History of Hypnosis
The use of hypnosis can be traced back to the ancient Egyptians, over 5,000 years ago, and was used throughout history by the Greeks, Mayans, Chinese teachers of religion and many more.
In the early days it was most likely misunderstood by practitioners, who believed they had some sort of magical or divine power. However, in the 18th Century some more scientific research took place, driven by Franz Mesmer who induced a trance-like state into people - hence the term "mesmerised" or to be totally entranced with something.
In the 19th Century some physicians successfully used hypnosis as an anaesthetic in surgery before medical anaesthesia was even thought of - indeed, this is becoming common again today and many people had undergone surgical procedures using hypnosis and, therefore, avoiding the potential unpleasant side effecs of conventional anaethesia.
Today, hypnosis is also becoming increasingly used as a complementary therapy and is recognised by many medical practitioners and regulated by professional bodies and associations.
