Hypnosis

Hypnosis na one kind method wey make person dey for inside state of deep concentration and focus. For dis state, person mind dey very open to suggestions wey go fit help am for different ways. For Nigeria, many people dey call am "to hypnotize" or "to put person for sleep", but e no be say person dey sleep. Person dey hear everything and e no go do anything wey e no like do.

Definition

Hypnosis na psychological process wey involve heightened focus, reduced peripheral awareness, and increased ability to respond to suggestion. For Pidgin, we fit talk say na "to carry person mind go one place". E dey happen as interaction between di hypnotist and di person wey dem dey hypnotize (subject). Di person wey dey hypnotized no lose control; instead, dem just dey in state of deep relaxation wey allow dem listen to helpful suggestions wey fit change bad habit, reduce pain, or even remember old memories. E no be magic and e no get power to make person do wetin dem no want do.

History

Global History

For outside world, hypnosis history long. Since ancient times for Egypt and Greece, dem dey use "temple sleep" for healing. But modern hypnosis start with one German doctor wey dem dey call Franz Mesmer for 18th century. Na from im name we get word "mesmerize". Later, people like James Braid from Scotland coin di word "hypnosis" from di Greek word for sleep. Sigmund Freud, di papa of psychoanalysis, first use am before e abandon am. For 20th century, hypnosis become more respected for medicine and psychology.

Local History for Nigeria

For Nigeria, before white man come, our traditional medicine men and women, like di Babalawo for Yoruba land and di Dibia for Igbo land, don dey use methods wey resemble hypnosis. Dem dey use drumming, chanting, and herbs to make person enter trance state for healing or for spiritual purposes. Dis methods dey part of our culture for festivals and healing ceremonies. When Western style hypnosis enter Nigeria, e first come through churches and some spiritual groups wey dey use am for deliverance. Later, for late 20th century, trained psychologists and medical doctors begin to carry am come hospitals and universities.

Types

Hypnosis get many types wey dey practiced for Nigeria:

• Clinical Hypnosis: Na di one wey trained doctors and psychologists dey use for hospital or clinic to treat problems like stress, pain, smoking, or fear.
• Stage Hypnosis: Dis one na for entertainment. You go see am for comedy shows or events. Di hypnotist go select volunteers and make dem do funny things. E dey controversial because e fit disgrace person.
• Self-Hypnosis: Na when person learn how to hypnotize imself. E dey involve relaxation techniques and self-suggestion. Many motivational speakers for Nigeria dey teach am.
• Regression Hypnosis: Dis one na special type wey dey carry person mind go back to im past. E fit be early childhood or even wetin some people believe be past life. Dem dey use am to find root of problem wey dey trouble person. You fit read more for im own page.
• Ericksonian Hypnosis: Dis one na indirect style wey use story and metaphor. E dey popular for some therapy circles for Lagos and Abuja.
• Traditional/Spiritual Trance: Dis one no be Western hypnosis but e dey similar. Na di trance state wey traditional worshippers or Aladura church members dey enter during prayer or ritual.

Scientific research

Wetin science talk about hypnosis? Many research for abroad show say hypnosis dey real and e fit change how brain dey work. Brain scans don show say for hypnosis, different parts of brain dey active. E fit reduce pain well well (analgesia) and e fit help control anxiety.

For Nigeria, research on hypnosis still dey small, but e dey grow. For universities like University of Ibadan, University of Lagos, and Nnamdi Azikiwe University, some departments of Psychology and Psychiatry dey carry out small research on how hypnosis fit help for pain management for sickle cell patients or for reducing exam anxiety for students. Di Nigerian Psychological Association sometimes dey hold workshop on therapeutic hypnosis. Di challenge be say many Nigerians still dey see am as juju or spiritual matter, so scientists dey careful.

Applications

Hypnosis dey useful for many things for Nigeria:

• Medical: To reduce pain for childbirth, surgery, or sickle cell crisis. Some dentists sef dey use am to make patient calm.
• Psychological: To treat fear (phobia), stress, trauma (like for people wey see bokoharam trouble), and to stop bad habits like smoking or too much chop.
• Performance: To improve for sports, for exam (to reduce "exam fever"), and for public speaking. Many Nigerian athletes and students dey learn self-hypnosis.
• Personal Development: To boost confidence, improve sleep, and achieve goals. Na for dis area many "motivational coaches" for Nigeria dey use am.
• Forensic: To help witness remember details of crime. But dis one dey controversial for Nigeria because court no too accept am.
• Spiritual: Some churches and spiritual centers dey use trance-like states for prayer and healing, although dem no dey call am hypnosis.

Legal status for Nigeria

For Nigeria law, hypnosis no be illegal, but e get some regulations. If you dey use am for treat medical condition, you must be licensed healthcare professional like doctor or psychologist. If you do anyhow, you fit commit malpractice.

Stage hypnosis for public events dey in grey area. If di volunteer agree and no harm come to am, e dey okay. But if di hypnotist disgrace person or cause injury, di person fit go court for assault. No specific government agency dey regulate hypnosis full full, but bodies like Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria (MDCN) and Association of Psychiatrists in Nigeria dey set standards for dia members wey dey use am.

Anyone wey dey call imself "hypnotherapist" without proper training fit run into trouble if patient complain. For now, Nigeria no get one central board to certify hypnotherapists like for abroad.

Cultural attitudes

Nigerian people get mixed feelings about hypnosis. Many people fear am because of di way dem dey portray am for movies—as mind control or witchcraft. Some Christians see am as "gateway to demonic influence," especially di Regression Hypnosis wey involve past lives. Many pastors dey preach against am.

For di other hand, because our traditional culture already get trance and spirit possession for festivals and worship, some people dey accept am easily but dem dey call am by traditional name. Di educated elites for cities dey more likely to go clinical hypnotherapist for problem like stress or to stop smoking.

Di main challenge na trust. Many Nigerians no dey trust say dem go give dia mind to another person. Dem dey fear say di hypnotist go use am steal money or make dem do bad thing. Dis fear na why many practitioners dey need to build strong reputation and use plenty explanation.

Notable practitioners from Nigeria

• Dr. Ayo Olatunde: One clinical psychologist based for Ibadan wey dey pioneer therapeutic hypnosis for pain management. E don write books and dey train other professionals.
• Rev. Dr. Chukwuemeka Nwankwo: One pastor and trained counselor wey dey integrate Christian counseling with hypnotherapy techniques for Abuja. E dey focus on addiction recovery.
• Prof. Bola Adekoya: Retired professor of Psychiatry from University of Benin. E don carry out research on hypnosis for anxiety disorders and e dey advocate for am for medical school curriculum.
• Madam Zainab Bello: Popular "masseuse" and traditional healer for Kano. Even though she no dey call am hypnosis, her methods of inducing relaxed trance with herbs and massage don help many women with stress.
• Emeka "The Mind Doctor" Okoro: One popular stage hypnotist wey dey perform for weddings and corporate events for Lagos and Port Harcourt. E dey controversial but e get plenty fans.

See also

• Regression Hypnosis
• Psychology
• Traditional medicine for Nigeria
• Psychotherapy
• Sickle cell disease
• Anxiety

External links

• Nigerian Psychological Association
• Medical World Nigeria - Sometimes dey publish articles on hypnosis.