Journal of Psychology and Clinical Psychiatry A Review of the Development of Sport Hypnosis as a Performance Enhancement Method for Athletes Abstract Review Article The purpose of this review was to trace the historical milestones in the emergence Volume 6 Issue 6 - 2016 of sport hypnosis from its earliest beginnings to the present time. The authors reviewed some important definitional conceptualizations of hypnosis from the William F Straub1* and John J Bowman2 1Sport Science International, Lansing, USA for the modern definitions of hypnosis and eventually of sport hypnosis. 2 work of Braid, Bernheim, Freud, Hull and Erickson. Erickson laid the groundwork Mind Plus Muscle Institute, Port Jefferson Station, USA psychological symptoms and problems” [1]. Attention was given to both research *Corresponding author: andClinical conceptual sport hypnosis literature was on defined the role as: of“helping hypnosis athletes in sport. overcome Contributions a variety of William F Straub, Sport Science Received:International, July Lansing, 10, 2016 USA, | Published: Email: workleading in sportmental psychologists, training, laid e.g., the Brucefoundation Ogilvie, for Lars-Eric sport hypnosis Uneståhl, were Terry presented. Orlick, Finally,Ken Ravizza, the future Brent of Rushall,sport hypnosis Robert was Nideffer, explored Kay as Porter, an empirically Maxwell demonstratedMaltz, whose November 01, 2016 methodology for expanding the range of mental skills training. Keywords: Hypnosis; Altered State of Consciousness; Flow; Performance; Enhancement; Sport Hypnosis; Mental training Method for Athletes Considered the father of modern hypnotherapy, HippolyteBernheim [5] Whether it is overcoming a mental block, building a sharper popularized the view that hypnosis, induced by means of suggestion, is fundamentally a state Hypnosis has been helping athletes and coaches engage in an focus for mental imagery, or increasing self-confidence, Sport elusive but effective mental process to improve training and as induced sleep, Benheim indicated that this performance for more than 100 years. of heightened suggestibility. Defining hypnosis Hypnosis defined a peculiar psychicaldefinition condition was which too increasesnarrow a the meaning susceptibility of the to suggestion [5].word. Hyper-suggestibility, He defined hypnosis with oras “thewithout induction sleep, ofis to aTo discussion understand of sporthow hypnosishypnosis isit usedis first in necessary to define hypnosis and then move the term he used to describe a wider definition of hypnosis [5]. sport psychology. From these definitions, Freud [6] used hypnosis as a vehicle for catharsis After studying with Bernheim, Sigmund dependinga definition on of the sport orientation hypnosis of the will hypnotist, evolve. and regression. After abandoning hypnosis, he And, although there are many definitions developed his own technique of psychoanalysis. According to the American Psychological Association’s Div. 30 When Freud returned to hypnosis, he decided a few definitions are of particular importance. that it might be necessary to combine the during which a health professional or researcher suggests while treating(Society someone,of Psychological that he or Hypnosis), she experience “hypnosis changes is ina sensations,procedure findings of psychoanalysis with the methods of perceptions, thoughts or behavior”. According to Robertson Charcot’s work inhypnotherapy. France and decided In 1885 toFreud study was with impressed him. Freud by was impressed by the therapeutic potential of hypnosis for neurotic disorders. As a result when he came home to Vienna, [2], one of the first definitions of hypnosis was proposed by he used hypnosis to help neurotics recall disturbing events James Braid, the Scottish physician and surgeon. Braid founded that they had apparently forgotten. After developing his system hypnotherapy and first discovered hypnosis in 1841. Originally, of psychoanalysis, including theoretical considerations, he mentalhe used andthe termvisual “Neuro-Hypnotism” eye, Braid [3] thought or nervous that hypnosis sleep to created describe a encountered problems in hypnotizing some patients. As a result hypnosis. Induced by a fixed and abstracted attention of the peculiar state of the nervous system [4]. Submit Manuscript | http://medcraveonline.com J Psychol Clin Psychiatry 2016, 6(6): 00378 A Review of the Development of Sport Hypnosis as a Performance Enhancement Method Copyright: 2/9 for Athletes ©2016 Straub et al. strong cognitive and interpersonal components that affect an individual’s response to hypnosis. There is also growing support of athese school difficulties, of hypnosis Freud known discarded as Hypnoanalysis. hypnosis in Freud favor didof freenot for the idea that hypnotic