

Nonverbal suggestion uses gestures, intonation, and color rendition to influence the psyche of people. Thus, an experienced psychotherapist can, by changing the timbre of his voice, encourage a person to change some views and behavior in general.

Also, in order to give the patient time to process what is being suggested, experienced specialists use pauses, during which the person comprehends the main message of the information being conveyed to him.

Separately, it is worth noting this type of non-verbal influence on the human psyche as ASMR video. In addition to muffled voices and whispers, they use various kinds of sounds that help a person feel the so-called goosebumps and relax. These videos are a prime example of suggestion, as they are very popular for relaxing and calming your nerves.

Despite the fact that some people do not understand these sensations, since they do not have a sensory-psychic response in the form of tingling, pleasant sensations in the back of the head and “goosebumps” spreading throughout the body, these videos still have a calming effect on the majority of people, which proves that a person is susceptible to suggestion.

Marking

It implies placing some emphasis on the main phrase during speech addressed to the suggestor. To do this, in the stream of words addressed to the suggested person, certain key points are highlighted (marked). This can be done using a pause, intonation, or speed of speech.

Also, the main message phrase can be emphasized by gestures or by performing any actions with different objects:

• fingering the rosary;
• twisting pens, pencils;
• taking off and putting on glasses.

The effectiveness of the actions performed increases if such manipulations are repeated many times.

Belief

Persuasion is one of the softest forms of suggestion, since in this case the suggestor addresses and influences not the subconscious, but the conscious component of the personality. For such a directed influence, well-founded argumentation and arguments are used, as well as a visual demonstration of something that proves the correctness of the given judgments.

This type of psychological influence in groups is effective in the absence of acute aggravated conflicts and does not really help to convince radically minded individuals.

Suggestion in a dream

This technique of suggestion is partly based on the principles of a hypnotic session. It is no secret that during sleep a person is in a state similar to trance or hypnosis, and knowledgeable specialists can skillfully, as they say, “inscribe” the necessary information on the subconscious. The best moment for this is the first 15-40 minutes. after falling asleep, or 1.5-2 hours before waking up.

To conduct a session, the suggestor sits near the head of a sleeping person and barely touches his fingers or forehead and begins to pronounce a prepared speech. To check the establishment of contact, you can slow down or, on the contrary, speed up the pace of speech. If as a result of these manipulations a sleeping person’s breathing changes, it means that the connection has been established and he is receptive to receiving information.

To conduct such sessions, it is not necessary to invite a specialist - you can use audio or video materials.

Similar practices are used to treat:

• various fears in children;
• enuresis;
• hysterical disorders.

In adults, this technique is effective in combating addictions. Suggestion is used in dreams and for educational purposes, especially for teaching a foreign language.

Self-suggestion or auto-training

Self-hypnosis has no less power than suggestion carried out by another person. Some experts believe that this technique is based on the “placebo” effect. Before a self-hypnosis session, autogenic training is carried out, through which a person puts himself into a trance state. Yoga or meditation can also be used to prepare.

This technique allows a person to reconfigure his thoughts independently, without anyone’s help. This is a very important point, since physical and mental health depends on your mood and your own attitudes.

There are facts in medicine when, through thought and self-hypnosis, a person either found the path to healing or could bring himself to the grave if the wrong destructive (destructive) attitudes were chosen.

Hypnosis

This type is also called the “partial” sleep state. The patient enters a trance with the help of a psychotherapist. This process allows not only to make a suggestion, but also to identify the true causes of certain mental disorders of the patient. This technique allows you to penetrate into the unconscious person and put an important message into it with the goal of getting rid of addiction or illness. This is perhaps the most effective method of suggestive psychology.

Hypnosis has been known for more than three thousand years. It was also used by the priests of Ancient Egypt and the healers of the East, calling it “animal magnetism.” Over the centuries, it has undergone many changes in public understanding and perception. In Russia, scientists Vladimir Bekhterev and Konstantin Platonov made a great contribution to the development of hypnosis at the beginning of the 20th century. Among European scientists, the works and experiments of Sigmund Freud, Milton Erickson, and Dave Elman are well known.

