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Question Title	Posted By	Question Date
Hypnotism	Danny	Monday, July 21, 2014
Question: I don't know if the Church officially has an opinion regarding hypnotism. If so could you point me towards it? The reason I ask is I know the man in his twenties who appears to be suffering from DID (Dissociative Identity Disorder) which was known as multiple personalities. He practically grew up by himself as he was left alone by his mother as a child many times and he never knew his dad. He asks me questions about God and the Church and I give him answers that I know and if I don't know I will look them up. He is very receptive. However, there are times when he argues every point and goes off in different tangents. Then he goes back to agreeing with everything I say. Then again he is like a zombie where he will respond in 1 or 2 words and at times will not respond at all. He was told once by a doctor at a Catholic hospital that he needed psychiatric care and was referred to one. However, he never kept that appointment and never even tried to call the doctor. He says he can clear up the problem himself because he realizes how he is. I told he needs professional help and he agreed He came to me pleading to help him get psychiatric help and I found him a Methodist center that will see him at no charge since he does not work and has no insurance. However, my question is this. Reading DID (of course I have not mentioned to him what I think he has - and of course I could be wrong since I'm no doctor) that in some cases hypnotism may be used to find out the underlying problem. There is no question that he does have some mental problems. Would it be permissible to use hypnotism in this case? He is Catholic and has received the sacraments of initiation. I have referred him to see a priest but he refuses to see him. I have copied and given him some prayers from your Padre Pio cite but he just throws them away. Your advise will be helpful.
Question Answered by Bro. Ignatius Mary, OMSM(r), LTh, DD Dear Danny: In my opinion hypnotism is not indicated in cases of multiple personalities. I have worked with multiple personalities and never saw a need for hypnosis. Because hypnotism places one in a hypnotic trance a person may be very vulnerable to demonic attack. There are some very limited clinical situations where hypnotism may be warranted such as with burn victims. People who are severely burned may not be able to receive pain medications and thus hypnotism can help to control the pain. But, I do not believe that hypnotism should be used with DID. I do not think it's needed. Plus, in many cases of multiple personality there can be demons present. The alter personalities are not demons, but demons can hide behind altars or otherwise be present. The types of experiences that typically cause multiple personalities are the same type of experiences that attract demons. Thus, I do not recommend hypnosis for this condition. DID has specific symptoms to be diagnosed. Your friend's condition may be something else. Encourage him to see a psychiatrist, preferably a Catholic psychiatrist, or least a psychiatrist from some other Christian group. We will be in prayer for him. God Bless, Bro. Ignatius Mary Footer Notes: This forum is for general questions on the faith. See specific Topic Forums below: Spiritual Warfare, demons, the occult go to our Spiritul Warfare Q&S Forum. Liturgy Questions go to our Liturgy and Liturgical Law Q&A Forum Liturgy of the Hours (Divine Office) Questions go to our Divine Office Q&A Forum Defenfing the Faith Questions go to our Defending the Faith Q&A Forum Church History Questions go to our Church History Q&A Forum

Question Title

Posted By

Question Date

Hypnotism

Danny

Monday, July 21, 2014

Question:

I don't know if the Church officially has an opinion regarding hypnotism. If so could you point me towards it?

The reason I ask is I know the man in his twenties who appears to be suffering from DID (Dissociative Identity Disorder) which was known as multiple personalities. He practically grew up by himself as he was left alone by his mother as a child many times and he never knew his dad. He asks me questions about God and the Church and I give him answers that I know and if I don't know I will look them up. He is very receptive. However, there are times when he argues every point and goes off in different tangents. Then he goes back to agreeing with everything I say. Then again he is like a zombie where he will respond in 1 or 2 words and at times will not respond at all.

He was told once by a doctor at a Catholic hospital that he needed psychiatric care and was referred to one. However, he never kept that appointment and never even tried to call the doctor. He says he can clear up the problem himself because he realizes how he is. I told he needs professional help and he agreed

He came to me pleading to help him get psychiatric help and I found him a Methodist center that will see him at no charge since he does not work and has no insurance.

However, my question is this. Reading DID (of course I have not mentioned to him what I think he has - and of course I could be wrong since I'm no doctor) that in some cases hypnotism may be used to find out the underlying problem. There is no question that he does have some mental problems.

Would it be permissible to use hypnotism in this case? He is Catholic and has received the sacraments of initiation. I have referred him to see a priest but he refuses to see him. I have copied and given him some prayers from your Padre Pio cite but he just throws them away.

Your advise will be helpful.

Question Answered by Bro. Ignatius Mary, OMSM(r), LTh, DD

Dear Danny:

In my opinion hypnotism is not indicated in cases of multiple personalities. I have worked with multiple personalities and never saw a need for hypnosis. Because hypnotism places one in a hypnotic trance a person may be very vulnerable to demonic attack. There are some very limited clinical situations where hypnotism may be warranted such as with burn victims. People who are severely burned may not be able to receive pain medications and thus hypnotism can help to control the pain.

But, I do not believe that hypnotism should be used with DID. I do not think it's needed. Plus, in many cases of multiple personality there can be demons present. The alter personalities are not demons, but demons can hide behind altars or otherwise be present. The types of experiences that typically cause multiple personalities are the same type of experiences that attract demons. Thus, I do not recommend hypnosis for this condition.

DID has specific symptoms to be diagnosed. Your friend's condition may be something else.

Encourage him to see a psychiatrist, preferably a Catholic psychiatrist, or least a psychiatrist from some other Christian group.

We will be in prayer for him.

God Bless,
Bro. Ignatius Mary

Footer Notes: This forum is for general questions on the faith. See specific Topic Forums below:
Spiritual Warfare, demons, the occult go to our Spiritul Warfare Q&S Forum.
Liturgy Questions go to our Liturgy and Liturgical Law Q&A Forum
Liturgy of the Hours (Divine Office) Questions go to our Divine Office Q&A Forum
Defenfing the Faith Questions go to our Defending the Faith Q&A Forum
Church History Questions go to our Church History Q&A Forum