Üsküdar Üniversitesi organized the Clinical Hypnosis Talks event titled “Hypnosis and Neuroscience,” where Radiologist Prof. Dr. Yelda Özsunar stated that pain and anxiety can be significantly eliminated through hypnosis.
At the Clinical Hypnosis Talks event, organized by Üsküdar Üniversitesi Continuing Education Application and Research Center (ÜSEM) and the Traditional and Complementary Medicine Application and Research Center (GETİPMER), the topic of “Hypnosis and Neuroscience” was addressed. Many faculty members and students attended the event, held via Zoom, where Adnan Menderes Üniversitesi Nursing Department Dean, Radiologist Prof. Dr. Yelda Özsunar, participated as the main speaker.
“Hypnosis lives within the human brain”
Addressing the topic of hypnosis, Özsunar said; “Hypnosis is a high-level cognitive activity that requires the modulation of the brain's observable networks. With top-down modulation mechanisms in hypnosis, many psychosomatic diseases, especially pain, can be treated. Pain and anxiety can be significantly eliminated with hypnosis. Current medicine often neglects the emotional aspect of pain. As healthcare professionals, we should utilize hypnotic suggestions, which are already part of daily life, more often in pain and anxiety control and recovery. Hypnosis lives within the human brain. It is our perception of reality in the brain. The frontal lobe and limbic system are critical structures in hypnosis.”
“Emotions, confusions facilitate hypnosis”
Prof. Dr. Yelda Özsunar stated that any emotional interaction in which a person feels no threat and believes is hypnotic, and highlighted the importance of the limbic system, which acts as a bridge between the frontal lobe and the body in hypnosis. Prof. Dr. Yelda Özsunar explained that formal hypnosis is applied by physicians and hypnotists, spontaneous hypnosis by advertisements, movies, relatives, colleagues, politicians, and self-hypnosis is a type of hypnosis applied by oneself. She emphasized that confusion, emotions, the presence of authority, surprise, sexual themes, and relaxation facilitate hypnosis.
Brain trace emerges…
Prof. Dr. Yelda Özsunar, providing information about the basic neurological network connections in the brain, stated that Functional MRI allows the brain's trace to emerge. Prof. Dr. Yelda Özsunar stated that in hypnosis, the hippocampus, amygdala, insula, thalamus, ACC, emotional context, and prefrontal lobe regions of the brain are activated, and added, “While findings in hypnosis vary according to brain sensitivity, sensitivity in hypnosis shows individual differences. Furthermore, this sensitivity can be measured not only with fMRI but also with the Stroop test. In those prone to hypnosis, connectivity runs higher.”
“Pain and anxiety can be significantly eliminated with hypnosis”
Prof. Dr. Yelda Özsunar, also speaking about the relationship between hypnosis and pain, said, “Hypnosis is a high-level cognitive activity that requires the modulation of the most important observable networks of the brain. With top-down modulation mechanisms in hypnosis, many psychosomatic diseases, especially pain, can be treated. Pain perception is formed with emotional and somatosensory components. The emotional component includes past experiences, mood, and expectations. Current medicine often neglects the emotional aspect of pain. As healthcare professionals, we should utilize hypnotic suggestions, which are already part of daily life, more often in pain and anxiety control and recovery. Thus, pain and anxiety can be significantly eliminated with hypnosis.”
“We radiologists are inclined to visualize everything”
Speaking about visualization in hypnosis, Özsunar said; “We radiologists are inclined to visualize everything. Because we always deal with images. When there is a concept, I try to visualize it in my mind. After many descriptions, this is how I imagine hypnosis in my mind. Under stage lights, under a certain spotlight, just like its manifestation in the human mind, meaning it focuses only on a specific point. People draw attention to that point. However, what happens in the dark areas around it does not attract attention. This is the image that forms in my mind.” she concluded.