HYPNOSIS: 77 Answers to Questions I Wish You’d Stop Asking

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HYPNOSIS:

77 Answers to Questions

I Wish You’d Stop Asking

_http://www.hypnosisdepot.com/Hypnosis_Answers.php_

(http://www.hypnosisdepot.com/Hypnosis_Answers.php)

 

Every person new to hypnosis asks the same questions. Decades ago I also

asked those questions. (Otherwise known as FAQ -- Frequently Asked Questions)

Lately, as a grumpy old man, I*ve grown tired of having to give the same

answers over and over.

So I decided to compile the questions and answers into one ebook [originally

published on my old website Hypnosis.ORG ]. Here are the FAQ in the form of

a web page.

The help of members of _The International Registry of Professional

Hypnotherapists_ (http://www.hypnosisdepot.com/newirph.htm) has been

invaluable as

have contributions from rs to my List.

Specific questions are presented under general headings such as

*Hypnotizability*.

First, here*s an email exchange between a surfer and myself that is a great

example of the questions people typically have about hypnosis, hypnotherapy

and self-hypnosis.

The exchange also illustrates the power of entrenched beliefs. My comments

are interspersed:

Q. **At work we were discussing hypnosis and I just have a few questions if

you would be so good as to answer them.

l. You can*t be hypnotized unless you are willing to be hypnotized? In other

words, if we*re sitting and talking, I couldn*t be put under hypnosis unless

I wanted to be put under. Many years back we had a hypnotist at school and

that is what he said too.**

A. Depends what you mean by *willing*. People are swayed by a politician or

a salesman using hypnotic techniques. Ditto with TV ads. But you see, no

amount of hamburger ads would persuade me to buy a hamburger because just the

thought of eating something with all those chemicals, animal cruelty and

environmental devastation, makes me feel sick. So, I'm *not willing to be

hypnotized* to eat red meat

**2. You can*t be hypnotized and not know you*re being hypnotized? Example:

We*re talking and without having a clue, you could hypnotize me. (Sure hope

not.)**

A. Controversial. Hypnosis is like daydreaming. So if you're in awe of

someone or say, falling in love with a guy, you might not realise that you are

in

a sort of trance-like state. Basically all this is words. You probably have

an erroneous idea of what hypnosis is from bad movies, books and stage shows

that deliberately make you think the hypnotized person is in some kind of

other-worldly state, under the control of the hypnotist. Not so.

**3. If you willingly are hypnotized, can you be made to forget what

happened while you were hypnotized?**

A. No one can MAKE you do or think anything unless you want it. So you may

ask the hypnotist to suggest amnesia. And you*ll forget. But recall is always

possible with a little verbal nudging. The *hidden observer* in your mind is

watching continuously to keep you safe.

**Second part of question. And then when you're brought out of the hypnosis,

you have no idea you were even hypnotized in the first place?**

A. Well, many people think that. And they have that erroneous belief

precisely because they have a totally wrong concept of hypnosis to begin with.

In

hypnosis you are awake, aware, conscious. You can even tell lies if you

choose.

**Surely you would know you woke up or time had passed or something?**

A. You don*t *wake up* because you were not asleep. Time is very subjective.

In hypnotherapy the subjective passage of time can be slowed down or speeded

up. Very useful for therapy.

That wasn*t enough for the enquirer. She wrote a follow-up:

**Thank you for your prompt reply. I think you're probably right. I don't

really know what hypnosis is. Regarding my 1st question your example of the

hamburgers was a good one. By willing, that*s what I meant. Example: If I

smoked

(I don*t) and I didn*t want to stop, I couldn*t be made to stop through

hypnosis. Another example, if I see a dog, hypnosis couldn*t make me think it*s

a

horse because I wouldn*t want to think that. Am I right? **

A. Right. Except that in the second example you could be *tricked* if you

trusted the hypnotizer and were told that a new language or a new definition,

would now call the dog a horse. (If you were on stage you*d readily identify

the dog as a horse). But again, you still believe it because you want to.

