but he wants to alleviate the symptom. To say that another
symptom will replace the pain is unscientific--and untrue. The same is
true of hypnosis.

Lewis R. Wolberg, M.D., clinical professor of psychiatry, New York
Medical College, recently canvassed 30 experts in the field of hypnosis
and found a few who felt symptom removal was "irrational, temporary--or
outright dangerous." The large majority, however, "employed symptom
removal where indicated, and minimized or ridiculed any possible bad
effects."

A further objection to hypnosis is that the results are temporary as
well as symptomatic. It is well to remember that most medical therapy is
specifically directed to symptom removal. How permanent is most medical
treatment? Once you couple hetero-hypnosis with self-hypnosis, you
afford the patient the opportunity of utilizing suggestions for his own
benefit any time they are needed. This, of course, can make symptom
relief permanent. As an example, I would see no harm in teaching a
patient self-hypnosis for symptomatic relief from a problem of insomnia.
It would certainly be better than physically depressing the higher brain
centers with sleeping pills to produce unconsciousness every night. I
needn't tell you that millions of dollars are spent every year on
sleeping pills and patients become dependent upon them, needing more and
more pills in order to produce sleep. Many accidental suicides stem from
an overdose of sleeping pills. Yet, despite the inherent dangers of
sleeping pills which are glaringly apparent, they are prescribed by the
millions, to say nothing of those that reach the market through illegal
channels. Furthermore, how much effort is really made to get the patient
off the sleeping pills? There are also more voluntary suicides by
sleeping pills than by any other method. Perhaps if these drugs weren't
so readily available, many of these unfortunate individuals would be
with us today.

What about the often-quoted statement that "you might do some damage"?
Let's explore this area. I assume that the reader is somewhat familiar
with the work of Emile Coue or at least has heard of his famous
autosuggestion formula of "Day by day, in every way, I'm getting better
and better." During our time, thousands upon thousands of seemingly
helpless and hopeless cases have been cured by repeating this
affirmation over and over again, day after day, as the individual falls
asleep.

I think we should make it clear that