Hypnosis
Hypnosis books typically focus on techniques that allow readers to better calm themselves and find focus. Hypnosis sometimes has a rather shady reputation. However, this is largely because unscrupulous people (such as the charlatan Count de Cagliostro, who in the mid-1700s, swindled gullible Parisians) have attempted to use it on others to obtain an illicit benefit. There are, however, self-hypnosis books that may provide useful, scientifically-backed information that can help with pain and stress.
Can self-hypnosis really help? Modern scientists are investigating that question. For example, a 1994 study in the journal Pain found that study participants who engaged in scientific self-hypnosis techniques experienced reduced headache pain. A more recent study in the International Journal of Clinical and Experimental Hypnosis found that women who suffered from breast cancer were able to decrease the amount of stress they experienced after performing self-hypnosis. However, be sure to consult a doctor before using any hypnotherapy techniques to treat symptoms.
Some hypnosis books can provide collectors with a strong understanding of the various self-hypnosis techniques, what the latest research is about hypnosis, and how self-hypnosis can be applied to everyday life. Dave Elman's Hypnotherapy is considered a seminal work in the area of hypnosis. Elman was actually an American layman who began to explore hypnosis as a way to relieve pain. He became well-known as a hypnosis educator in the 1940s through to the 1960s and taught physicians his approach to hypnotism. This hypnosis book has been cited by numerous researchers who relied on its methods to support their own work. Another collectible hypnosis book is Hypnosis and Suggestion in Psychotherapy by Hippolyte Bernheim. This French physician was considered a pioneer in his field and is known to have influenced Sigmund Freud’s theories on the human mind. Buy hypnosis books to round out a science collection or a more focused self-help trove.