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FREQUENTLY
ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT HYPNOSIS AND HYPNOTHERAPY
How do stage hypnotists make people do strange and silly things? |
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What is Hypnosis?
Hypnosis is a very normal and natural
altered state of awareness, one we all experience from time to
time in which the mind remains clear, alert and focused on something.
Becoming really absorbed while watching TV or driving to work
on "auto pilot" is experiencing a mild hypnotic state.
Some misconceptions about hypnosis are that it's a frightening
or eerie state, or that it feels very weird, but it's actually
very normal and very pleasant. Some people ask if they've really
been hypnotized, just because it feels like such a normal state
and they were expecting something very strange. The zombie-type
states you see depicted in movies and on TV are pure fantasy.
What is Hypnotherapy?
Hypnosis itself is unlikely to
assist in a relief of symptoms, whatever those symptoms might
be. It is the therapy - hypnotherapy - which is carried
out within the altered state that is significant.
This clinical form of treatment is ideal for helping to cope
with such things as self-development, particular fears, doubts,
nerves, smoking, certain habits, some weight-control problems,
stress, working with the body`s immune and healing systems. Hypnotherapy
techniques can also address irrational fears, emotional problems,
relationship difficulties, psychosexual problems, lack of confidence,
personality problems, sleeping difficulties, stuttering/stammering,
anxiety, inferiority complex, unhappiness, phobias, and most
other problems and issues where there is a psychological factor
at work.
How does it feel
to be hypnotized?
It feels great! Hypnosis is a
natural state that feels similar to that feeling you get right
before you fall asleep at night. When you awaken, you feel refreshed
and revitalized. You just feel as if you are relaxing in a very
comfortable space with your eyes closed. You can hear everything--my
voice, the sounds outside the building, a car going down the
street outside, whatever. You're mindful the entire time, aware
of everything going on around you as well as what your unconscious
is revealing to you.
Is Hypnosis
"Mind Control"?
No one under hypnosis can be induced
to do anything against his or her will. Whatever moral and ethical
codes you hold in a normal waking state will still be in place
under hypnosis. You can actually lie when in hypnosis. You cannot
be made to do anything against your moral code, you will not
say anything that is embarrassing and will not reveal more than
you are comfortable doing. Usually, if a hypnotherapist`s suggestion
conflicts with a client's value system, the client simply brings
him or herself up out of hypnosis; they just "wake up."
You are in complete control at all times.
How do stage hypnotists
make people do strange and silly things?
The "control factor"
is still zero. In the first place, the hypnotist will select
subjects that can be easily put into a hypnotic state. The people
on the stage will also be motivated to perform - they will willing
follow the hypnotist - so they will allow the suggestions. The
subconscious mind is capable of making your body do things that
your conscious mind cannot - things that easily amaze an audience.
In a therapy session this same power is used to improve your
life, not entertain others.
How much will
I remember?
You'll remember everything--everything
I say and everything you experience or everything you need to
remember or want to remember. As with any experience, it's not
unusual to lose the subtler details with the passage of time,
and some of the patterns you uncover may not "click"
into place until much later.
Is hynosis anti-religious?
There is a great deal of mis-information
about hypnosis especially among some clerical people. This stems
mostly from fearing what they know nothing about. Hypnosis is
a natural mind state all people experience - they just aren't
aware of when it happens because it is so normal. For some in-depth
articles on the subject written by a variety of religious clerics,
please click here.
How do I know
if I can be hypnotized?
Everyone can be hypnotized but
have to be willing to do it. All hypnosis is self-hypnosis, which
means if you want to do it, you will. The very small minority
of people who have difficulty in a session are usually those
who a) don't really want to be hypnotized (perhaps
to debunk the idea); or b) can't relax and let
go enough (perhaps fearing loss of control, which we know is
a myth, or fearing the unknown) to go with the experience. Some
things you can do to increase your ability to go under hypnosis
easier and faster are practicing meditation, visualization, yoga
or relaxation techniques. We could also schedule some conditioning
sessions where I train your mind to relax quickly and enter a
trance state. I may also provide you with a self-hypnosis tape
for homework to help you learn to relax.
What does hypnosis
feel like?
Many of us experience a "trance-like"
state while being given a good sermon at church, listening to
some good music on the radio, reading a gripping novel, or even
while watching TV! It's best described as a state of relaxation
of both the body and the mind, so it's very soothing. It's kind
of like taking a nap while listening carefully while someone
is talking to you.
Can I get "stuck"?
No. Hypnosis is a very natural
and normal state and cannot hold anyone against his or her will.
If a client were to go so deep as to enter a truly unconscious
state (a very rare occurrence), they would simply go into natural
sleep and awaken when they were rested. It is impossible for
anyone to be `left or lost` in hypnosis. After hypnosis, a person
awakens naturally, just as they do after sleep! If the hypnotherapist
were to leave before counting them awake, the subject would eventually
realize that the session had ended and would awaken on their
own. During the session, if there were an emergency, or the subject
no longer wished to participate, they could easily awaken themselves
at any time and simply stop.
Can hypnosis hurt
me?
In over two hundred years of recorded hypnosis history, there
is no documented case of anyone being hurt with hypnosis. Hypnosis
can only be used in a positive way. If anyone tries to give you
suggestions against your morals, religious beliefs or anything
you feel strongly about, you could instantly emerge from the
state of relaxation on your own.