And, once out of hypnosis, the absurdity would have you laughing....

**Regarding question #2 you hit the nail on the head. I thought the

hypnotist was in control and able to make you do things you didn*t want to do.

That's

false?**

A. Thought I*d made that point -- as you have above.

**From your explanation am I right in saying the hypnotist can suggest

things such as thirsty or hungry but if you*re not, you*re not going to want a

drink or food. He can suggest it but he can*t MAKE you want it. Right?**

A. Right. Why don*t you read a good book on hypnosis.

**The last part of #3 regarding time. If I were in a session with you, you

could make it seem like time had passed quickly or slowly but if my appt.

started at 3:00 and I left at 3:15 I would know time had passed. You couldn*t

make me think no time had passed. Correct?**

A. Couldn*t MAKE you think anything. I didn*t write that NO time had passed.

I wrote that time (remember this is a human construct) is subjective so the

hypnotic suggestion re time could be of stretching it, or of shortening it.

But not to outlandish lengths.

**So to sum it up, (1) a hypnotist is not in control, (2) she can*t make you

do or think something you do not want to do or think, and (3) she can*t make

you forget you were hypnotized because you are not in a trance (sleep).

Correct?**

A. Whether you're in a trance or not is a controversial point. What, after

all, is a trance? But definitely not sleep. How could you follow suggestions

if you were asleep? Always amazes me that people don*t wonder about that.

**I think my wrong ideas about hypnosis are like you said. From bad movies,

etc. Are hypnosis and hypnotherapy one and the same?**

A. Hypnotherapy is the use of hypnosis to enable the therapist to conduct

therapy.

Definitions of Hypnosis

Q. What is hypnosis?

A. Although some definitions describe hypnosis in terms of interaction

between people, hypnosis is not something one person *does* to another.

Hypnosis

is like daydreaming: a form of relaxed concentration. What is relaxed is first

the body and second, the conscious part of the mind

Q. Does hypnosis put you into a trance state?

A. Some hypnotherapists believe our everyday sense of reality is actually a

trance. That we need to awaken, to de-hypnotize from the myths of what we

think is real.

For most practitioners the most common view of hypnosis is that it is an

altered state of consciousness; your awareness differs somehow to your everyday

sense of reality. This is often referred to as being in a trance.

However, for many, perhaps most people being in hypnosis does not seem much

different to how they feel at other times.

Q. So does that mean that you are not in a trance?

A. The very existence of trance is challenged by some hypnosis authorities.

See, for example, British psychologist and hypnosis expert Michael Heap’s

article at _http://www.mheap.com/hypnosis.html_

(http://www.mheap.com/hypnosis.html) where, among other topics, he discusses

the man who was sexually

attracted to his mattress and household appliances subsequent to being

hypnotized.

Q. Is hypnosis just another name for relaxation?

A. No. Often all a person new to hypnosis will note is that she feels

relaxed. Often more deeply relaxed than she*s ever felt before. This has led to

claims that hypnosis is nothing more than profound relaxation. But laboratory

tests prove hypnosis is something more than relaxation: e.g., after hypnosis

the heart rate remains slowed down longer than after relaxation alone.

Q. Is hypnosis simply suggestion?

A. What does this mean? That people in hypnosis will accept suggestions more

readily than when not in hypnosis?

That explains nothing. People are readily suggestible without hypnosis --

the mammoth advertising industry attests to that -- and people in hypnosis by

definition want to cooperate. Of course they accept suggestions. They suspend

their disbelief as they would while reading a novel. But suggest something

that is distasteful to them and they*ll quickly stop cooperating -- just as

they*d drop a novel which offended them.

Q. Perhaps hypnosis is just role-playing?

A. Some theorists say that people think or do things in hypnosis because

it*s expected of them and by them. They are fulfilling a role. They want to

please the hypnotist. So there*s no altered state of consciousness, there*s

simply a motivation to act as though hypnotised.

This theory might hold for stage performances and the like but can hardly

apply to surgery. Thousands of hypnotised persons have benefited from

operations with no chemical anasthetic.