Contraindications to the hypnotic method are epilepsy, hysterical reactions in the form of uncontrollable laughter/crying, convulsive seizures. Psychotherapists also refrain from performing hypnosis if the patient has a delay in intellectual development, is taking psychotropic drugs, or is under the influence of drugs or alcohol. Pregnancy in women in the first three months and somatic diseases in the acute stage are also included in the list of contraindications for hypnosis.

Stages of treatment

Suggestion or suggestion is most often used for peaceful therapeutic purposes, to work through psychological trauma, fight addictions and correct the behavior of patients. In general, the course of treatment usually does not exceed 14 days. Each session lasts about 40-45 minutes. and includes euthanasia and awakening of the patient.

After euthanasia, self-hypnosis itself occurs.

Euthanasia of the patient

At this stage, the specialist’s task is to relax the patient. For this, repeating phrases, monotonous tapping, or relaxing sound recordings (the sound of surf, rain) can be used.

If a hypnotic session is carried out, then the preparatory stage of falling into sleep goes through 3 stages:

• somnolence – when the muscles of the body relax superficially;
• hypotaxia - at this stage the muscles are completely relaxed;
• Somnambulism is a stage of complete rest and deep sleep.

When carrying out ordinary persuasion or auto-training, the patient is not euthanized.

Wake up the patient

It is the final stage after the suggestion session. As a rule, it passes without complications. In this case, the specialist, immediately before waking up, instills in the person information that after he wakes up, he will feel fresh, well-slept and rested.

At the same time, he can recite a repeating soothing text, count down slowly and use sound stimulation.

Belief

This process is carried out while the patient is awake. This is probably why it is considered more complex in terms of influence. The specialist needs to find the right approach, “impulse points” and correctly influence a person’s emotions and consciousness, while bypassing the control of the mind.

There are open, camouflaged and rational beliefs. The first involves a direct message from the psychotherapist that he is influencing the patient and wants to make a certain substitution of concepts in his mind. Phrases here are usually constructed like this: “I will count to three and it will happen...”. However, human consciousness cannot always be caught on such hooks.

Rational beliefs include certain logical concepts and explanations that the specialist uses. The standard phrases here sound something like this: “You are forbidden (should not) do this because...”. This type of suggestion also does not work with all patients.

Suggestive psychotherapy most often uses hidden beliefs. They include three techniques: sequence of phrases until agreement, surprise and creative moments, and banality.

The first technique involves a set of phrases that are pronounced by the psychotherapist with an emphasis on the patient’s consent and its manifestation in the form of body responses (relaxation, restoration of even and calm breathing). For example: “You came to me... you are now sitting in a comfortable chair... you are relaxed... you have a problem...

Surprise and creative moments are pure improvisation of a psychotherapist who sees a patient in front of him who requires a special approach.

A banality is a set of phrases that the patient cannot refute. After the next confirmation of the “banal message,” the patient’s consciousness automatically greets the conviction positively. For example: “When a person is comfortable, he is relaxed. Each person solves problems in their own way. Your symptom will disappear once your unconscious mind understands that you are capable of solving problems constructively.” This may also include proverbs and sayings that are related to the topic of the session.

Thus, in a number of seemingly ordinary phrases with a confirmation vector, the specialist uses the hook of suggestive influence - persuasion. Contraindications here are taking psychotropic medications and emotional agitation.

Who is easily influenced?

Suggestion in psychology is the most effective manipulative method of influencing human thinking and behavior. Suggestion can be used for different purposes - medical, political, psychological. All people react differently to suggested information, but there are certain categories that are more susceptible to perception and which are easier to suggest.

Suggestion in psychology
However, it is worth noting that people who do not belong to these groups, if desired, can be fully prepared to perceive the suggested information. This is facilitated by a favorable atmosphere, the authority of the suggestor and the correctly selected technique for presenting information.

What is being treated?