communication and suggestions association. Eventually, Freud’s work led to the development effectively changes aspects of the person’s physiological and nature of hypnosis. According to Freud [6], it has been established neurological functioning. thatactually it is possibledefine hypnosis. by means Rather,of hypnosis he presentedto put a person a view into ona quite the peculiar mental state, very similar to sleep. Summary at the Universities of Yale and Wisconsin, of hypnosis several themes emerge. First, hypnosis produces After tracing the history of the development of definitions helpedClark theHull [7],evolution a professor of ofhypnosis psychology by an altered state of conscious where the client is able to accept In his text: Hypnosis and Suggestibility, now by concentration and focused attention. Presently, hypnosis suggestions from the hypnotist. Second, hypnosis is characterized consideredexamining ita fromclassic, a hescientific indicated perspective. that the characterized by receptivity to direction and heightened suggestibility”may be defined [1]. as “an induced altered state of consciousness only thing which seems to define hypnosis as practice of calling it a ‘state’ is its generalized hyper-suggestibility. Definition of sport hypnosis Hull desired to makesuch hypnosis and which an gives exact any science. justification And for after the examining the work of previous experts, he concluded: Despite Like hypnosis, there is considerable disagreement about how different theoretical orientations of the various writers and their varying and diverse interpretation of the phenomenon, most agree that hypnotic trance produces an elevated susceptibility to andsport sport hypnosis scientists should present be defined. a more Psychologists applied or coachseem orientedto favor suggestions. cognitive and behavior definitions. On the other hand, exercise asdefinition. the use ofFor hypnotherapy. example, the Paccagnella American Psychological [9] agrees and Association, states that second year undergraduate when sportsDivision hypnosis 30, to enhance refer to theperformance, use of hypnotherapy sport hypnosis with athletesis defined to Clark In Hull1923, delivered Milton Ericksonhis lectures was ona hypnosis at the University of Wisconsin – states that hypnosis in sport has therapeutic and performance enhancinghelp them performfunctions better, and describes i.e., enhance it as performance. mental training. She Leading further life and eventually the study and Madison. This event changed Erickson’s Hypnosis is helping athletes overcome a variety of psychological is often referred to as the most skilled authorities Edgette and Rowan [1] stated that: “Clinical Sport practice of hypnosis. Today,th Erickson hypnotherapist of the 20 century. hypnosis can help athletes acquire certain cognitive, psychological, behavioralsymptoms andand problems”affective qualities(p.3). They so also that suggest their physicalclinical sport and distinctive style of hypnotism, referred to mental capabilities are improved. According Wikipedia [10], sport Erickson is the originator of a novel and unconscious mind was always attending to stimuli and indicated thatas indirect “Ericksonian” suggestion [2]. or Ericksonwhat has [7,8]he called believed conversational that the sporthypnosis hypnosis is defined as a formas the of usemental of hypnotherapy training which with can athletescontribute in hypnosis that permitted the unconscious mind to participate toorder enhancing to improve athletic sporting performance. performance. Liggett [11] also defines actively in the therapeutic process. As a result, a normal conversation may induce a hypnotic trance or a therapeutic as: Hypnotism directed towards improving sports performance. change in the person. For purposes of conceptualization, he CertainFrom trance the above, phenomenon it appears make that hypnosissport hypnosis particularly may be suited defined to described the hypnotic trance as a state of increased awareness sports improvement. First is the enhanced vividness and clarity which the primary feature was suggestibility. might use sports hypnosis to vividly imagine doing the double axel and responsiveness to ideas (Collected Papers, vol. IV, 174) in of mental rehearsal or visualization. A figure skater, for example, American society of clinical hypnosis (ASCH) Using the metaphor: using a magnifying glass to focus the ray or flip or a baseball player might clearly image the perfect swing. andThe hypnosissecond phenomenon are both about is the focusing intensification attention, of vivid emotions sensory which and Clinical Hypnosis (www.asch.net physicalcan create experience self-confidence and positive and positive visualization. expectations. Finally, sport innerof the absorption,