An Overview of Hypnosis

Hypnosis is generally a mental state or imaginative role-enactment that is induced by a technique called hypnotic induction. Hypnotic induction involves a long series of initial instructions and suggestions. The process is usually done by a hypnotist to a patient or a subject or it can be self administered. Today, the use of hypnosis is widely acclaimed as an effective therapy for mental, psychological, physical, and other aspects of everyday life. This is now what is called hypnotherapy wherein it is used to help improve the lives of people with smoking addiction, drug addiction, weight gain, poor study habits, traumas, phobias, and other mental or behavioural stresses.

During hypnotherapy, the hypnotist reads and evaluates the mind of the hypnotized patient. He or she accesses the patient’s subconscious mind and then dig deep into the details of how a certain issue like trauma, fear, low self esteem and other problems had impacted the person’s behaviour or attitude. Basically, the subconscious mind is what created the behavioural pattern of the patient based on his or her experience and emotional makeup. The hypnotist has the ability to read these patterns and explain to the patient why and how the behaviour has impacted him or her. With hypnotherapy, almost all areas or aspects of your life can be improved – from health, wealth, performance, romance, to emotions and relationships. Almost all essential aspects of your life can be improved or bettered thru hypnotherapy.

Hypnotherapy has gained great acceptance from people around the world. With its incremental benefits, there is no doubt to its power in altering bad habits, behaviour and thinking. Some people are still reluctant about it, thinking that it is some kind of a magic. But once they are aware of its benefits, it is most certain that they’ll embrace hypnotherapy. It is true that hypnosis is an intriguing phenomenon that involves mental functioning. It is not sleep or a waking state either. It is basically about attention, concentration, letting go and relaxing. The technique is done by a skilled hypnotist where he or she uses some sort of verbal techniques.

During hypnotherapy, the hypnotist alters the patient’s attention and concentration. The focus of attention is narrowed such that everything, especially the specific things or memories being focused on are experienced vividly than in a regular waking state. This is like seeing in a dark room using a flashlight wherein you focus your attention to that specific thing. You experience it more clearly and intensely than you ordinarily can. During this state, things around that are beyond the narrow focus may be forgotten temporarily. Sometimes, the individual under hypnosis is temporarily disoriented and is clouded by their life situation, where they are, and who they are.

Another quality of hypnosis is the state of ‘involuntariness’. Patients state that during hypnosis, they seem like passive observers to everything and anything that takes place. For example, if the hypnotist suggests that you raise your arm, you will feel your arms rising like a robot and this happens without your conscious intervention or decision. This is what is called the hallmark of true hypnotic state. However, this does not mean helpless involuntariness because if your conscious mind wants to, you can resist any suggestion done by the hypnotist. You can even wake up on a hypnotic state if you want. So this only means that hypnosis is done with the mutual agreement or consent between the hypnotist and the patient.