Hypnotized Sharks

(This blog was originally posted on August 14, 2014)

Image courtesy of Microsoft

 

According to Hypnosis Motivation Institute founder John Kappas, Ph.D., people escape or flee into hypnosis when they perceive a threat or danger.  As I learned during my hypnotherapy training at HMI: “Hypnosis is created by an overload of message units, disorganizing our inhibitory process (Critical Mind), triggering our fight-flight mechanism and ultimately resulting in a hyper-suggestible state, providing access to the subconscious mind.”

Apparently, sharks do a similar thing.

Last year, I watched a fascinating documentary about shark behavior in a Shark Week episode titled Zombie Sharks on the Discovery Channel®. In it, Eli Martinez, a shark expert, explained a neuro-physiological phenomenon called “tonic immobility.” According to Martinez, sharks can be rendered immobile whenever they are turned over onto their backs or, in some cases, by touching an area of a shark’s face. For all intents and purposes, tonic immobility temporarily paralyzes the shark until the contact is removed and/or it may rotate its body to a normal position.

Apparently, this area of the face and down the back is loaded with sensors which can quickly become overloaded by sensory stimuli. For example, an overload of sensory stimuli would occur when a researcher places his or her hands on the animal’s face or flips the fish onto its back to subdue it when inserting a tracking device, or if a larger predator, such as an orca, catches it and turns the animal onto its back as a predatory behavior. To complete this picture, imagine the psychological stress that a shark experiences when another animal—whether it is a human or another predator(s)—is swimming and lunging with hands or an opened toothy mouth, to catch it. There would be even more stress and anxiety for its survival when the fish is cornered and caught. In some instances, as in the case of the researchers and videographers for Shark Week, there would be additional sensory stimuli from the cameras and extra lighting in the ocean. By the time the shark is subdued on its back, it has endured an incredible overload of sensory stimulation. It is no wonder that the fish zones out.

 

This phenomenon sounds a lot like hypnosis to me.

For more information about tonic immobility, check out the articles at the following links: 

• “Tonic Immobility on Sharks”: http://www.sharkaidinternational.org/report_tonic_immobility_on_sharks.html

• “Discovery Channel’s ‘Zombie Sharks’ Explores Tonic Immobility”, Woodlands Online at  http://www.woodlandsonline.com/npps/story.cfm?nppage=53506

Sara R. Fogan, C.Ht. is a certified hypnotherapist based in Southern California. She graduated with honors from the Hypnosis Motivation Institute in 2005. For more information about Calminsense Hypnotherapy® and to set up an appointment, please visit http://www.calminsensehypnotherapy.com/.

© 2018

It's Shark Week!

(This blog was originally posted on August 10, 2014)

Photo courtesy of Microsoft

                I am not a fan of sunbathing on the beach or swimming in the sea, but I am an avid supporter of preserving the ocean and the animals that live in these waters. I admit that part of my reticence about playing in the surf stems from a primitive fear of the creatures that live in the deep ocean water. Perhaps the blockbuster film, Jaws, which is based on Peter Benchley’s best-selling novel, feeds my anxiety about encountering a great white shark. But every summer since 1988, the Discovery Channel® broadcasts a week’s worth of documentaries about sharks called “Shark Week.” Over the years it has become a popular, even a celebrated, event. A few years ago, one of their advertising campaigns incorporated modified lyrics from the popular holiday song, “The Most Wonderful Time of the Year,” to promote the annual event. Indeed, it is.

                Some nail salons offer ocean- or shark-themed manicures to celebrate Shark Week. Lady Di’s Cookie and Sweets boutiques sell a shark-week themed cupcake that features a frothy-sea frosting design, topped off with a blue gummy “shark” candy. In some cases, fans of this annual shark festival get together with friends and family to watch the week-long series, a la Super Bowl celebrations.

                In addition to nail-biting videos of great white sharks launching themselves out of the water to attack an unknowing seal and the requisite programs about shark-human encounters, the documentaries also provide tips to survive such an encounter. In addition, many of these shows also includes facts about other animals—fish and mammals—that share the water and even the over-all health of the world’s oceans. Let’s not forget the cute icon of a fin sliding across the bottom of the television screen followed by a great white taking a big bite out of the Discovery Channel® logo or the new design—a burst of fireworks in the shape of Great White sharks—before and right after a commercial break. Those are great.

If you want to indulge your wild side, join me in virtually swimming with the sharks this week. Shark Week is really a lot of fun to watch and educational. With the Super Bowl still about six months away, this is an annual event that you can really sink your teeth into.

Happy Shark Week!

Sara R. Fogan, C.Ht. is a certified hypnotherapist based in Southern California. She graduated with honors from the Hypnosis Motivation Institute in 2005. For more information about Calminsense Hypnotherapy® and to set up an appointment, please visit http://www.calminsensehypnotherapy.com/.