Is hypnosis
a 100% consent state?
If at any time you want to emerge from the state of hypnosis,
for any reason, you will instantly, naturally open your eyes
and become fully alert. No one can keep you in hypnosis against
your will.
What if I'm under
a doctor's care or taking medication?
If you have any questions about
whether or not hypnosis will help or conflict with a present
medical condition, ask your doctor. The interesting reaction
of hypnosis on medication is that, over long periods of time,
you may find that you need less amounts of it, or a lesser strength
of the drug. Hypnosis can often complement traditional medical
care and better or more informed doctors favor it. It can act
as an adjunct to medical treatment. Some surgeons, properly trained
in hypnosis, even use it as an effective substitute for the more
dangerous chemical anaesthesia.
Can hypnosis help
me?
"Help me get past my fear
of public speaking?" "Improve my golf game?" "Help
me relax during exams?" "Cure my insomnia?" The
best answer is just to say that your sub-conscious mind affects
every aspect of your life. It not only hold your core beliefs
and attitudes, it is also your channel to super-consciousness,
that part of you which can transcend time and distance. Generally,
there is a positive effect from hypnotherapy. When pain and trauma
is released from the unconscious mind and the physical body's
stored stress is also released from your cells. You can experience
calmness. peace. and a feeling of joy from resolving an old issue,
changing your behaviors and old patterns, learning new information
connecting with your inner wisdom, changes in how you perceive
yourself and others. You can actually learn to let go of old
hurts and angers, so they no longer affect you physically and
emotionally. Your unconscious mind holds our keys to health,
happiness and self-empowerment!
Why don't
more people get hypnotherapy sessions?
Our society is in a transition stage
in our view towards healthcare systems. Our "mainstream"
system is based on surgical and "take a pill" processes
designed more to make symptoms go away. Standard psychotherapy
generally takes months and months to get any results. Both of
these systems are outrageously expensive yet provide only mediocre
results. A powerful movement reviving more humane and natural
health processes is gaining ground in every aspect. Hypnotherapy
is one of these "ancient" techniques gaining new respectability.
How quickly
will I experience results?
Every professional hypnotist will
attest to the fact that all hypnosis is self-hypnosis.
The results you will get will substantially be affected by your
own willingness to participate. Other factors that determine
your success can include your comfort-level and respect for the
hypnotherapist you're working with, as well as the regularity
of your hypnosis sessions. Hypnosis is not a magic pill. You
will actually have to do some work along the way, such as attending
your hypnotherapy sessions or listening to your self-hypnosis
tape on a daily basis. If you are expecting to be "put to
sleep" and awaken "never wanting to eat french fries
again," you're probably destined for disappointment. It
just doesn't happen that way.
Can everyone
be hypnotised?
Hypnosis is a totally natural state
that we all experience every day. It automatically happens when
your mind focuses its attention on imagining or remembering.
Not all of us generate mental images equally, however, so for
guided hypnosis to be successful, a period of conditioning or
training is sometimes necessary. It's like training a muscle
to do a new thing, we sometimes need to train our mind to expand
in a new way. This can be especially important when preparing
to use hypnosis as an alternative to a chemical anaesthetic to
numb the body for surgery. In this case, it is useful to learn
to enter a deep state very quickly.
What is self-hypnosis?
Actually, all hypnosis is self-hypnosis.
It is the process of entering into a state of deep relaxation
so that positive suggestions can be given to the subconscious
mind without undue judgement by the conscious mind. In a therapy
session, however, it is important for the therapist to interact
with you as you jointly discover the root memories of the problem
you are working on. A self-hypnosis recording tape will help
to anchor a new pattern of behavior, once the old pattern has
been released. As stated earlier, you always have complete control
of the session and can break the trance at any time you wish
to - it cannot happen without your permission. Hypnosis cannot
force you to do anything you would not ordinarily wish to do.
How can hypnosis
help improve my performance?
All of your attitudes and beliefs
about yourself are stored in your sub-conscious mind. These patterns
of behavior will define your abilities to perform in life. They
can determine how well you hit a golf ball, how you feel addressing
a crowd, how you relate to prosperity and money, how you handle
relationships, how you deal with stress, how well you fight off
diseases -- just about every aspect of your life. Many self-limiting
patterns were impressions you picked up in your earliest childhood
and you are not consciously even aware they exist, yet they mold
your behavior every day. For example, if you were told you were
stupid by your first grade teacher because you flunked a test,
you may be carrying a fear of taking tests and doubt your ability
to learn new things.
How can hypnosis
help to cure diseases?
Just as the beliefs and attitudes
you have about yourself affect your performance and the way you
relate to others, so do those hidden values affect your body.
Your mind and body are totally connected. Every thought you have,
whether conscious or unconscious, has a measurable impact on
your body function. For example, a person who carries a feeling
of dislike or non-acceptance of their body, can trigger destructive
processes in the body, leading to such things as cancer, heart
disease, and diabetes. Hypnotherapy can help you change destructive
mental patterns and can also provide you with tools to marshal
your body's natural healing powers to focus on a particular ailment.
The annals are filled with case histories of people conquering
a huge variety of ailments with the aid of hypnosis.