NO LEVEL OF INTELLIGENCE IS IMMUNE TO THIS SPELLBINDER
by Milton H. Erickson M.D
NO LEVEL OF INTELLIGENCE IS IMMUNE TO THIS SPELLBINDER
by Milton H. Erickson M.D
Case One
A 26 year old man with an M.A. degree in psychology came reluctantly to the writer for hypnotherapy at his father's dictatorial demand.
His problem was fingernail biting, begun at the age of four as a measure of escaping four hours daily practice at the piano.
He had bitten his fingernails to the quick until they bled, but his mother was unmoved by the bloodstains on the keys. He continued the piano and the fingernail biting until the latter had become an uncontrollable habit.
He resented greatly being sent for hypnotherapy and freely stated so.
I began by assuring him that he was justified in his resentment, but I was amused that he had allowed himself to participate in self-frustration for 22 long years. He looked at me in a puzzled way so the explanation was given, "To get out of playing the piano you bit your fingernails to the quick until it became an unbreakable habit despite the fact you have wanted long fingernails.
In other words, for 22 years you have literally deprived yourself of the privilege of biting off a good sized piece of finger nail, one that you could really set your teeth on satisfyingly."
The young man laughed and said, "I see exactly what you are doing to me. You are putting me in the position of growing fingernails long enough to give me some genuine satisfaction in biting them off and making the futile nibbling I'm doing even more frustrating."
After further semihumorous discussion he acknowledged that he was not sure he really wanted to experience a formal hypnosis. I accepted this by adamently refusing to make any formal effort.
Next:
NO LEVEL OF CHILD EGO IS IMMUNE TO THE REVERSE SET DOUBLE BIND WHILE IT IS IN PLAY
