Many people have seen stage hypnosis where a person will act like a chicken,
or Hollywood interpretations of hypnosis where people will do things they would
not ordinarily do. Read these FAQs to discover the real facts about hypnosis and
how it can change your life.
Click a link below, or read through the entire page to see each answer.
What really
happens in the mind during hypnosis? How does it work?
How do I know I
can even be hypnotized?
Will I know what is going
on while I am hypnotized?
I have seen stage shows
where people who were hypnotized did a lot of crazy and silly things. Will that
happen to me?
What will I feel like when
I am hypnotized?
What do Medical
organizations say about hypnotherapy?
What really happens in the mind during
hypnosis? How does it work?
Let's take the mystery out of hypnosis. It is a completely natural state of
mind. Although you may not have been formally hypnotized before, you have
experienced this state of mind countless times. You'll understand that better
when you know what it is that really happens in your mind during hypnosis.
For the moment, imagine dividing your mind into two parts. One part is the
conscious mind, filled those things you are fully aware of. One part is the
subconscious mind, which works like a giant CD recorder. Every experience we've
ever had in our lives is permanently stored there. Of course it would be too
much trivia to be constantly aware of, so you can think of it as a filing system
that is accessible to us with hypnosis and other methods.
The subconscious mind also controls those bodily functions over which we do
not need to exercise conscious control, such as heart rate, breathing,
digestion, and so forth. With practice, you can gain the ability to bring many
of these "involuntary" bodily functions under your voluntary control.
Imagine, if you will, a filter, screen or network which lies over the
subconscious mind. I will call it the critical factor. You can think of it as a
kind of protective mechanism so that every single thing we are exposed to does
not become accepted as truth by the subconscious mind and become acted upon. In
hypnosis we are purposely bypassing the critical factor of the mind so that
ideas which are beneficial to us can make a deep and lasting impression on the
subconscious mind. The critical factor of the mind merely becomes less active
through a variety of methods but it never disappears. It is simply less active
and it will return to full activity should any suggestion be presented which
your mind did not deem to be in its best interest. You are not a blank slate in
hypnosis and you will not accept just any suggestion that is presented.
Think about sometime when you were watching a sad movie and maybe you were
crying or at least feeling some emotions coming up. The critical factor was
still active enough that you know it was just a movie and yet it wasn't
bombarding you with interfering thoughts like, "Why are you crying? This
lady is not dead. You saw her on Oprah today." And yet, if your friend taps
you on the shoulder and asks if you want some popcorn, you can respond and then
instantly return to the movie and be right back into it again. We go into and
out of our subconscious mind all day long. Every time we are involved in some
creative activity, every time we drive along in our car and suddenly realize we
don't remember the last mile we drove, every time we are feeling our emotions or
acting out of some previously formed habit.
It is estimated that we spend between 50 to 80% of our waking hours in our
subconscious mind. It is a common and completely natural state of mind that we
have all experienced countless times before, but we just didn't call it
hypnosis.
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How do I know I can even be
hypnotized?
Since hypnosis is a completely natural state of mind, there is no such thing
as a person who can not be hypnotized. A thorough explanation of hypnosis and a
careful instruction in reaching that wonderful state of relaxation takes place
during the very first session. Remember it is a natural ability of the human
mind and you will find it extremely relaxing and enjoyable.
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Will I know what is going on
while I am hypnotized?
Absolutely! Hypnosis has nothing to do with being asleep or unconscious in
any way. You will hear everything, remember everything and know exactly what is
going on the entire time. You are always in control.
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I have seen stage shows where
people who were hypnotized did a lot of crazy and silly things. Will that happen
to me?
Absolutely not! When a person goes up on the stage to participate in an
entertaining show of hypnosis, they have a certain contract in mind. They know
that they are going to be asked to do a lot of silly things and they agree to do
that at some level of their mind. If we were to bring the 'star' of the show to
my office for a sleep problem, they would not respond to any suggestions that
they had responded to when they were in the entertainment setting. The context
in which the hypnosis is taking place and the understood purpose of the hypnosis
in the individuals mind always determine the type of responses that can be
elicited. You cannot be caused to do anything in hypnosis that you would not
ordinarily do. And of course, in a clinical setting, all suggestions would
pertain precisely to the goal of your gaining more and more control in your
life!