Q. Is hypnosis a form of psychological conditioning?

A. According to this explanation, a person learns through direct experience

or through TV or the movies, how to behave *hypnotised.*

Another way to see hypnosis as something learned, is to assert that a person

becomes conditioned to a word stimulus such as *Relax.* Once having allowed

himself to relax, the client is thereafter conditioned to repeat the

experience of relaxing upon hearing the stimulus-word.

Q. Is Hypnosis a Form of Dissociation?

A. This definition claims that in some as yet unexplained way, the mental

functioning of a person is compartmentalised and one part can be isolated from

the others. Dissociation is an everyday conscious experience which begins in

childhood, according to Dr Josephine R. Hilgard, noted hypnosis researcher

and author.

When a person is engaged in conversation with someone else he is also

talking with himself and thinking ahead to his next comments.

Children blithely slip in and out of fantasy lives, temporarily adopting

make-believe roles which they discard at will. This capacity to fantasize can

be

retained through practice and makes the dissociation characteristic of

hypnosis less surprising.

Q. When you are in hypnosis are you asleep?

A. No, when you are in hypnosis you are conscious, awake and aware.

Q. So, what is hypnosis?

A. Altered state, relaxation, heightened suggestibility, role-playing,

conditioning or dissociation, whatever hypnosis is, it enables a person to

experience thoughts and images as though they were real.

Q. Does that mean it has nothing to do with the subconscious?

A. Not necessarily. Many hypnotists define hypnosis as the bypassing of the

critical [conscious] mind and an accessing of the subconscious.

Q. Sounds impressive, but what do we mean by the subconscious?

A. Although some people equate the subconscious with the brain*s right

hemisphere, the subconscious is probably better understood in a metaphorical

sense. For example, Freud claimed it is a cesspool of sexual and violent urges

while present-day theorists are more likely to consider the subconscious to be

either a well-spring of goodness or a storehouse of memories that normally

lies outside our conscious awareness.

Q. What are the best books about hypnosis?

A. Those by Michael Yapko and those by the APA. [American Psychological

Association].

Hypnotizability

Q. Can anyone be hypnotized?

A. Generally speaking, yes. But not:

·if the person doesn*t want to be,

 

· if the person is weak-willed,

· if the person is drunk or stoned.

Psychotic people can be hypnotized. (Although that is rarely advisable).

Here*s a more traditional answer from Steve G. Jones:

YES. The lightest state of hypnosis (Alpha) is achieved easily. Everyone

enters a hypnotic state every day, several times per day. It*s that state you

are in when you are watching TV, reading a good book, or playing video games.

It*s the state you are in when you are just waking up or just going to bed.

You are not fully conscious, but you are not fully unconscious either. In this

state you*re up to 200 times more suggestible than when you are fully awake

(Beta). Many people, when they hear about hypnosis, say, **Well, I can't be

hypnotized.** These people have been misinformed, mostly by Hollywood, about

what hypnosis is and is not. It is not necessary to be in some sort of

otherworldly trance to be in hypnosis. Hypnosis is a natural state which

everyone

moves in and out of throughout each day. Many of our everyday normal activities

are actually performed under hypnosis without us being aware of it. An

example of hypnosis is playing video games. Some people can play video games

for

hours in one sitting. If someone were to talk to you while you were in a video

game session, you would be able to respond. Yet another good example of a

hypnotic state is being on the computer. People who are using a computer are

focused on what they are doing, but can intelligently answer the phone when it

rings. So, hypnosis is no different to playing video games or working on a

computer. Most people engaged in these activities would not think they are in a

trance, but they are. They are in a light hypnotic trance known as Alpha. Oh,

by the way, reading a fascinating article (like this one) is another form of

hypnosis...surprise! You*re in hypnosis!!! In alpha, your mind is slowed

down just a little, your focus is narrow, your breathing is slow, and you are

relaxed. Since you are up to 200 times more suggestible even while you are in

the light state of alpha, anything beyond this is unnecessary for most

purposes (i.e. programming someone to lose weight, stop smoking, overcome fear

of

flying, etc.). You can have an extremely effective hypnosis session while being

aware of and able to recall every word spoken by the Hypnotherapist.

