World Hypnotism Day: What, When, Why, How…All You Need to Know

Among the interesting January days you’ll find on the Weird Holidays and Observances page is World Hypnotism Day on January 4. I guess that takes care of the “when” part of the questions, right?

But there are more, like what is World Hypnotism Day all about? What is its history? Who started it and why? Let’s take a closer look.

A Brief History of Hypnosis

If you’re like me, maybe you also envision a magician hypnotizing someone on stage. I thought that’s all it was. A magic trick.

However, according to Britannica, hypnosis has been around for a while and has been used as a method in sorcery, magic, and medicine.

Mesmerism

In fact, it was Franz Mesmer, a late 18th-century German physician, who introduced it as a medical treatment in Vienna and Paris. It’s where the term “mesmerism” comes from.

Mesmer’s mesmerism career was short-lived, however, because he mistakenly believed it utilized an “occult force” he called “animal magnetism” that flowed from the hypnotist to the patient. Needless to say, he was discredited.

Physicians in the 19th century resurrected interest in mesmerism and experimented with different ways of using and understanding it. That’s how they began to realize it wasn’t about physical or physiological forces and more about psychological. Even Sigmund Freud tried it on neurotic patients but ended up abandoning it in favor of free association.

However, hypnosis continued to be attempted and was even used as part of psychoanalytic treatments for soldiers who had served in World Wars I and II.

Trances

Differing theories about hypnosis abound. However, they all agree that the general goal is to draw the subject into a trance.

Trances can vary from light to “profound” deep trance states. Even though most people associate being hypnotized with the stereotypical staring deep into the hypnotist’s eyes or focusing on a swinging pendulum, there are many ways to induce trance states. However, no matter how it’s accomplished, there are two things that are always important: a willing subject and their trust in the hypnotist.

Then it’s a matter of the hypnotist using whatever technique they’re comfortable with and their subject responds to in order to induce that trance state. That can be speaking in a soft voice, playing music, dimming the lights, or a combination of all of that.

Not for Entertainment Purposes

These days, even though “there is still no generally accepted explanatory theory for the phenomenon,” medical, psychiatric, dental, and psychological associations worldwide have endorsed it as a therapeutic method.

That’s why many associations agree that because hypnosis can do harm and cause “adverse posthypnotic reactions,” it should not be used for entertainment purposes and only administered by qualified individuals.

But of course, you’ll still find it being used for show purposes too.

Therapeutic Uses

Hypnosis is often used as a part of sports medicine to improve athlete focus, or for helping people abandon unwanted habits, like smoking cessation or weight loss. It’s also used for stress management, productivity, and more.

What is World Hypnotism Day?

Does it celebrate the history of hypnosis, or something else?

The official mission of World Hypnotism Day is “to remove the myths and misconceptions while promoting the truth and benefits of hypnotism.”

When did it start and who started it?

I found a reference in a 2013 event description that it was celebrating the ninth annual World Hypnotism Day, so if that’s accurate and I’ve done my math right, it started in 2004.

As far as who started, it appears some hypnotists along with US Governors, Lt. Governors and USA & Canadian Mayors proclaimed January 4 World Hypnotism Day.

Who participates in World Hypnotism Day?

Anyone can. The worldhypnotismday.com website lists events. Well, sometimes.

For instance, it had a lot of events listed in 2013, 2014, and 2015. Then there was a gap with no event listings until 2018. There were events in 2019, but not for 2020 and or 2021.

Although, with the COVID-19 pandemic still well underway, no events in 2021 are understandable.

How do you participate in World Hypnotism Day?

By attending an event. In years past some were held online, others were held in person. Some cost to attend, others were free.

That is, if there were even any events. It really seems to be a mixed bag not only on the type of events and where they’ll be held, but also the type of venue they’ll be held in.

For More Info

Visit https://worldhypnotismday.com/.

Check-In

Have you ever been hypnotized?