You
have probably heard many stories about hypnotherapy being dangerous,
turning people into chickens, people not being able to wake up, and unscrupulous
hypnotists exploiting their ‘vulnerable’ patients. You may also have heard of
people who are adamant that it has helped them change their lives, helping them succeed in
their goals. Millions of people swear that it has helped them with many issues such as
weight loss, quitting smoking, other addictions, confidence, phobias, stress, success,
IBS, and many more issues.
A lot of people are missing out on this powerful yet safe therapeutic
tool simply because they are too afraid to use it. I hope to dispel these fears by
answering these common questions about hypnotherapy.
Can I be hypnotized?
Most people can go into a hypnotic trance. The only types of people
that cannot be hypnotised are …
1. Those suffering from psychosis or a thought disorder
2. A person with a low IQ
3. A person does not want to be hypnotised. It is very easy to resist hypnosis if you want
to.
What is a hypnotic trance?
It is a normal and natural state that most of us experience several
times a day. It commonly happens when people are driving. Have you ever driven somewhere
and not really remembered the journey? It also often occurs when reading a book or
watching TV. Sometimes you can be so absorbed in the book or TV programme that you are not
consciously aware that someone is talking to you. Hypnosis is the focussing of the
conscious attention in such a narrow corridor of influence. The conscious mind is so
intensely focussed that other influences are not being critically analysed by the
conscious mind. We still hear them, although we are not always aware. A good example of
this is when you are in a place where there are several conversations going on at once.
They may all sound like a mass of background noise. However if someone in one of those
conversations mentions your name, you then consciously focus on that conversation. How did
you know someone said your name? Your subconscious mind (which is far more powerful than
your conscious mind) was listening to EVERY conversation AT THE SAME TIME! That is perhaps
a reason why you can sometimes "just know" something. Your subconscious mind has
absorbed it without you consciously being aware.
What does hypnosis feel like?
When in a trance you feel more mentally and physically relaxed. It is a
very pleasant experience, and you can tell that you are still in control. You can still
hear exactly what is going on around you, unless you choose to drift your attention away.
You become aware that you can easily stand up, talk, or move whenever you want. A lot of
people (me included) when they first experience a hypnotic trance move their fingers or
hands in order to test whether they can move at will. Sometimes a patient can be a little
difficult to wake up. This is not a sinister thing as it has been portrayed. No one has
ever been stuck in trance. It is more a case that a patient just "can’t be
bothered" to wake up as it feels so pleasant. However they soon become bored and will
wake up pretty soon. One trick the old hypnosis pro’s use is to tell the patient that
they are charging for the time. It’s amazing how quickly they then wake up!
Is hypnosis dangerous?
A hypnotic trance is actually a very natural state that almost everyone
goes into several times per day. In 1955 the British Medical Association set up an inquiry
which favourably reported hypnosis as a therapeutic tool. It even recommended that it
should be taught at medical schools. Hypnosis was also approved by the Council of Mental
Health of the American Medical Association in September of 1958 as a safe practice with no
harmful side effects. Since then there has been acceleration in the establishment of
hypnosis societies for doctors, dentists, and psychologists. No one has been seriously
hurt with hypnosis.
