A way to induce temporary deafness?

darkdog

darkdog

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I'm hearing and have often wondered what it would be like to experience profound deafness. Even if I found near-perfect earplugs with 90+ dB attenuation, I would still be able to hear myself speak since the sound would travel through the jaw to my ear drum. I wonder if there's a way to temporarily "numb" just the auditory nerve without any permanent damage. Has anybody heard of such a thing? Perhaps there's another way I haven't thought of?
 
its only barely related but, I recall a couple of years ago when I worked in a data center, I was tired and being lazy with my chair tipped back. I could hear the sound of the air conditioning, the fans in the servers, hard drives, it is a very noisey environment... Then for a couple of seconds it went completely silent, when I realised this, sound came back abruptly.

I do hypnosis, I have made people incapable of seeing objects, unable to feel pain and unable to move their body.. I suspect its a possability that in fact a hypnotist could make you deaf, maybe go to a stage show and ask them to add it to the routine or something. *shrugs*
 
tikka said:
its only barely related but, I recall a couple of years ago when I worked in a data center, I was tired and being lazy with my chair tipped back. I could hear the sound of the air conditioning, the fans in the servers, hard drives, it is a very noisey environment... Then for a couple of seconds it went completely silent, when I realised this, sound came back abruptly.

I do hypnosis, I have made people incapable of seeing objects, unable to feel pain and unable to move their body.. I suspect its a possability that in fact a hypnotist could make you deaf, maybe go to a stage show and ask them to add it to the routine or something. *shrugs*
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I'm curious about something. If a hypnotist can make someone temporarily deaf, how can they bring that person out of their hypnotic state if they are unable to hear?
 
Hear Again said:
I'm curious about something. If a hypnotist can make someone temporarily deaf, how can they bring that person out of their hypnotic state if they are unable to hear?
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I get to answer!! Make the cue be "I will touch your arm":P
 
Bottesini said:
I get to answer!! Make the cue be "I will touch your arm":P
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That thought occurred to me, but if it were really that simple, how come there are numerous studies examining the effects between a d/Deaf person's response to hypnotism vs. a hearing person's response to hypnotism? According to these studies, d/Deaf clients are less responsive to hypnotism than those who can hear. (Just do a Google search for "deaf + hypnotism" for more information.)
 
Hear Again said:
That thought occurred to me, but if it were really that simple, how come there are numerous studies examining the effects between a d/Deaf person's response to hypnotism vs. a hearing person's response to hypnotism? According to these studies, d/Deaf clients are less responsive to hypnotism than those who can hear. (Just do a Google search for "deaf + hypnotism" for more information.)
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You are correct. The subconscious part of the brain will respond to sound in a way that it will not respond to other stimuli. In order to bring someone out of a hypnotic trance, they need to be able to respond to a post-hypnotic suggestion. If they were placed into the hypnotic state using a verbal cue, then they must be able to respond to another verbal cue to come out of the hypnotic state.
 
jillio said:
You are correct. The subconscious part of the brain will respond to sound in a way that it will not respond to other stimuli. In order to bring someone out of a hypnotic trance, they need to be able to respond to a post-hypnotic suggestion. If they were placed into the hypnotic state using a verbal cue, then they must be able to respond to another verbal cue to come out of the hypnotic state.
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Confusion? What do you mean by giving a deaf person a verbal cue? If you actually mean by voice, that could be the reason it is harder to hypnotize the deaf.

My apologies if you mean something different.
 
Bottesini said:
Confusion? What do you mean by giving a deaf person a verbal cue? If you actually mean by voice, that could be the reason it is harder to hypnotize the deaf.

My apologies if you mean something different.
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A d/Deaf person can be brought into a hypnotic state by using visual cues (such as a terp or pendulum), but cannot be brought out of that state by the same means.
 
Hear Again said:
A d/Deaf person can be brought into a hypnotic state by using visual cues (such as a terp or pendulum), but cannot be brought out of that state by the same means.
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I understand, but my point would be that the cue to come out of hypnosis could be a specific touch.
 
Bottesini said:
I understand, but my point would be that the cue to come out of hypnosis could be a specific touch.
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Not necessarily. Again, if it were that easy, there wouldn't be a multitude of studies discussing how d/Deaf people have more difficulty coming out of a hypnotic state than hearies do.
 
Bottesini said:
Confusion? What do you mean by giving a deaf person a verbal cue? If you actually mean by voice, that could be the reason it is harder to hypnotize the deaf.

My apologies if you mean something different.
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I meant a verbal cue as given to a hearing person to place them in a trance. Since we are talking about a hearing person attempting to be made deaf through the use of hypnosis, I meant once they had been made deaf, as they would not know either lipreading or sign language (being hearing just a few minutes prior), they could not be brought out of the hypnotic state throught the cue that placed them in it.

Also, hypnosis requires deep relaxation. A part of that is to close the eyes and block out the visual stimuli that keep the brain awake and functioning at a conscious level. As long as the brain is processing visual information for meaning, it remains at a conscious level, and the individual cannot go into a hypnotic state. To hypnotize someone with sign means that they must continue to receive language visually.

But there are any number of hearing people that cannot be hypnotised, as well. There is a distinct personality type that is known to be more open to hypnosis.
 
Bottesini said:
I understand, but my point would be that the cue to come out of hypnosis could be a specific touch.
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But the person would already have to be under hypnosis when the suggestion was given that touch would break the state. The problem is communication once the individual is under the hypnotic trance state.

If I put a hearing person under hypnosis, and through a verbal suggestion, make them deaf, how am I to communicate with them and bring them out of that state once I have induced the deafness?
 
jillio said:
But the person would already have to be under hypnosis when the suggestion was given that touch would break the state. The problem is communication once the individual is under the hypnotic trance state.
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I understand now what you meant. And I did not realize you were talking about the OP, I was just talking about hypnotizing deaf people.

While we are on the subject, isn't it some kind of illness to want to be made deaf if you hear?
 
Bottesini said:
I understand now what you meant. And I did not realize you were talking about the OP, I was just talking about hypnotizing deaf people.

While we are on the subject, isn't it some kind of illness to want to be made deaf if you hear?
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Yes, it could be symptomatic of a couple of different disorders. Very difficult to treat. Clients tend to be very resistant to getting better.
 
jillio said:
Yes, it could be symptomatic of a couple of different disorders. Very difficult to treat. Clients tend to be very resistant to getting better.
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Believe it or not, there's a list on Yahoo! Groups called "Deaf Wannabes." These people discuss all kinds of ways to induce deafness -- everything from exposing themselves to loud music to pointing a hair dryer at one's ears for 10 minutes. I used to be a member of that list (for curiosity's sake), but eventually left out of disgust.
 
Hear Again said:
Believe it or not, there's a list on Yahoo! Groups called "Deaf Wannabes." These people discuss all kinds of ways to induce deafness -- everything from exposing themselves to loud music to pointing a hair dryer at one's ears for 10 minutes. I used to be a member of that list (for curiosity's sake), but eventually left out of disgust.
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That is truly weird!:shock:
 
Hear Again said:
No kidding! Why anyone would want to induce deafness is completely beyond me! :hmm:
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I don't get it, either. We had a lengthly discussion about this some time back. I re-read that thread about "Deaf wannabes", and it's just beyond me, too.
 
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