© 2015

 

Hypnotized Sharks

Photo courtesy of Microsoft

 

According to Hypnosis Motivation Institute founder John Kappas, Ph.D., people escape or flee into hypnosis when they perceive a threat or danger.  As I learned during my hypnotherapy training at HMI: “Hypnosis is created by an overload of message units, disorganizing our inhibitory process (Critical Mind), triggering our fight-flight mechanism and ultimately resulting in a hyper-suggestible state, providing access to the subconscious mind.”

                Apparently, sharks do a similar thing.

Last night, I watched a fascinating documentary about shark behavior on the Discovery Channel’s® Shark Week series (www.discovery.com/tv-shows/shark-week). In an episode titled Zombie Sharks, Eli Martinez, a shark expert, explained a neuro-physiological phenomenon called “tonic immobility.” (http://www.discovery.com/tv-shows/shark-week/#!/thu/zombie-reload) According to Martinez, sharks can be rendered immobile whenever they are turned over onto their backs or, in some cases, by touching an area of a shark’s face. For all intents and purposes, tonic immobility renders the fish temporarily paralyzed until the contact is removed and/or it may rotate its body to a normal position.

Apparently, this area of the face and down the back is loaded with sensors which can quickly become overloaded by sensory stimuli. For example, an overload of sensory stimuli would occur when a researcher places his or her hands on the animal’s face or flips the fish onto its back to subdue it when inserting a tracking device, or if a larger predator, such as an orca, catches it and turns the animal onto its back as a predatory behavior. To complete this picture, imagine the psychological stress that a shark experiences when another animal—whether it is a human or another predator(s)—is swimming and lunging with hands or an opened toothy mouth, to catch it. There would be even more stress and anxiety for its survival when the fish is cornered and caught. In some instances, as in the case of the researchers and videographers for Shark Week, there would be additional sensory stimuli from the cameras and extra lighting in the ocean. By the time the shark is subdued on its back, it has endured an incredible overload of sensory stimulation. It is no wonder that the fish zones out.

This phenomenon sounds a lot like hypnosis, to me.

 

For more information about tonic immobility, check out the articles at the following links:

“Tonic Immobility on Sharks”at http://www.sharkaidinternational.org/report_tonic_immobility_on_sharks.html

“Discovery Channel’s ‘Zombie Sharks’ Explores Tonic Immobility”, Woodlands Online at  http://www.woodlandsonline.com/npps/story.cfm?nppage=53506

 

 

 

Sara R. Fogan, C.Ht. is a certified hypnotherapist based in Southern California. She graduated with honors from the Hypnosis Motivation Institute in 2005. For more information about Calminsense Hypnotherapy® and to set up an appointment, please visit http://www.calminsensehypnotherapy.com/.

© 2014

It's Shark Week!

Photo courtesy of Microsoft

 

                I am not a fan of sunbathing on the beach or swimming in the sea, but I am an avid supporter of preserving the ocean and the animals that live in these waters. I admit that part of my reticence about playing in the surf stems from a primitive fear of the creatures that live in the deep ocean water. Perhaps the blockbuster film, Jaws, which is based on Peter Benchley’s best-selling novel, feeds my anxiety about encountering a great white shark. But every August since 1988, the Discovery Channel® (www.discovery.com) broadcasts a week’s worth of documentaries about sharks. Over the years it has become a popular, even a celebrated, event. called "Shark Week." (http://www.discovery.com/tv-shows/shark-week/) A few years ago, one of their advertising campaigns incorporated modified lyrics from the popular holiday song, “The Most Wonderful Time of the Year,” to promote the annual event. Indeed, it is.

                Some nail salons offer ocean- or shark-themed manicures to celebrate Shark Week. Lady Di’s Cookies and Sweets boutiques sell a shark-week themed cupcake that features a frothy-sea frosting design, topped off with a blue gummy “shark” candy. In some cases, fans of this annual shark festival get together with friends and family to watch the week-long series, a la Super Bowl celebrations.

                In addition to nail-biting videos of great white sharks launching themselves out of the water to attack an unknowing seal and the requisite programs about shark-human encounters, the documentaries also provide tips to survive such an encounter. In addition, many of these shows also includes facts about other animals—fish and mammals—that share the water and even the over-all health of the world’s oceans. Let’s not forget the cute icon of a fin sliding across the bottom of the television screen followed by a great white taking a big bite out of the Discovery Channel® logo before and right after a commercial break. Those are great.

If you want to indulge your wild side, join me in virtually swimming with the sharks this week. Shark Week is really a lot of fun to watch and educational. With the Super Bowl still about six months away, this is an annual event that you can really sink your teeth into.

Happy Shark Week!

 

 

Sara R. Fogan, C.Ht. is a certified hypnotherapist based in Southern California. She graduated with honors from the Hypnosis Motivation Institute in 2005. For more information about Calminsense Hypnotherapy® and to set up an appointment, please visit http://www.calminsensehypnotherapy.com/.

© 2014