Steve G. Jones Clinical Hypnotherapist _www.SteveGJones.com_

(http://www.SteveGJones.com) 912.897.9799

Q. Can a sleeping person be hypnotized?

A. Although some people claim this is possible you have only to remember

that the sleeping person is unconscious to realise the absurdity of trying to

hypnotise her.

Q. Is hypnosis a skill?

A. Yes. Hypnosis is an inborn talent of the client. Its use, deliberate or

unwitting, varies from person to person. Your development of this skill can be

enhanced with the guidance of an experienced hypnotist. Then the talent can

subsequently be even more useful and enjoyable when employed by you on your

own.

Q. Is it a trait?

A. No. Hypnosis is not a fixed trait, like eye colour. Although built-in to

our basic biology it can be enhanced with practice.

Q. Is hypnotizability linked to other personality characteristics?

A. Not much. People who are highly intelligent are more easily hypnotized as

are people who have been sexually abused as children (possibly because to

survive they had to dissociate).

The Science of Hypnosis

Q. Is there a scientific basis to hypnosis?

A. Yes. Hypnosis has been studied extensively. One massive archive of some

of the scientific research can be found at _Research into Hypnosis_

(http://www.121hypnosis.com/research.html)

Q. Is there a biological basis for hypnosis?

A. Yes. When a person is in hypnosis specific parts of the brain **light

up** in brain scans. Also, for decades Candace Pert, a scientist, and Ernest

Rossi, a psychologist, have explained how hypnosis has measurable effects

arising from thoughts and behaviours through the intermediary flow of neurons

and

hormones.

Q. So, hypnosis is built-in to our basic biology?

A. Yes. It’s the opposite of the well-known *flight-or-fight* response. It*s

the calm-and-confident response.

Q. Is it true that everything that has ever happened to me is recorded in my

brain like a video, waiting to be replayed?

A. No. Memory is selective and malleable. There is no unblemished record of

your life stored somewhere just waiting for you to re-discover events from

your past.

With hypnosis you may be able to recall some events that you are consciously

unaware of but there is no guarantee that the recall is accurate.

Q. Are hypnotic suggestions akin to software and the brain like a computer?

A. Sort of. These metaphors suit our current thinking. They serve as handy

shorthand for describing the process of hypnosis. But just as Newtonian

physics was revolutionized by Einstein and his theories later brought into

question

by quantum physics so our metaphors will likely be superseded when we

understand more about how the brain functions.

Meanwhile, just as Newton*s ideas are still useful in certain contexts, so

too is the idea that our minds are somewhat like computers. However, remember

that a computer spits out exactly what is entered into it. The human mind

modifies the information entered.

Hypnosis: Who's in Control?

Q. Does the hypnotist control the client?

A. Only as much as the client wants to be controlled. Bad movies and books

notwithstanding, since the client is awake and aware she decides what she*ll

agree to.

Q. Are there times when it would be good to be out of hypnosis?

A. Yes. For example, when you are so mesmerized while surfing the Net that

you would buy something you don*t need just because you are in a daze.

More seriously, you might want to be de-hypnotized from the food industry’s

TV ads or from the negative messages implanted in your head by well-meaning

(or not so well-meaning) parents.

Q. Can someone be hypnotized to rob a bank?

A. Only if they actually want to commit the crime. And then they wouldn’t

need to be hypnotized. :-)

If it were possible to make someone commit a crime by hypnotizing them then

the CIA and the KGB would have rejoiced in being able to program killers.

Despite their best efforts (in the *60s) they were unable to persuade normal

recruits to kill just because they were hypnotized. And their psychopaths don*t

need hypnosis as an excuse.

