Observations placeholder

Dr Stephen Black – Mind and Body

In the genito-urinary system most functions are amenable to hypnotic control in suitable subjects, as reported by Dunbar,1954, and by Kroger I963. This includes sexual excitement and the menses.

From the clinical point of view, in suitable subjects, hypnosis can therefore be used in the treatment of psychological amenorrhea- irregular periods-and dysmenorrhea-painful periods. And it is of particular value in frigidity, vaginismus and impotence. But it should be noted that while the results will be function of trance depth, the transference may be relatively independent of this and difficult to control in the medium and light-trance subjects.

I have also found DSUH [Direct Suggestion under Hypnosis]-combined with ISUH [Indirect Suggestion under Hypnosis] and appropriate PHS [Post Hypnotic Suggestion] -to produce the most happy results in 6 cases of infertility in which no known 'organic cause' could be established by gynaecological investigation. But all these cases were deep-trance subjects-and since the treatment in general is essentially a process of raising the 'libidinous drive' by suggestion, this is clearly not a process to be recommended if any conscious memory of the suggestions is retained on waking from hypnosis, as would be the case in medium and light-trance subjects.

It is of interest here, that in two cases of mine, where purely libidinous suggestions were made ineffectively over 3 months and 6 months respectively, pregnancy in both instances occurred within the month when the suggestions were switched to a somewhat idealised version of the joys of motherhood. By emphasising 'the beauty of a baby's hands and feet', the 'deep blue of newborn eyes' and the 'happy gurgle' when a baby is put to the breast, I was apparently able to overcome the 'psychosomatic infertility' involved.