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Is Hypnosis Real?

The question is asked; “is hypnosis real?” Even my own clients used to ask when first attending a hypnosis session. It is a strange question in a sense, but then, there is a lot of mystery about hypnosis. The mysterious spooky side to hypnosis is fueled by depictions in the movies of evil uses of hypnosis. Often movies will show the person hypnotized losing all self control as well as their moral compass.

The truth is, hypnosis does not make you do things you would not want to do, not does it stop you knowing right from wrong. There are many misconceptions about hypnosis but one thing I truly believe is that hypnosis is a wonderful tool to help people make changes and break out of habit and auto-reactions. This is incredibly useful for anything from overcoming a fear to improving IBS symptoms. Lets dive deeper and find out more in answer to the question – is hypnosis real?

Is Hypnosis Real? If So, What is Hypnosis?

Hypnosis is a state of focused concentration or attention, often accompanied by deep relaxation. It’s a type of therapy used to change automatically accepted ideas and feelings that are unhelpful, such as low self esteem or addictions. Hypnosis is a state of mind where ideally, a “trance” is established. A trance is not really as weird a thing as it might sound. If you are reading a novel or playing a video game, if it is very immersive and compelling you probably are in a trance. When asking is hypnosis real we need to ask how does it actually work to create change, read on to find out.

Is there any Scientific Proof that Hypnosis Works?

There have been many studies on hypnosis. It is generally considered to be effective. How does hypnosis work on the brain? Brain waves are different when a person is is a hypnotic state. Brain activity can be seen on brain scans and show different patterns when in hypnosis. Read more about this at New Scientist website. There are also many studies on the effectiveness of meditation which is basically the same thing as hypnosis. So in answer to the question Is hypnosis real? We think so, yes!

is hypnosis real

What Conditions is Hypnosis Helpful in Treating?

Hypnosis (or hypnotherapy) can be use to treat many ailments and conditions, especially where there is a psychological elements to it. Some common uses are:

What Does it Feel Like to be Hypnotized?

People sometimes have a preconceived notion of what being in a trance should feel like and may expect something weird or almost magical. Some people report euphoric feelings in hypnosis and may feel re-energized afterwards. How profound the experience is depends on you. It depends on your imagination, your ability to visualize and your creative thinking skills. Some people can let go and allow themselves to be guided into a perfect state of hypnosis with ease. The experience of being in a trance varies. Some may feel as though time has stopped and that 30 or more minutes felt like 5 minutes. It is usually described as a very pleasant experience.

What Happens at a Hypnotherapy Session?

This is a type of therapy that uses the state of hypnosis to give suggestions to the subconscious mind. The point is, to deliberately influence the subconscious mind with positive helpful ideas. People who undergo hypnosis often report feeling relaxed and calm. They may also feel as though they are able to concentrate better than usual and feel less stressed. There are 5 phases to a hypnotherapy session as follows:

1. Consultation

First of all there is a discussion to establish what exactly you want to change or improve. This then needs to be worked on by the therapist so that they can create some hypnotic suggestions and post hypnotic suggestions to include in the hypnosis session.

2. Induction

This is the start of the hypnosis itself. You will be invited to get comfortable on a couch or chair. You may be lying down, or reclining in a chair with your feet elevated. The induction begins and involves the therapist guiding you to slow your breathing and let your body start to relax. As you relax you will find that your attention becomes focused on the hypnotherapists voice and outside distractions start to fade. At this point a hypnotic state or trance may be achieved, this is done by careful working and intonation.

3. Deepener

At this point you should be nicely relaxed and completely still, perhaps a little like that feeling where you are about to fall asleep. The a deepener is usually used. In some case a deepener is not needed, such as when hypnotizing children or people who have a great deal of experience in meditation for example. Most people will benefit from a deepener though.

This progression on to a deepener should be a smooth transition from the induction and similar suggestions of “relaxing deeper” will be used in most cases. Usually the deepener involves specific types of counting down such as going to to lower levels in a lift/elevator, or down steps. This usually help the person relax more deeply and at the same time become more susceptible and open to suggestions.

4. Hypnotic Suggestions and Post hypnotic suggestions

Around this point the therapist will talk about ways in which you will change and feel different. You may consciously hear and think about some of what is said but parts of it will probably go unnoticed as you drift deeper into a trance state.

Hypnotic suggestions for positive change are used. There may be visualizations suggested as well as carefully constructed post hypnotic suggestions to make the changes work in everyday life. The suggestions may to related to how you feel and think about things changing in a positive way. There may be hypnotic suggestions about changes in habits, actions, reactions and behavior, according to what issues are being addressed.

5. Emergence

The end of the trance involves a count up and suggestions of alertness, wakefulness, energy and motivation. When you are guided out of the trance you may feel like you fell asleep for a short time or that you can’t remember what was said to you. This is normal.

How many hypnosis sessions would I need?

There is no set number of sessions, it depends on the complexity of the issue. With self hypnosis downloads and audios or CDs, there is the benefit of being able to listen repeatedly to the suggestions which gives it a good chance of bringing positive results.

Will I lose control?

You are completely in control when being hypnotized. If you do not feel comfortable enough to let go, you will stay fully aware. Any suggestions you don’t like the sound of or you feel are not relevant to you, you can simply reject them. If for some reason the therapist failed to bring you out of the hypnosis, you can easily emerge from the relaxing state yourself, there is no special procedure here.

Is Hypnosis Risky?

When used correctly it is perfectly safe. This is mainly because any suggestions you do not like you can easily reject and if you wanted to come out of a hypnotic trance you can do that at any point just by choosing to.

However, there are certain situations where hypnosis may not be appropriate. Of course the obvious is that you must never try to use hypnosis audios or self hypnosis techniques when using machinery or driving, nor in any situation where your attention or concentration is required.

Some illnesses may require your doctors approval before using hypnosis, such as severe mental health problems, such as bipolar, psychotic issues, hallucinations, delusions, schizophrenia. If you have epilepsy or seizure disorder is it best to check with your neurologist as some rarer types of epilepsy could be triggered by hypnotic states in certain circumstances. If you have used alcohol in excess or recreational drugs it is best to abstain from using hypnosis.

Does hypnotherapy work?

Think about how throughout life we are being influenced. We are influenced by things we see such as television adverts, we are influenced by our peers, by our own thoughts, by the news channels we read. Hypnotherapy is a form of influence that is deliberately aimed at creating a positive beneficial change.

It does work and is increasingly being recognized as an appropriate, useful therapy. For example click here to see a medical study on the benefits of hypnosis for Irritable Bowel Syndrome

More Questions and Answers about hypnosis:

  • Do Hypnosis Downloads work?
  • Is hypnotherapy dangerous?
  • How do I select a hypnotherapist?
  • Are there different levels of trance
  • Can anyone be hypnotized
  • Can you get suck in hypnosis
  • What is stage hypnosis
  • Will I lose control
  • Is hypnosis real
  • Do you have to be in a deep trance for it to work?

For more FAQs click here

5 weird myths about hypnosis

  • Hypnosis can make you do or says things you wouldn’t normally do (FALSE)
  • Anyone can be hypnotized (FALSE)
  • You have to be in a very deep trance for it to work (FALSE)
  • Hypnosis is the same as sleep (FALSE)
  • Your level of suggestibility cannot change (FALSE)
  • When “under hypnosis” you lose consciousness (FALSE)

All the answers are here (click here) to go to our Hypnosis FAQ page

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