Q. Will I reveal secrets when I am in hypnosis?

A. You will only say what you want to say. In therapy it is often beneficial

to reveal a secret. But if you are revealing a secret while in hypnosis it*s

because you choose to do so, not because you*re hypnotised.

Q. Can hypnosis be used to uncover the truth?

A. No. This question is often asked by someone wanting to know for sure if

their partner is really being faithful. However, the partner could tell lies

while hypnotized. Hypnosis does not act like a truth serum.

Dangers of Hypnosis

Q. Can hypnosis be dangerous?

A. No. There*s no danger in hypnosis, only in hypnotists.

Hypnosis can be misused. Deliberately or unwittingly. Deliberate misuse of

hypnosis is what a philandering physician did when he tricked his hypnotized

wife into swallowing a fatal overdose of pills.

Unwitting misuse is like the British stage hypnotist who was convicted of

causing a volunteer extreme distress because he regressed her to an age when

she recalled being sexually assaulted. He should have suggested she act like a

six-year-old, rather than be six years old.

Q. Can the hypnotist create a false memory in my head?

A. No, But she could create a false belief. Inadvertently because she

suggests something that didn*t actually happen or deliberately because it*s

part of

your therapy.

Let me explain: the hypnotist might by accident ask a *leading question*

such as **And who else is in the room with your 7 year-old self?** which would

likely cause a hypnotized client to imagine someone being in that room even

though in reality there had been no other person present.

On the other hand, the hypnotist might very deliberately and positively

suggest a client who is afraid of public speaking imagine himself giving a

great

speech at his next business meeting.

Q. Can I get stuck in a trance?

A. No. If the hypnotist stopped talking to you after a while you*d either

drift off to sleep or you*d open your eyes to find out what*s going on.

Q: Will I say things that would embarrass me?

A: No. You are the one in control of what you say and do. Even in a hypnotic

trance, you are aware of your actions. [Answered by Kathi Kenedi, CTHt

Bottom Line Hypnosis 714-401-6686 _kkenedi@bottomlinehypnosiscom_

(kkenedi@bottomlinehypnosiscom) _www.bottomlinehypnosis.com_

(http://www.bottomlinehypnosis.com) ] [Dr B note] you might still be

embarrassed because whatever

you*re talking about is embarrassing. But, as Kathi indicates, you would be

making the decision to face the embarrassing subject].

Q. Could I be sexually assaulted while in hypnosis?

A. Of course. But since you are awake and aware of what*s happening while

you*re in hypnosis you*d only allow the assault to continue if you wanted it

to. Assaults are far more prevalent by *professional* physicians, psychologists

and psychotherpists, who are not using hypnosis.

Q. What does it feel like to be in hypnosis?

A. This is traditionally answered by **it feels different for each person**

which is a bit like claiming that no two snowflakes are alike. How on Earth

would we know? When used in a therapeutic context many people report:

· feeling relaxed,

· uncaring about their everyday concerns,

· only vaguely aware of their surroundings,

· barely hearing extraneous noises,

· focused in their imaginations,

· arms and legs either pleasantly heavy or light,

· enjoyable tingling sensations,

· sense of peace and lethargy,

· mind super alert.

To an observer the hypnotized person looks as relaxed as if she were asleep.

In particular, the face becomes placid and sometimes a little flushed. The

eyelids may twitch a little.

Q. How do I know I was hypnotized?

A. The best way is from the results achieved. If you experience the kind of

physical and imaginative details described above you probably won*t even ask

this question. However, if like a lot of people you don*t feel much different

physically or mentally while supposedly in hypnosis there are three

possibilities:

1. You were hypnotised but because of false notions about hypnosis decided

you weren*t.

2. You chose not to be hypnotized.

3. You were not hypnotised.

Q. When I was supposedly in hypnosis I heard every word the therapist said

so I could not have been hypnotized, could I?

A. Hypnotherapist Sir Michael Carr-Jones answers this by saying your

question is his *biggest bête noir*.

**Of course you hear every word. You are awake, aware, fully conscious. If

you could not hear every word we would all be wasting our time and your

money.**

Q. Why are you and Sir Michael annoyed when people use the phrase under

hypnosis?