Suggestive therapy is very effective for the treatment of psychosomatic diseases that manifest themselves at the psychological and physiological levels. The method has been noted to have a positive effect in getting rid of headaches of various etiologies, asthma attacks, panic attacks, neuroses and even bronchial asthma. Also, the use of suggestion allows you to cope with allergic reactions and skin ailments.

This treatment method should not be forced. Many patients are skeptical about suggestive therapy. However, this only reduces the effectiveness of the method. Before starting sessions, it is very important for the psychotherapist to have a conversation with the patient and explain to him the essence and principles of suggestion.

Examples of suggestive techniques

Suggestion in psychology is a special form of influence on the human psyche, in which he easily perceives the information conveyed to him and does not subject it to critical analysis and processing. For suggestion, specialists use various techniques and techniques, which depend on the specific area and sphere, as well as the tasks that suggestion pursues in them.

In advertising

Advertising can have a tremendous impact on the psyche of people. To achieve goals, a whole army of marketers and psychologists work on creating videos. They know well what exactly a person can “fall for” and how to make him want to purchase a product or service.

For this we use:

• speech techniques and texts – speech and words have the most powerful stimulus and power of suggestion, so every word in advertising is pronounced for a reason;
• corporate identity - the recognition and promotion of a brand popularizes it, and people who have similar things are considered among the elite;
• unusual, catchy plots of videos - people with non-standard appearance, actors, singers can be attracted. What has become unusual is the presentation of advertising without words, when the video is interrupted by silence and the person certainly pays attention to the fact that the voice has suddenly disappeared;
• a visual demonstration of processes - when in an advertisement for chocolate bars or cocoa milk is poured in a slow beautiful stream or the processes of creating a particular product are demonstrated.

In the media

The media have traditionally been a means of propaganda and indoctrination. In this sense, this resource is most often used by government authorities. The role of influence on suggestion is especially strong in countries with a totalitarian and authoritarian style of government, where freedom of speech is prohibited and there is strict censorship.

In such countries, all television channels, print publications and Internet resources are very highly politicized and are engaged in propaganda of the current government.

In politics

Experienced politicians, speaking in public, not only know how and what they should say, but also know how to influence people using various suggestive techniques (non-verbal methods, persuasion).

Suggestion is used especially often by politicians during the election campaign, when the electorate is influenced in various ways. Often, many politicians use demagoguery and populism in their speeches, making empty promises that, nevertheless, may resonate with a certain part of the population.

Subliminal suggestion

Methods of subconscious suggestion can be used both in individual sessions or in personal communication, and broadcast to the masses. Usually, after such exposure, a person may feel that something is wrong and may have a headache.

Such suggestion can be visual or vocal, and it is officially prohibited for use in advertising and public performances. However, this tool is so subtle that its use can be difficult to prove.

For example, in an advertisement two voices with different tonality levels may sound in parallel. A lower voice will influence the subconscious and create a powerful motivational impulse in the listener.

Post-hypnotic suggestion

It is a reminder of the hypnotist's program for the client to feel or behave in a certain way after the session is completed. Specialists can use this kind of installation in certain circumstances when it is necessary to secure a particular program.

For example, when working with a shy client, the hypnotist gives him such a post-hypnotic setting that every time he meets with his superiors, a sense of self-esteem and confidence awakens within him.

Most often, hypnotists, by introducing post-hypnotic attitudes into the patient’s consciousness, strive to make their work easier, so that in subsequent sessions the person quickly calms down, enters a trance and becomes as receptive as possible.

Verbal suggestion

Verbal influence on consciousness and subconscious is carried out with the aim of transforming a person’s thoughts, views and beliefs. Various verbal tools are used to influence the psyche. This can be the tone, rhythm of speech, the semantic load itself, when inversion is used, the use of unusual words and phrases, emotional coloring.

For example, many leaders in their speeches can repeat key points, emphasize and mark them. In this situation, the meaning of what was said, which must be assimilated by the people receiving the information, as well as its emotional presentation are closely intertwined.

Suggestion "ricochet"

The “ricochet” technique is based on deep knowledge of the characteristics of the human psyche, who tend to want to know something secret and forbidden. In this case, he receives information not from the suggestor directly, but as if by chance from another source. It can be overheard or retold by those who overheard it.

