When people talk about hypnosis, they often mean something almost supernatural. In this case, the influence of one person on another is explained by the expiration of this force in the form of a so-called fluid from the ends of the fingers or from the eyes hypnotizing during sessions of hypnosis a. And so far, this view is especially willingly supported by the so-called magnetisers, who use the phenomena of hypnosis and for self-serving purposes of exploiting trusted persons. But science has long ago abandoned these and similar unfounded theories.
Refuting the opinion of Charcoe, Bekhterevgov says that most, if not all, people are given hypnosis to a greater or lesser extent. It is obvious that everyone cannot be considered hysterical. This theory was finally struck when it became clear that animals also had to admit hypnosis for a phenomenon quite similar and related to human hypnosis. If hypnosis, as we already know, is also observed in animals, it is quite natural that the roots of its origin are deep in the organic world. Indeed, in a number of animals, from the lowest to the highest, we observe a special state of "numbness", or phenomena of so-called imaginary death, which in the same animals can be caused and artificially. The question is: what is the biological meaning of these phenomena characterized by sudden stiffness of movements? Observations show that they develop with the sudden appearance of danger. Thus, it is clear that throughout the animal world, up to and including human beings, we have a common inhibitory reflex that develops under conditions of sudden irritations affecting the mimic-somatic sphere. Although this reflex leads in some cases to the death of an individual, in general, however, it is protective and, consequently, useful. The usefulness of this inhibitory reflex can be seen from the fact that the state of numbness is for most cases a fully life-saving tool for the animal (the bug, taking a stationary position, becomes less visible as a target for predators).
This state of numbness, observed in nature, is a prototype of a hypnotic state. What we call hypnosis is only an artificial reproduction of the general inhibitory reflex in the form of sheer numbness to a greater or lesser extent.
In continuation of the theme about emotions I would like to note the fact on which the reader's special attention is focused by V.M. Bekhterev - the fact that under the influence of suggestion in hypnosis of this or that emotion or mood both the rhythm of breathing and pulse waves and the rhythm of heartbeat change accordingly. Bekhterev made sure that in hypnosis any inspired feeling is accompanied by sharp changes in pulse and breathing. Fear, anger and oppressive affects were particularly strong in this regard, but the effect of joy was less significant. In almost all cases, both a more or less significant increase in pulse rate and a change in the pulse curve were detected. Changes in respiration with joy were manifested in increased breathing speed and decreased amplitude, and sometimes, as with fright and anger, irregular and uneven breathing movements were observed, which appeared to be either deep or superficial.
Now we can say that hypno- "this is a special biological state in the form of shear-like numbness as a general inhibitory reflex, observed in different species of animals, not excluding humans," according to Bekhterev. This state can be reproduced in a greater or lesser degree by artificial means, with the help of physical measures in a variety of animals, and in humans also by means of verbal influences. Examples of physical methods can be: passes, the so-called magnetic look, monotonous long sounds, etc. Word influence takes place in a person because a person is a social being, and for him the word is a symbol and plays an important role, replacing other specific, i.e. physical, stimuli. It can even be said that verbal stimuli play a much more important role in human society than physical stimuli.
Wonderful healings, fortune-tellers for all tastes, body sessions of psychotherapy, mass hobbies of psychics, transmission of thoughts from a distance, and transmission of bioenergy, witchcraft, communication with aliens, etc. have filled our daily world. The true and true scientific word about these phenomena is invaluable. In my opinion, now more than ever, it is necessary to get acquainted with the richness of ideas, facts, and observations of all the abovementioned authors in this most complicated field. It has helped me to understand the problems associated with hypnosis. Although I have not learned how to influence others or myself while working with the literature on hypnosis, this work has helped me to develop a scientific understanding of hypnosis.