A. Because that invokes the out-dated concept of the hypnotist being in

control, of the client being involuntarily sedated.

Q. Is hypnosis safe for children?

A. Yes. Hypnosis is safe for everyone. Children can readily benefit because,

even more than adults, they slip in and out of hypnosis naturally all day as

they play make-believe.

Q. Is relaxation a prerequisite for hypnosis?

A. No. It is, of course, preferable to relax when you are in a therapist*s

office. But you could (and often do) go into hypnosis while exercising

vigorously (e.g. running a marathon) or in an emergency (such as a car crash).

Q. What is forensic hypnosis?

A. The use of hypnosis in police and similar investigations. The North

American acknowledged expert in this field is Inspector Marx Howell.

Hypnotherapy

Q. Is there such a thing as Hypnotherapy?

A. Strictly speaking, no. The label is often applied when a therapist uses

hypnosis with a client. But however refreshing it is to enjoy being in

hypnosis the experience by itself is not therapeutic. Therapy is done while a

person

is in hypnosis, not by hypnosis.

Q. So the hypnotist has to be a trained psychotherapist?

A. Not necessarily. In many jurisdictions anyone can open an office as a

hypnotherapist (or as a psychotherapist) with absolutely no credentials in

psychology, medicine, hypnosis, psychotherapy or psychopathology.

Q. How, then, do I choose a qualified hypnotherapist?

A. You follow these Guidelines: _How To Choose the Right Hypnotherapist_

(http://hypnosisdepot.com/kn-how.php)

Q. Should the hypnotherapist be a physician or a psychologist?

A. Not necessarily. Here*s my longer answer: _Who Should Practice

Hypnotherapy?_ (http://hypnosisdepot.com/restrictors.htm)

Q. How long does a post-hypnotic suggestion last?

A. Donald Robertson writes, **The false premise of the question can be

exposed by comparing it to asking: *How long do beliefs last?* Hypnotic

suggestions are simply ideas which are accepted as beliefs at a particularly

*deep*

level. In fact, there*s no simple answer. A post-hypnotic suggestion could last

a few minutes or a lifetime, it depends upon a multitude of factors,

including the psychology of the client, their subsequent life experiences, the

precise nature of the suggestion, and the means of its delivery.**

Q. Having successfully had hypnotherapy for a phobia, will it ever be

necessary to have a *top up* to prevent the phobia from returning?

A. Perhaps. If you are frequently in the formerly phobic situation but now

feel comfortable, it*s unlikely you*ll need a *top up*. The new habit of being

non-phobic will have replaced the old phobia. However, if the phobic

situation is one that you rarely encounter but you do find yourself once again

about

to face it then you might need brief hypnotherapy. Or you could use the

self-hypnosis techniques taught to you by your therapist.

Q. Does a person have to go deeply into hypnosis to make changes in her

life?

A. *Depth* in hypnosis is subjective. But what might be called a *light

trance* is sufficient for therapeutic change such as stopping smoking or losing

weight. Presumably, though, you*d want to be deep into hypnosis if it was the

only anesthetic you were using while undergoing surgery!

Q. Does hypnotherapy require gadgets or electronic devices?

A. Some hypnotherapists like to have their clients listen through headphones

to a relaxing induction mix of words and music. Others will use a metronome,

pendulum or other device for focusing the clients* attention. No device is

actually essential. Most hypnotherapists simply talk their clients into

hypnosis on a one-to-one basis. Probably not as financially profitable as

having a

number of clients in several rooms with electronically-equipped recliners

linked to a central *broadcasting* unit.

