Hypnosis FAQ

Following is a Hypnosis FAQ and the answers concerning hypnotism and hypnotic techniques:

1. WHAT IS HYPNOSIS?

Hypnosis is actually a natural state of mind. People, whether they know it go in and out of hypnosis all day long. For example, if you’ve ever been driving, and catch yourself daydreaming and wonder who has been driving the car, you have been in a state of hypnosis. You are not asleep while in hypnosis. Sleep is a state of rest. Hypnosis is a state that is useful for self-improvement.

2. WHO CAN BE HYPNOTIZED?

Anyone with an open mind, reasonable intelligence, the ability to concentrate, and the willingness to go into hypnosis.

3. IS HYPNOSIS DANGEROUS?

There has never been a documented case of harm coming to anyone from the therapeutic use of hypnotism. The harm is that hypnosis is not used enough by people to bring about their own self-improvement.

4. WHAT DOES IT FEEL LIKE TO BE HYPNOTIZED? CAN I BE HYPNOTIZED?

The answer to this is extremely important because it may determine whether or not you can benefit from hypnosis. Some people give up on hypnosis after a few sessions because they were disappointed in their reactions, believing they are not suitable subjects. Many people believe they will go through something different, new and spectacular in the hypnotic state. They equate hypnosis with being anesthetized or being asleep or unconscious. DO NOT EXPECT TO GO TO SLEEP OR LOSE TOUCH WITH REALITY. You will be able to hear, remember, and experience everything that is going on around you. Hypnosis is a very pleasant feeling of complete physical and mental relaxation. It is similar to that moment between knowing you are awake and going into the sleep-state. Often, when people are in hypnosis, you find your mind active, you hear every sound in the room, that you can resist the suggestions if you choose to, you realize that you are not asleep, and you are able to remember everything perfectly, all of these factors lead people to believe that they were not hypnotized, when indeed they were.

5. HOW EXACTLY DOES HYPNOSIS WORK?

The human mind is extremely suggestible and is being bombarded daily with suggestive stimuli from external sources, and suggestive thoughts and ideas from the inside. A good deal of suffering is the consequence of negative thoughts and impulses invading one’s mind from subconscious recesses. Unfortunately, past experience, guilt feelings, and repudiated impulses and desires are constantly pushing themselves into awareness, directly or in disguised forms.

These thoughts become feelings which sabotage one’s happiness, health, and efficiency. By the time one has reached adulthood, there has been a build up of "negative" modes of thinking, feeling and acting which persist as bad habits. Like any habit they are hard to break or change. However, using hypnosis, we are able to transform negative attitudes into more positive ones. For some, change does happen quickly if they believe change can happen quickly. Other times, it often takes time to extinguish old behavior patterns, so do not be discouraged if there is no immediate effect. Even when no apparent changes happen on the surface, much is happening on the inside.

An analogy may be useful: imaging if you were to hold a batch of white ink blotters above the level of your eyes so that you only see the bottom blotter. Then, if you were to begin to dribble drops of ink blotters on the top blotter. As you do this, you observe nothing happening to the bottom blotter until sufficient ink has been poured to soak through into the entire thickness. Eventually the ink will come down. During this period while nothing seemingly has happened, changes were always occurring. Hypnotic suggestions are like ink poured on layers of resistance, namely, one’s limiting beliefs about oneself. One must keep repeating the suggestions before the soak in to begin to influence old destructive patterns.

6. CAN A PERSON BE HYPNOTIZED AGAINST THEIR WILL OR MADE TO DO ANYTHING AGAINST THEIR WILL?

No one is able to be hypnotized against their will. If people were, hypnosis would be the most closely guarded secret on the planet. Entering hypnosis is a consent state. The hypnotist assists the subject, who then hypnotizes him/herself.

7. DO PEOPLE HAVE TROUBLE COMING OUT OF HYPNOSIS?

A person may choose to stay in hypnosis after an experienced hypnotist asks them to come out of it. The reason being, it is such a relaxed feeling of enjoyment, they prefer to stay hypnotized a while longer. If the hypnotist were to leave, the person would merely drift into a natural sleep to awaken at a more personally convenient time. In self-hypnosis, you have complete and utter control of when you come out of hypnosis and set your own limits. There has never been a documented case of someone being unable to come out of hypnosis.

8. WHAT IS SELF-HYPNOSIS?

Techniques exist by which one can attain a state of self-hypnosis and gain complete relaxation under the most stressful conditions. In this state, the sub-conscious mind is open to therapeutic suggestions.

9. WHAT EXACTLY IS THE SUB-CONSCIOUS MIND?

The conscious mind, the mind that you are conscious of, is your "me." It is the critical part of your mind. The sub-conscious mind is the one that directs your conduct through the habits and emotional desires acquired from the influences of your environment, before you were old enough to reject harmful ideas and concepts.

10. HOW DOES SELF-HYPNOSIS DIFFER FROM HYPNOSIS BY A HYPNOTIST?

In self-hypnosis, YOU choose your own time limits, instead of a scheduled appointment with a hypnotist. Using a hypnotist at the beginning of your awareness training is of great benefit. It speeds up your process of self-improvement.

11. WHY DO SOME PEOPLE HAVE DOUBTS ABOUT HYPNOSIS?

Hypnosis is such a misunderstood phenomenon. For centuries, it has been affiliated with spiritualism, witchcraft, and various other "unexplainable" events. Based on "B" movies, cheap novels and exaggerated claims made by undisciplined persons.

12. DOES HYPNOSIS WEAKEN THE WILL? ARE ONLY WEAK MINDED PEOPLE ABLE TO GO INTO HYPNOTIC STATES?

No. Self-hypnosis strengthens the will. Hypnosis works with the will, not against it. In fact, the more intelligent and strong-willed you are, the more effective hypnosis will be for you.

13. WHAT IF I CAN’T BE HYPNOTIZED?

Most people feel or think this very same way. The fear is giving up control. The opposite is actually true. You are exercising a more powerful form of thought-control than at other times by accepting the suggestions given. The only thought to prevent you from going into hypnosis is the thought, "I can’t be hypnotized."

14. WHAT CAN SELF-HYPNOSIS DO FOR ME?

ANYTHING YOU WANT IT TO! Instant learning and photographic memory systems are based on self-hypnosis. Champions in many sports such as Evander Holyfield, Larry Bird, and Tiger Woods, all use self-hypnosis to achieve amazing and consistent results in their fields. You can now learn to overcome unwanted and undesireable habits, such as smoking, overeating, or drinking. You can boost your self-confidence, and realize that success is within easy reach of an active mind, and erasing harmful emotions leads to a happier and healthier life.

15. DO I NEED HYPNOTHERAPY? WILL IT WORK FOR ME?

Hypnosis is an alternative to other methods of treatment for change. If you have nervous symptoms such as tension, depression, fears, chronic fatigue, or feel irritable, unhappy, and believe you are not getting the most out of life, then hypnosis is for you.

16. HOW DOES HYPNOTHERAPY WORK?

Nervous systems and unwarranted unhappiness are the product of inner emotional conflicts. By using hypnosis, you are assisted in understanding your conflicts. In this way, it is possible for you to do something constructive about solving them.

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We hope this Hypnosis FAQ has been helpful. If you have any questions about hypnosis or our services please feel confident that we are happy to answer your questions. Contact us at