With the new academic year in full swing, one student is showing Witsies a new way to manage stress through the power of hypnosis and the art of trance.
Tevin Sutcliffe, Psychology Honours student and aspiring hypnotherapist has been guiding Witsies into relaxing trances to combat the various stresses posed by student life.
Hypnosis is a powerful tool, because it allows participants to access their subconscious minds incredibly quickly.
Surrendering control isn’t terrifying and can help solve deep-seated problems says Sutcliffe.
Before the start of term, Tevin Sutcliffe began offering free guided hypnosis sessions to students on campus to practice his craft, inform them about the benefits of hypnosis, and – most importantly – teach stressed-out Witsies how to take a step back and relax.
Sutcliffe is currently completing his Honours in Psychology at Wits University and says that his initial interest in how hypnosis can positively impact mental health is what sparked his journey into the field. During his postgraduate studies, Sutcliffe wants to explore the power of hypnosis on the mind, aiming to destigmatise the practice and make it more accessible.
Sutcliffe focussing volunteer Shay Moodley’s attention after exiting a trance. Photo: Tristan Monzeglio
In a 2023 study spanning seventeen South African universities, 37.1% of the 70,000 surveyed students reported symptoms of anxiety. Sutcliffe explains that because people tend to live in a “constant state of anxiety” without ever addressing it, they often don’t realise how much pressure they put themselves under – mentally and physically. He asserts that even hypnotising someone for just five minutes gives them an “incredible” rest “which they haven’t felt in a long time”.
Moments after completing his session, volunteer Liam Nuns, a second-year Game Design student, stated that all the “little aches” and “tension[s]” which had built up in his body throughout the day felt like they were completely “gone”.
Wits Vuvuzela observed Sutcliffe hold these sessions with eager Witsies just off to the side of the pond next to the law lawns. This serene environment, away from set the chaotic parts of campus, set the scene for Sutcliffe’s calm inductions, gently guiding volunteers into a heightened state of relaxation. He instructed them to close their eyes and steered their focus to all the sounds surrounding them, like the gentle lapping of the pond and other students mumbling in the background. Then suddenly, Sutcliffe would tell volunteers to “sleep”, using a rapid induction technique to shock them into a trance-like state. Once in this state, volunteers are more susceptible to suggestions from the hypnotist.
At this point, many performing hypnotists use this state for entertainment purposes, influencing volunteers to behave abnormally for a brief period. Derren Brown, for example, is a mentalist who has gained notoriety for various publicity stunts taking advantage of people in this hypnotic state, manipulating people to walk into traffic, or convincing a man that he’s an assassin whose target is comedian Stephen Fry.
However, for hypnotists like Sutcliffe, this state’s functionality doesn’t end here.
An aspiring hypnotherapist, Sutcliffe believes that hypnosis is a “shortcut to accessing the unconscious mind,” allowing people to confront issues at their source. He likens our brains to computers, explaining that hypnosis enables us to bypass our “user-interface,” or conscious mind, and “go directly to the “back-end” to troubleshoot the problems in our code.
Sutcliffe making volunteer Camagu Zwane’s fingers move together on their own. Photo: Tristan Monzeglio
On the surface, giving up control of one’s mind to another person can seem intimidating. After experiencing his hands move together on their own and his feet stick to the ground during Sutcliffe’s visual demonstration, Mncedisi Buthelezi, a first year Engineering student, said that being hypnotised was “scary,” as he couldn’t help but think: “what’s going on with my body?”
Sutcliffe admits that this feeling of vulnerability is understandable, but that ultimately “if you have a problem with susceptibility, then you’re surrounded by the wrong people”. He claims that “susceptibility is incredible”, because if he gives people the suggestions they “actually want”, it can give them more control of their minds and can allow them to make changes much quicker.
Another volunteer, Lwanda Tshangela, a second year Game Design student, was conflicted before being guided into a hypnotic state, saying that he “didn’t believe in it at first”, because his only understanding of hypnosis previously came from movies. After the experience, Tshangela said he was “more relaxed”, because the hypnosis made him feel like he was “borderline sleeping”, yet “still aware of what was going on”.
Sutcliffe guiding (left to right) Lwanda Tshangela and Liam Nuns through a hypnotic state. Photo: Tristan Monzeglio
Much to her surprise, Nuha Suffla, a fourth year Engineering student, initially thought Sutcliffe might make her pass out or dance uncontrollably but found the process surprisingly similar to techniques used by her own therapist, such as fostering mindfulness through safe spaces and mind palaces.
For students, Sutcliffe sees hypnosis as an incredibly powerful tool for dealing with stress, because the deeply relaxed state it creates can be recaptured with practice.
Volunteer Thubelihle Mthethwa, a first year Engineering student, said being hypnotised felt “like a dream” and wanted to be able to return to that state. Sutcliffe therefore provided Mthethwa with a trigger word to associate with the feeling of trance so that Mthethwa could access it again with relative ease.
Thubelihle Mthethwa receiving a trigger word to return to this trance-like state. Photo: Tristan Monzeglio
The start of a new year can be stressful for students for a variety of reasons, which – if not addressed with adequate care and attention – can put a significant strain on their mental health.
Sutcliffe explained: “What you do in hypnosis is you teach them how to relax every part of their body. So not just the muscles, not just their physical body, also their mind”. He believes wholeheartedly that if more people knew the truth about hypnosis, it could be used as an easily accessible and tangible solution for anyone who needs to recentre their mind in a world where it’s so easy to get caught up in all the chaos.
