Many people want to know – does hypnosis work? There is a good reason for this…
It is because hypnosis is often portrayed by the media as a magical practice that takes control, and holds power over you. The truth is very different…
Trance
To perform hypnotherapy, the subject must be guided into a hypnotic trance. If you’ve never experienced hypnosis, put everything you thought about it to one side for a moment. The reality is likely to be different to what you imagine.
TV and films like to make a hypnotic trance out to be a magical and mysterious state of mind where the hypnotist has power over you. This is NOT how it works.
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A hypnotherapist guides you into a trance state of mind. The word “guides” is used to mean “helps”. A hypnotherapist helps you achieve a trance mindset. They are not making you do anything. If you don’t want to go into a trance, you can easily resist – but what’s the point in that? It’s like hiring a cleaner, then throwing dirt over your floor once they’ve left.
A hypnotic trance is a normal everyday state of mind. When you are daydreaming, you are in a trance state of mind. When you are deeply engrossed in a book or a TV program, you are in a hypnotic trance. In a nutshell it’s when you’re “zoned out”.
A trance is where your conscious mind is tuned down, allowing greater access to your subconscious mind. Most of us naturally slip into this state of mind several times every day.
(T.V. Advertisers exploit this. They know that people often slip into a trance when watching T.V. This makes them more suggestible to their adverts.)
Subconscious mind
Your subconscious mind is where your automatic habits, urges, fears, addictions etc. reside. This is the part of your mind that doesn’t think in words, but in pictures, sounds, other senses, and feelings. A hypnotherapist can get to the root of your problems by talking to your subconscious mind.
Example
Say you have a bird phobia. Perhaps one flew near you as a child, and caused you a big fright.
As an adult you know, on a conscious level, that birds pose no real danger. However your subconscious mind still doesn’t know this. It has been programmed from your early experience to trigger an automatic fear response.
You are literally caught in two minds. Your conscious knows they’re safe, but your subconscious doesn’t. Unfortunately there’s only one winner, and that’s your subconscious. That’s because your subconscious is in charge of your automatic fear responses.
That’s why friends and family can talk about why birds are not dangerous until they’re blue in the face. You already know this on a conscious level. It would only be any good if they talked to your subconscious mind.
Hypnotherapy talks to your subconscious
A hypnotherapist can talk to your subconscious mind and tell it that birds are safe. Once this message is understood, both your conscious and subconscious will be united, and the phobia rapidly extinguished. This is often achieved in just one session.
Does hypnosis work?
In a sense where hypnosis controls you, no it doesn’t work. When in a trance you are still fully in control. No one can make you do anything, or reveal your darkest secrets.
However hypnosis helps shape your thinking, and helps you change negative thoughts, habits and urges.
EEG studies on the brain show the mind is different when in trance. Pain responses are significantly reduced when in a hypnotic state. There are many emerging studies in recent times that show a real brain effect when in a hypnotic trance.
I have been a clinical hypnotherapist since 2003 and have witnessed many times the healing powers of hypnotherapy. I’ve helped thousands of people lose weight, quit smoking, gain confidence, lose fears, and much more. It has amazed me at times!
Placebo effect?
Some people argue that positive results from hypnotherapy are down to the placebo effect. They argue that it’s not hypnotherapy that has helped change a habit or behaviour, but the placebo.
In case you’re unaware, the placebo effect is the sugar pill effect. Many studies have shown that if people are given a fake pill to treat an ailment, it often works. The belief in the treatment causes the body to heal itself.
To me this proves that hypnosis works. It shows the amazing healing qualities your mind has over your body. It sometimes needs a way of directing it, and this comes about in your mind. A placebo helps direct your mind to heal you, much in the same way as hypnotherapy direcst your mind to heal.
Final thoughts
There are many hypnotherapists and patients that personally vouch for the effectiveness of hypnotherapy. There are also many emerging studies that show how hypnosis effects the brain. Have a look in the search engines and I’m sure you can find many.
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