Mesmer's and Necromancers - Psionists?

For those who don't know, a Psionist is a D&D class who is someone trained in using their mind, or manipulating the mind of others, I wouldn't really know what a real life type be (someone who can control the minds of others), but I've been thinking about this.

Hexes seem to have a universal mind theme going on for them, there's Mind in the names of some of them (Mind Wrack, etc.), but more importantly, I realized the skill "Spotless Mind" which removes Hexes.

Could Hexes be nothing more than manipulations of a person's mind? Not actually being physical manifestations, but rather nothing more than mere illusion and trickery, that when done so well, fools the person into believing what the hex is about, to the point that damage can be done.

In the real world, if someone believes something strongly to the point where they completely believe it to be true, it will take effect on their body. If you can somehow hypnotize someone into believing they are on fire, and they believe it, they will feel hot etc, and feel like they are in pain, because their mind is tricked into believing it, and since the mind controls the body and nerves, the body follows suit.

There are Illusionary Hexes, but I believe this would make sense if all hexes are just tricks of the mind, and the skill Spotless Mind and other Hex removal just remove these tricks from the person conscience.

Just a random thought.

I always though that mental tricks dont cause bleeding, cracked armor, dazing, deep wound...

Many hexes can be seen as mental manipulation, in fact that is what Mesmers are meant to do. Necromances however don't so much deal with the mind as they deal with curses, hence that attribute.

In other words, Mesmers manipulate the mind, necromancers curse you. So there are two types of hexes in that aspect.

As I said in my OP, if you can make someone believe something completely is true thru mental tricks, then their body will react to it in that way.

There are mental problems where a person will see themselves on fire or the like, and thus their body (to them) feels very hot and burning, and its because they utterly believe they are literally on fire.

As well, if you could mentally put an image into someones head and make them think they are bleeding, dazed, cut open, etc, their body would probably act in a way to mimic that.

So if I trick myself that I have a big gash in my arm, my body will magically rip itself so I have a big gash in my arm?

But in all seriousness I think Azazel hit this nail on the head.

people do take this over board :/ in any case yes in life this works too just not extreme, such as martial artist when breaking wood bricks and what not, they don't concentrate on how hard the thing is, they concentrate on going through it. then theres also the thing with walking on coal, people don't do that by thinking ouch ouch ouch this is so hot :/

i once thought that my insides were being torn out with hooks and chains while slowly being burnt and when i came to....i was fine.

me thinks the OP believes TV pseudo science too much.

No, but you'll feel like you have a big gash on your arm. (be in pain etc)

a long time ago, I had a friend who had a case of what I said...he was under the impression that he was literally on fire, his body felt hot and like it was burning, he had a massive fever, his skin was hot to the touch, and he was afraid as hell. We had to set him in a bath of iced water to cool him down and calm him.

mesmers are pretty much play with the minds of the enemies. necros dont really do that.

I think hexes that cause conditions / damage do so via supernatural force (magic), not suggestion.

However, I can see interrupts and illusions falling neatly into the psionic ability category.