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What will I feel like when I
am hypnotized?
Actually, everyone has a different subjective experience, so I can only give
you some of the common reports. Some persons liken it to the peaceful feeling
they have just upon awakening on a morning when they don't have to get up right
away. They are fully aware of where they are and what's going on, but it's just
very peaceful and relaxing to lie there, sort of a gray area between waking and
sleeping.
Most people think that hypnosis should be more like the state of sleep itself
where we are not consciously aware of anything. They expect to "wake
up" from hypnosis as from a sound sleep. Since we are never
"asleep" in hypnosis, we don't need to "wake up" from it. It
is simply a very comfortable and natural state of mind, which we enter into and
then back out of.
Think of it this way. If we gathered a group of individuals around a swimming
pool and asked them to enter into the pool, we would see a variety of methods.
Some would dive in and some would head down to the steps to gently test the
water with their foot. The same is true with a group of people entering
hypnosis. Some will dive right in and enjoy a deeper quality of relaxation than
they ever have in their whole life and they will love it. Others will just
gently test the shallow waters.
The point is; it doesn't matter which you do. You need only a light to medium
state of hypnosis to bring about positive behavioral change. Those individuals
who enter into a deeper state of hypnosis will not necessarily "do
better." There is no correlation between depth of trance and therapeutic
value. If one has never formally experienced hypnosis before, they may be
uncertain if they are "really hypnotized."
One phone conversation took place between another hypnotherapist I know and
his former stop smoking client. It went something like this:
Client: "I just wanted to tell you that when I was in the office for
my appointment a few weeks ago, I really wasn't hypnotized."
Hypnotherapist: "That's really surprising to hear, because I would
never have proceeded with your session if I had not determined that you had
reached an adequate state of hypnosis. What makes you think you were not
hypnotized?"
Client: "Well, I heard everything you said and I remember everything
that happened."
Hypnotherapist: "Didn't I tell you that you would hear and remember
everything?"
Client: "WellÖyes, but, wellÖI just know I wasn't hypnotized."
Hypnotherapist: "Well, how are you doing? Are you smoking again?"
Client: "Oh no. I haven't had one since I walked out of your office.
But I know I wasn't hypnotized."
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What do Medical organizations say
about hypnotherapy?
Medical organizations such as the Mayo Clinic, the Harvard School of
Medicine, and WebMD agree that hypnosis is an effective treatment that has the
power to help you change your life.
To learn more, click one of the links below to read the articles on their
sites.
Mayo
Clinic: Hypnosis
People have been using hypnosis to promote healing since ancient times. However,
in the past 50 years, it's experienced a resurgence among physicians,
psychologists and mental health professionals.
National
Institutes of Health: Hypnosis Effective in Reducing Chronic Pain
The National Institutes of Health, a division of the United States government,
has issued a consensus statement that states hypnosis can reduce chronic pain
associated with cancer and other conditions such as irritable bowel syndrome and
tension headaches.
Intellihealth
by Harvard Medical School: Hypnosis
Today, it is widely used for addictions, such as smoking and drug use, for pain
controls, and for phobias, such as the fear of flying.
WebMD:
Hypnosis for Pain
Can the power of suggestion really help you reduce pain, anxiety, and blood
pressure? It just might.
WebMD:
Got High Anxiety?
Forget about Valium and breathing exercises to calm you down. Hypnosis may do
the trick.
Hypnosis.com
The American Board of Hypnotherapy hosts this site, which provides detailed
informatin on how hypnotherapy can change your life..
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Gwenn Henkel is a Certified Medical Hypnotherapist,
Hypnoanesthesiologist, and Master Hypnotherapist. She is a member of The
National Board for Hypnotherapy and Hypnotic Anaesthesiology, the
American Association of Professional Hypnotherapists, The American Board
of Hypnotherapy, and The International Association of Counselors and
Therapists.
Gwenn also belongs to one of the most highly recognized organizations for
Certified Hypnotherapists in the world, the International Medical and
Dental Hypnotherapy Association®. She is a proud to be a member in good
standing of this organization. As a Referral Service of Certified
Hypnotherapists, the IMDHA has
been influential in furthering the education of Hypnotists and
Hypnotherapists around the world for more than two decades. For more
information on aligning yourself with this prestigious organization you
may reach them at
http://www.imdha.com or
email:
info@imdha.com
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