Another client was suffering from extreme anxiety associated with his wife's request for a divorce and her threats of suicide. He had earlier conquered a drinking problem, but the new strain was too much and he started drinking again. We designed a tape to help alter the irrational thoughts that were contributing to his severe guilt feelings. Three twilight-learning sessions helped reduce his guilt and anxiety, lessened an insomnia problem, and helped him control his drinking. Whether or not our treatments offer permanent relief, we believe they open up remarkable possibilities.
Work being done elsewhere in the country confirms the potential of such techniques in psychotherapy.
For instance, Dr. Ian Wickramasekera, a psychobiologist in Peoria, Illinois, has also achieved notable results in preparing people to accept suggestions for positive change through recreating the twilight state in the laboratory. Earlier research in Eastern Europe ' prior to the development of biofeedback techniques ' suggests how the twilight state may be used as a learning tool. For example, the Russian tutorial method known as 'hypnopedia' uses repetition of material over several days or weeks. While the student is awake, he is given a mental set or expectancy that he will absorb the material during sleep. Evidence from hypnopedic studies suggests that the lighter sleep stages produce greater learning.