FEATURED IMAGE: As part of his rapid induction technique, hypnotist Tevin Sutcliffe guides (left to right) Thubelihle Mthethwa, Mncedisi Buthelezi and Kanya Shabangu into a state of relaxation. Photo: Tristan Monzeglio
Medical students and doctors are shockingly the professionals with the highest suicide rate worldwide due to issues with anxiety, depression, and burnout.
Mental health has become a topical issue in the 21st century, with more focus being placed on it than ever before. Even though it is at the forefront of note, medical professionals are suffering from increased levels of anxiety, depression, and burnout whilst trying to save others from the aforementioned.
In an article, Professor Bernard Janse van Rensburg said: “Doctors are 2.5 times more likely to commit suicide than the general population, while physician burnout is a leading cause of medical error”. He explained awareness of this issue needs to start with medical students to reduce the stigma surrounding doctors and their mental health.
For medical students at Wits, their issues are caused by how their curriculum is set up. They have long working hours, which take effect from fifth year. They have weekday shifts, which can last up to 15 hours and night shifts on the weekend. In addition, these students are studying full-time, which includes doing readings, class work, and online lectures.
To further investigate the issue, Wits Vuvuzela spoke to four medical students on campus who said they are suffering from intense stress, depression, and burnout. The students requested to remain anonymous as they fear reprisal. Three of the four students said they were on anti-depressants and/or anti-anxiety medication, and all reported they were on the verge of burnout.
Eileen Maleka, a manager from the Office of Student Success (OSS) at Wits, a programme offering support, counselling, and academic assistance to health science students, said, “South African research reveals higher rates of suicidal thoughts, depression, and anxiety among medical students… barriers to accessing mental health services include time constraints, confidentiality concerns, and fear of stigma.”
The additional pressure to do well academically also adds to the mental toll. Students have been known to write five tests in one day, thereafter, attend shifts at hospitals. This is because students are seen as part of the main workforce, but they feel they are just “free labour”. Students are not paid for the work they do.
Despite Wits having the OSS programme, these young doctors-in-training feel as though they are not fully supported. The students explained the suicide statistic is simply unacceptable, yet not surprising, and institutions need to acknowledge the numbers are not decreasing.
The Dean of Student Affairs, Jerome September, said medical students are welcome to “further discuss what the specific gaps might be with the idea to find improvements where required”. He said, this could include compulsory debriefings or group counselling sessions which could ease the burden on them.
FEATURES IMAGE: Scenario showing the stress medical students feel on a daily basis. Photo: Adobe Stock
After discovering the root of my depression and anxiety, it became clear why stress is referred to as “the silent killer”.
At only 20 years old, I found myself sitting on my bed with a handful of pills ready to take my own life. I was tired of how I was feeling, and I wanted it to end.
Two years earlier, in 2016, I had taken a gap year after I did not get accepted into any university I had applied to. I was embarrassed because in my community there is a stigma attached to taking a gap year.
I was constantly being asked: “What are you doing with your life now?” and “Doing nothing this year will make you lazy.” While at a funeral, grieving, someone said, “Your brother didn’t take a gap year, so why are you?”
This constant comparisons to my brother who went to university straight out of school hit me hard. So did seeing my peers move forward while I felt stagnant, and constantly feeling as if I was disappointing my parents. I started doing admin work at our church office and applied again. I eventually got accepted in 2017 for a higher certificate in journalism.
I could have gone on to work as a journalist, but my plan was always to get an undergraduate degree first. When I received a rejection letter from UCT, I remember feeling embarrassed and like a failure again. Fortunately, I was admitted for an undergraduate degree in copywriting at Vega.
Within the first two weeks I knew the course was not for me, but I decided to complete the year and switch to a different university or degree programme the following year. As time went on, I found myself feeling sad and angry all the time and going to class made me feel so anxious, I would cry every day.
My breaking point came the day I received my mark for an assignment that I had worked on day and night – 37%. After that soul-crushing moment, I left campus early without telling anyone, and stopped at two different pharmacies to get as many pills as I could.
As I sat on my bed later, the stress of dropping out was too much. So was the stress of continuing with the programme. I was ready to end my life. At that very moment, a friend messaged me: “Are you okay?” I am alive today because of that message.
Since then, there have been a few more instances when I have felt the only way out was to take my own life. In 2022 I started seeing a psychologist and psychiatrist. What came out of these sessions was not only an ADHD diagnosis, but the fact that I have clinical depression and general anxiety disorder.
The root cause of my mental illnesses was revealed as stress. In the sessions with my therapist, we found a pattern. Whenever life became what felt like unbearably stressful, I would reach such a low that I would only see suicide as the only way out. This discovery is what saved me.
The constant stress I had been under since 2016 had taken its toll on me mentally. I realised that I had suppressed my emotions because life was stressful for everyone, and I thought not being able to handle the pressure would make me seem weak.
Looking back, there are many things I would do differently. I would pay attention to the feelings of hopelessness and the lows that were not just a bad day but would stay constantly with me.
A clinical professor at Brown University, Carol Landau says that the impact of stress on depression is “one of the most important problems of our time”. I would like to echo her sentiments and add that it is one that we should treat with the seriousness it requires.
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