What happens is a kind of reflection (ricochet) effect when a person gains access to classified information. This influence is indirect, but its power of influence exceeds direct suggestion. Today there are many closed groups on social networks of various subjects and people themselves, trying to find out hidden information, try to get into them.

This method is also effective when raising children, when parents can know that the child is eavesdropping on them and, for example, specifically praise him, trying to correct his attitude towards learning or some other behavioral aspects.

Suggestion is a powerful tool used in psychology and psychiatry to influence a person. Most often, suggestion is used to resolve various kinds of psychological problems, as well as for educational purposes.

The massive use of this technique, the inculcation of any information into numerous groups of the population, can be used by people in power, while the information conveyed may not always correspond to reality and carry a destructive message.

Ideas of collective (CR), suggestive, interactive, modular learning

The didactic basis of CO is cooperation. The work is organized in shift pairs, allowing for mutual training and mutual control of trainees.

A collective form of training is an organization of training in which all participants work with each other in pairs and the composition of the pairs changes periodically. As a result, it turns out that each member of the team works in turn with everyone, while some of them can work individually. The technology of collective mutual learning allows students to fruitfully develop independence and communication skills.

In collective training sessions in multi-level groups, students develop skills of self-organization, self-government, self-control, self-esteem and mutual assessment.

Advantages of CO: 1) as a result of constant repetition of exercises, logical thinking and understanding skills are improved; 2) in the process of constant, active activity, mental activity skills are developed, memory work is activated, and previous experience and knowledge are mobilized and updated; 3) everyone feels relaxed, works at an individual pace, which creates a situation of success; 4) responsibility increases not only for one’s own successes, but also for the results of collective work; 5) discussing the same information with several interchangeable partners increases the number of associative connections, and therefore ensures more durable assimilation; 6) working in pairs contributes to the successful formation of communication skills.

Modular learning is a way of organizing the educational process based on a block-modular presentation of educational information. The essence of modular training is that the content of training is structured into autonomous organizational and methodological blocks - modules, the content and volume of which can vary depending on the didactic goals, profile and level differentiation of students, and the desires of students to choose an individual trajectory of movement along the training course. Modules can be compulsory or elective. The combination of modules should provide the necessary degree of flexibility and freedom in the selection and assembly of the required specific educational material for training (and independent study) of a certain category of students and the implementation of special didactic and professional goals. A necessary element of modular training is usually a rating system for assessing knowledge, which involves scoring students' performance based on the results of studying each module. A module is a holistic set of skills, knowledge, attitudes and experience (competencies) to be mastered, described in the form of requirements that the student must meet upon completion of the module, and representing an integral part of a more general function. The module is significant for the world of work. Each module is assessed and usually certified.

Suggestive learning is a teaching technology proposed in the 70s by the Bulgarian psychiatrist G. Lozanov; it is based on the general relaxation of the student. The technology is based on 5 principles: 1. No cramming; 2. The educational process without fatigue; 3. Interest and motivation as the basis of learning; 4. Training in enlarged blocks; 5. Complex solution to the problem; Lozanov’s system is based on the laws of human memory: everything that enters the human consciousness is remembered, but only what is important and interesting to a person, what excites him or is associated with certain experiences remains in the active state.

Interactive learning is learning that:

· Is interactive;

· Based on real life experiences;

· Includes exchanges among students and between students and teachers

· Critically analyzes organizational and system causes of problems.

The purpose of online training is not only to impart knowledge and skills, but also to provide a basis for problem-solving work after the training is completed.

Adults remember information best when they are actively involved in solving practical problems and exercises during the learning process. They remember 20% of what they hear, 40% of what they see and hear, and 80% of what they hear, see and do. Therefore, learning is less effective if people passively receive information by simply listening to lectures or viewing didactic slides.

The use of interactive learning should include activities that help students develop critical thinking, practice real-world problems and solutions, and acquire the skills needed to effectively work on similar problems in the future.