ABOUT HYPNOSIS

Hypnosis is not magical or mysterious when you know the true facts. It can be understood as a state where a person is receptive to suggestion or as a group of techniques for focusing the mind so that the unconscious can absorb pre-agreed suggestions, in order to facilitate change.

Lack of awareness combined with how entertainment media has projected hypnosis has led to widespread misconceptions and myths about it and its application in therapy.

 

Myth 1: You Are Asleep During Hypnosis

FACT 1 :You are NOT asleep during hypnosis, you are in a relaxed state and awake.

 

Myth 2: You Are Not Aware Of Your Environment While In Hypnosis

FACT 2: You are aware of your surroundings, you can hear, talk and come out of the trance at any time.

 

Myth 3: You Must Be Weak Minded If You Can Be Hypnotised

FACT 3: Everyone can be hypnotized.  As a matter of fact, each one of us is using hypnosis in some form every single day of our lives either consciously or unconsciously.

We are experiencing some form of a trance-like hypnotic state each time we engage our imagination, each time we engage our emotions, each time our attention is focused upon our subjective experience. Strength of mind really has little to do with it.

Either a weak-minded or strong-minded person who resists will make a poor hypnotic subject. On the other hand, a weak or strong-minded person who cooperates will be a good subject.

Myth 4: People Sometimes Become Stuck In Hypnosis

FACT 4: This is simply not true, despite what the tabloid press occasionally claim. On rare occasions, a subject may not come out of the trance straight away. This is usually because they are enjoying the relaxing state so much that they don’t want to come out. A few gentle prompts, such as threatening to charge double for a longer session, is always sufficient to wake them!

 

Myth 5: You Will Become Stuck In Hypnosis If Something Happens To The Hypnotist

FACT 5: Again this is not true. A person will eventually become bored and will just get up when they feel like it. The hypnotist holds no special power over the subject whatsoever. In fact, a person can hypnotize themselves. This is called self-hypnosis, and they can wake themselves whenever they choose.

 

Myth 6: You Can Be Made To Reveal Your Deepest Secrets When In A Hypnotic Trance

FACT 6: Since your mind is fully aware and awake during a hypnotic session, this is not possible. If you really do not want to talk about something then you are under no compulsion to do so. A person can easily lie and are more likely to be creative with the truth when in a hypnotic trance, which is why courts will not accept the testimony of witnesses who are in hypnosis.