Q. Can hypnotherapy be performed long-distance?

A. Yes. But not in some other-worldly mental telepathy format. A telephone

or computer is necessary. Years ago I created NetHypnosis which offered

hypnotherapy over the Web through a combination of DVDs, telephone conversation

and

emails. Today NetHypnosis is a lot more convenient. Skype and webcams mean

hypnotherapy is available to anyone, anywhere. _NetHypnosis by Knight_

(http://hypnosisdepot.com/nethypnosis.htm)

Q. Does a hypnotherapist have to have a special voice?

A. No. Unless he*s trying out for a part in a Hollywood movie. Real-life

hypnotherapists use whatever voice they*ve been graced with. Of course, it

helps

if the voice is soothing rather than grating. And a confident tone is

important. Apart from that any kind of voice is sufficient.

Q. What is past-life regression?

A. Regression is helping a client in his imagination to go back in his life;

past-life regression supposedly takes a person to a previous life. More

likely, the many accounts of such experiences are a tribute to human

creativity.

Q. What training does a person need to become a hypnotherapist?

A. Thorough grounding not only in the techniques of hypnosis but in

psychopathology, psychotherapy, human behaviour, ethics and marketing. It*s

essential

to be properly mentored.

Q. Can hypnotherapy be successful if I do it myself, i.e. what can I

accomplish with self-hypnosis?

A. Yes. And everything. It*s best to first experience hypnosis with a

competent practitioner.

Q. Are there other names for hypnotherapy?

A. Yes. Although their advocates will argue otherwise in my opinion here are

a few of the many practices that are basically hypnotic:

Creative Visualization

Guided Imagery

Yoga

“Flooding†(a technique used by psychologists)

Emotional Freedom Techniques [EFT]

Eye Movement and Desensitization and Re-Processing [EMDR]

Q. Must I close my eyes during hypnotherapy?

A. No. You can keep your eyes open -- especially for our _hypnotic DVDs_

(http://www.hypnosisdepot.com/DVD.htm)

There are three reasons a hypnotherapist will ask you to close your eyes:

1. Doing so sets the stage for you doing as she asks,

2. You focus more easily on whatever you are imagining,

3. It*s quite disturbing to the therapist to watch an unblinking client for

an hour or so.

Q. What problems can hypnotherapy overcome?

A. To quote myself (from *Easily Hypnotize Anyone* ): **There are so many

applications for hypnosis that you might consider it a panacea -- i.e., a

solution for all emotional, psychological and physical problems. Especially

since

hypnosis can be used with people of all ages and with a myriad of problems.

Here are a few:

§ phobias,

§ weight control,

§ insomnia,

§ alcoholism,

§ depression,

§ psychosis,

§ hypertension,

§ eating disorders,

§ sexual dysfunctions,

§ smoking cessation,

§ medical illness,

§ post-traumatic stress, and

§ bipolar affective disorder.**

Q. Can hypnotherapy help me do better in sports?

A. For sure. Hypnosis can be used to enhance:

§ your sports activities,

§ your love life,

§ your work habits,

§ your confidence, and

§ your creativity.

Q. How is it possible that hypnotherapy can be so powerful?

A. Because it deals with fundamental beliefs. Supposedly stored in what we

call the subconscious (or *unconscious* in England) these beliefs are what

guide us in our everyday living. Change these beliefs and you change your life.

Q. Can hypnotherapy cure cancer?

A. There are hypnotherapists who make such claims. While some remarkable

physical effects of hypnotherapy are possible the actual curing of diseases

such

as cancer and diabetes seems to be a somewhat outlandish claim, not to

mention probably illegal in most jurisdictions. However, hypnosis, its

imitators

and derivatives, are certainly powerful in helping sick people be relaxed and

to lead less despairing lives.

Q. How can hypnotherapy help a terminally-ill person focus her mind when she

has little time left and might be suffering from nausea and pain?

A. Hypnotherapists who specialise in pain control say that the focusing may

begin first on the pain. Alleviation of some discomfort helps the client feel

she still has some control. Then, when she*s ready, she exercises the

ultimate in self-control: letting go.

Q. Wouldn*t such clients have a difficult time reaching somnambulism while

under the influence of morphine, for instance?

