Hypnosis - needle through skin

[Cuddles]

Why would anyone need tricks to do this? I don't know a single person that didn't find out they could stick a needle through the top layers of skin without feeling it while still in primary school (that's under 11). I have to admit I'm absolutely amazed that anyone could not know this.

Edit : And to scotth's point about the front of the hand, it is easiest to do on your fingertips, the only place that is at all tricky is the center of the palm since it is curved awkwardly.

 

[Lothian]

Hypnosis itself is a set of tricks more or less. If tricks helps quiting smoking - why not use them?

Homeopathy, Acupuncture, Colour therapy, Reiki, doctor prescribed placebos etc. are sets of tricks more or less. If tricks helps quiting smoking - why not use them?

 

[simonmaal]

Any reputable therapist would use rapport, empathy and positive regard for their client's well-being to develop therapist-client trust. The fact that this particular therapist resorted to trickery makes me feel that he or she is a person with a neurotic need for acceptance.

However, while we are on the subject of pain, I would argue that it is at least partially subjective. Now, it could be argued that stubbing a toe against a rock produces a painful response that needs no interpretation. However, the placebo effect draws this assumption into question: pain can be reduced or alleviated simply by the belief that some substance or activity will do so (e.g. Wall, 1993). Equally, conditions such as fibro-myalgia can cause pain despite the presence of any obvious physical cause (Alnigenis, 2006), and conditions such as tension headaches are aggravated by emotional distress. In other words, the conscious experience of pain seems not to be completely objective; instead, it is part of a reciprocal relationship with emotion and context that is open to interpretation.

Perhaps it was simply the placebo effect at work.

I cannot yet post links to my sources (sorry, I haven't posted enough messages yet).

 

[tube]

For those who want to learn more, the relevant term to research is "human pincushion", an old and venerable sideshow act. In short, lacerations tend to bleed while puncture wounds do not. Skin is strongly elastic and usually closes up after removal of the "pin". I was one of the founding members of the Jim Rose sideshow, and I watched Tim Cridland do this stunt almost nightly. He rarely bled.

As far as pain is concerned, I think casebro is correct; sharp and fine pins cause less pain.