Modern medical technology and economic impositions tend to dehumanize the medical patient. This paper describes a targeted use of the hypnotic modality for relationship building, symptom management, and restoring a sense of self to the patient. To humanize medical care one patient at a time, examples are given for the use of the Hypnotic Induction Profile, the Eye Roll sign and AOD (Apollonian - Odyssean - Dionysian) Mind-Style Questionnaire as a basis for choosing biopsycho-social treatment strategies. This trio of assessments can be used together, in approximately 10 to 15 minutes, or separately, if treatment decisions need to be made in a few minutes or less. The hypothesis presented is that matching treatment strategies, with or without formal hypnosis, to hypnotic capacity and mind style can increase respectful care and efficacy of treatment outcome. Clinical examples will illustrate this approach to enhance recovery, morale, and maximize patients’ ability to become active partners on their own behalf.

The hypnotic modality is a practical and effective way to help people cope with major medical problems and all forms of life stress. A variety of therapeutic approaches and applications have been developed for people who are in immediate crisis as well as those facing chronic problems - sometimes involving matters of life and death (H. Spiegel & D. Spiegel, 2004; H. Spiegel, Greenleaf & D. Spiegel, 2005). Whether for medical patients facing mastectomy, breast reconstruction, ovarian cancer, organ transplants, open heart surgery, prostate cancer, radiological procedures, orthopedic repair, accident victims, chronic illness, and more; patients can learn to alter physiological responses and manage psychosocial issues (Anderson, Frischholz & Trentalange, 1988; Frischholz & Tryon, 1980; Ewin, 1999; Ginandes & Rosenthal, 1999; Ginandes, Brooks, Sando & Aker, 2003: Greenleaf, 1992; Greenleaf, Fisher, Miaskowski,& DuHamel, 1992; Kessler& Dane, 1996; Lang, Joyce, D. Spiegel, et al, 1996; Lang, Benotsch, Pick, et al, 2000; Lynch, 1999; Montgomery, Weltz, Seltz & Bovbjerg, 2002; Pinnell & Covino, 2000; D. Spiegel, 1993; H. Spiegel & D. Spiegel, 2004; H. Spiegel, Greenleaf, D. Spiegel, 2005). Attitude, morale, perception and mental focus can and do make a critical difference in coping, healing, and recovery. Sensitivity to the non-specific factors of belief systems in the healing process enhances the possibility of positive treatment outcome (A. Shapiro & E. Shapiro, 1997).

Becoming a Patient: Frontline Issues

As benefits increase from high-tech medicine and advances in medical specialization, many individuals are faced with making a “degrading shift from person to patient” (Carey, 2005). There are a wide variety of psychological and physical demands involved in undergoing diagnostic procedures, surgical interventions, and potentially toxic treatments. Mammography, sonograms, biopsies, chemotherapies, thallium stress tests, MRI’s, cardiac catherizations, organ transplants - to name but a few - bring on high anxiety. Patients and loved ones are forced to deal with the unexpected. In addition, while dealing with the stressors of medical practice, personal identity is often threatened as the patient and family members become part of an impersonal bureaucratic system.

When faced with the necessity of undergoing such procedures, specialized knowledge is needed by professional care givers to make good decisions about how to help persons cope and cooperate under stress (Greenleaf, 1992).

In general, people begin this journey seriously uninformed and unprepared. At the same time a person needs supportive help to manage the healthcare system, medical specialization tends to complicate coordination of care and may strain doctor-patient relationships (Carey, 2005). Under pressure from HMO’s, insurance companies, hospital administrations or the government, physicians are forced into ever higher volumes of patients and lower staffing. Hospitals themselves are driven to get patients out faster - sometimes with their wounds still draining-following the dictates of what insurance companies will and will not pay for (Bogdanich, 1991). For the patient and loved ones, a sense of isolation and being lost in a foreign territory intensifies feelings of helplessness and anxiety (Gross, 2005). Waiting for a diagnosis or prognosis - be it for a few hours or a few weeks - can compound the stress of the original physical insult. Fear and anxiety and the helplessness that accompanies them are powerful enemies of healing and recovery.

While much has been written about spontaneous trance under conditions of psychological trauma and physical abuse (Kluft, 1999; D. Spiegel, 1996; H. Spiegel & D. Spiegel, 2004), there are also spontaneous trance states (or “Trance-Equivalent States,” Ewin, 1999), that occur to accident victims, combat causalities and medical patients under the stress of physical trauma, acute medical problems and hospitalization (Greenleaf, Fisher, Miaskowski, & DuHamel, 1992; H. Spiegel, 1997, H. Spiegel, 2000).