A. *Somnambulism* is the concept of a very *deep* level of hypnosis that

some practitioners consider mandatory if a client is to successfully achieve

change. Since I consider this to be a belief, rather than a fact, my answer is

that reaching somnambulism only matters to the therapist. Morphine might make

it easier for a patient to utilise hypnosis – after all, she is already

relaxed. I*m not aware of any studies on this so I am not giving a definitive

answer.

Q. Is it true that I won*t remember anything that went on during the

hypnotherapy session?

A. No. On the contrary. You will remember everything you want to remember.

Unless:

§ you request a suggestion for amnesia,

§ you choose not to remember, or

§ you spontaneously forget.

Q. Why would I *spontaneously* forget?

A. Either because your subconscious considers you are not yet ready to

consciously face whatever you were dealing with during the session, or because

you

are one of the estimated 3% of the population who enjoy such a high talent

for hypnosis that amnesia occurs automatically. Even for these fortunate

people (sometimes known as *somnambules*) a few verbal hints will suffice to

activate recall.

Q. What is the *hidden observer*?

A. Something within your brain that Ernest Hilgard, scientist and hypnosis

researcher, postulates is always there keeping an eye out, so to speak, to

keep you safe. It*s the reason somnambules can recall what went on when

prompted

to do so.

Q. Is hypnotherapy simply a placebo?

A. No. But as with all therapies placebo plays a large part. (Perhaps more

than 50%, claims Ernest Rossi, psychologist).

 

Hypnosis and Religion

Q. Is hypnosis compatible with Christianity?

A. Some Christian fundamentalists frown upon the use of hypnosis. They

believe hypnosis is a tool of the Devil; that hypnosis opens you up to access

by

evil spirits. Mainstream Christian groups have no such qualms. Indeed, some

not only use hypnosis in a therapeutic manner but have their own associations.

For example, Reverend Scott Giles does a lot of work for the National Guild

of Hypnotists. And you might enjoy Reverend Paul Durbin*s *Human Trinity

Hypnotherapy* website.

Q. Is hypnosis mentioned in the Bible?

A. Perhaps. Some people think hypnosis is referred to here: Genesis 2:21, 1

Samuel 26:12, Job 4:13, 33:15, Acts 10:10.

Q. Do organized religions and cults use hypnotic techniques?

A. Yes. From prayer to music to ritual procession to repetitive chants to

awe-inspiring buildings, religions benefit from techniques that could be

considered hypnotic. Some of these are:

· suspension of disbelief

· inculcation of new beliefs

· repetition through sermons

· hymn singing or chanting

· rituals to reinforce beliefs

· repetitive drumming or dancing

Stage Hypnosis

Q. On stage surely the hypnotist is in control?

A. He (and occasionally, she) deliberately gives that impression. However,

the only control the stage hypnotist has is whatever amount the volunteers

give. They are cooperating with his suggestions, allowing themselves to have

fun

and they can exit hypnosis any time they choose.

Q. Are the people on stage really hypnotised?

A. Yes, of course.

Q. Why does the stage hypnotist say *Sleep!* ?

A. Seems to be a holdover from earlier times when people thought hypnosis

was a type of sleep. Also in those days all hypnosis interaction (stage and

therapeutic) was authoritarian. Today, audiences expect this approach by stage

hypnotists.

Q. Where can I learn more about stage hypnosis?

A. No finer place than in my colleague Alex Duvall’s excellent ebook,

_Stage Hypnosis Secrets Revealed_ (http://hypnosisdepot.com/stage.htm) .

The #1 Question about Hypnosis

The wording varies but the #1 Question I*ve been asked is:

**Q. Can hypnosis help me forget someone?**

A. And the answer is: Possibly.

Often the enquirer wants to be able to forget a former lover, a traumatic

event or an obsessive thought What is certain is that the damaging emotions

around an event, person or persistent thought can be minimized or even

eliminated with hypnotherapy. *Cutting the cords* (or the ties that bind ?) is

a

technique that hypnotherapists often use to free a person from a disturbing

memory.

 

Copyright © 1995-2008 Bryan M. Knight, MSW, Ph.D.