What Is Hypnosis and Why it Works

What is hypnosis? Hypnosis is a state of mind characterized by relaxed brain waves and hyper-suggestibility. Hypnosis and hypnotic suggestions have played a major role in healing for thousands of years. According to the World Health Organization, 90% of the general population can be hypnotized. Hypnosis is a perfectly normal state that just about everyone has experienced. What we call "highway hypnosis" is a natural hypnotic state. You drive somewhere and don't even remember seeing the usual landmarks. You are on automatic pilot. The natural hypnotic state also exists when you become so involved in a book, TV show or some other activity that everything else is blocked out. Someone can talk to you and you don't even see or hear them. Because you were concentrating, you just slipped into the natural hypnotic state.

The hypnotic state, by itself, is only useful for the relaxation it produces. The real importance of hypnosis is that while you are in that state, you are very receptive to suggestions. Positive and healing suggestions are able to sink deeply into your mind much more quickly than when you are in a normal, awake state. I say positive because while in the hypnotic state, you cannot be made to do anything against your moral values.

All of our habitual and controlling thoughts reside in what is called our subconscious mind.  It's called that because it is below our conscious mind. It's below our level of consciousness. We are unaware of the thoughts and feelings that reside there. Your subconscious mind is where the thought or memory that you have to go to the dentist at 2 PM went when you forgot you had the appointment. 

Imagine that there is a trap door between your conscious mind and your subconscious mind. Normally, the trap door is closed until your brain waves slow down to a relaxed, alpha brain wave level. When you are asleep, the door opens for short periods of time and ideas and thoughts come out of your subconscious mind in the form of dreams. When you are in a state of hypnosis, the door also opens so helpful suggestions can be directed into your subconscious mind or forgotten memories can be retrieved.

The hypnotic induction that a hypnotist uses is simply a way to focus your attention and concentration so you will go into that natural, normal hypnotic state. Once in the hypnotic state, the trap door opens and suggestions to help can be given. While a hypnotist is skilled in assisting people into trance, in reality all hypnosis is self hypnosis. For this reason, it is not possible for a hypnotist to hypnotise you if you don’t wish this to happen. The hypnotist merely facilitates what is after all a very normal and pleasant experience. The list of ways hypnosis has been used to help children, adolescents and adults is practically endless but does include: losing weight, stopping smoking, building self-confidence, improving academic performance at every age level, improving test taking ability, shyness and social phobia, pain management, fears and phobias, stress management, sleep problems and helping to heal physical problems.

To really work well, suggestions must be reinforced by repetition. Most of the habits and feelings we want to change are deeply planted in our subconscious mind and will not just "go away" with one set of suggestions. Most of the time, the hypnotic suggestions need to be repeated on a regular basis until you notice a change. There is no way to predict how long it will take to see change. It will depend, partly, on your motivation and commitment. For example, People who seek help to quit smoking or to lose weight who came because their doctor or spouse sent them do poorly because they don't have the right motivation. Those who came because they want to quit or to lose weight responded very well.

Since you are awake while in the hypnotic state, self-hypnosis is also a valuable tool. The suggestions you give yourself also pass through the trap door. While in the hypnotic state, you have actually gained a greater degree of control over your own mind and body. If you are using self-hypnosis, keep in mind that when you are in the hypnotic state, your sense of time is distorted. You can be in a trance state for 30 minutes but it may only feel like 5 minutes. This is also true when listening to a hypnosis tape. If you have things to do, set an alarm just in case you do lose track of time.

The two keys to the successful use of hypnosis for self improvement and personal growth are correct motivation and believable suggestions. The motivation to change must come from within you. If you are trying to change because someone else wants you to "lose weight" or "stop smoking", the chances are greately reduced that the hypnosis will work. Get it clear in your own mind why you want to change and this clear intention to change will allow the hypnotic suggestions to take hold and manifest themselves.

The second key to success is believable suggestions. If you are to accept a suggestion, your mind must first accept it as a real possibility. Telling a chocoholic that when they come out of the trance, chocolate will be disgusting to them and will make them sick is too big a stretch for the imagination. If a suggestion like this even took, it would only last a short time because it would be so unbelievable to a chocolate lover. In this case, one of the successful suggestions I use is that the next time the individual eats chocolate, it will not taste as good as the time before. This is far more believable and acceptable to most people.

One final note is that hypnosis is not dangerous. There are almost no risks when used by trained professionals. An amateur might give you suggestions that don't work, that might embarrass you or that might make you feel uncomfortable. It's always better to stick with professionally trained hypnosis specialists. The one risk I know about involves falling asleep. If you become too relaxed, you may move from the hypnotic state to the normal sleep state. If you have other plans for after the trance, you may want to set an alarm just in case you fall asleep. Related to that, never listen to a hypnosis tape in the car. You may fall asleep. Even if you are not driving, the driver might react to the relaxing suggestions and fall asleep.

Over the years, self improvement and personal growth using hypnosis has helped millions of people change their lives permanently. You can be one of them.