hypnosis

a state of altered attention, resembling sleep, in which the mind is more receptive to recall of memories of past events and to suggestion. The person who induces this state in another is known as a hypnotist. One of the ways of inducing hypnosis is to ask the patient to fix his or her eyes on a given point or source of light and then rhythmically to repeat soothing words in a low voice. Some people appear to be more easily hypnotized than others, and there are three merging levels of hypnosis, light, medium and deep. Hypnosis is a useful form of treatment in psychiatry and also in pain relief, e.g. during labour and dental repair. It is also used in the treatment of ASTHMA and alcoholism.