I have been fascinated by hypnosis for as long as I can remember. Most people have no idea what hypnosis is and is not. I think we can thank books and movies for all the misconceptions. I have a scientific approach to hypnosis although it is hard to study scientifically. I have found it to be an extension of everyday experience. So, please put away the crystals and sage. Unless you really like them. Then, enjoy.
I have too much to say about hypnosis to fit in just one article. I mention this because I think people will say, "okay, but what about..." which is good because it will help me understand what I should focus on next.
The first myth I want to clear up is that hypnosis is not natural. In fact, it is natural. I have seen videos of pigeons spontaneously going into hypnosis. I believe that hypnosis is a defense mechanism, but it is also a state that we can use to improve our lives.
Soon, you may realize that you have already been in hypnosis many times in your life and that it is a natural part of being human. Every day, right before we wake up, we are in a hypnotic state called the hypnopompic state. Similarly, right before you fall asleep, you are in the hypnopompic state.
Personally, long before I knew the word "hypnosis," I was using hypnosis regularly. As a child, I used it to help with migraine pain. No one taught me this, which supports my contention that it is natural.
I had severe migraines with aura when I was a preteen. I had to hurry home from school because I didn't like to vomit in public. Then I usually vomited, took a pain pill (usually ibuprofen), and lay down in a dark room feeling every minor sound and vibration magnified pounding in my skull. Light made it so much worse. By the way, even though hypnosis is amazing for pain, I would never want anyone to be a hero and try to forego the pain meds. It is a good adjunct to pain meds or emergency measure if you have none.
There are specific techniques to help a person manage pain with hypnosis, and they are different for acute versus chronic pain. When I was a preteen with migraines, I knew nothing of this. Instinctively, though, I lay very still and I kept my eyes trained on one tiny fixed location. When a hypnotic trance is induced this way, usually, we use a shiny object, but obviously, during a migraine, that would be insane, and, anyhow, I knew nothing of such things back then. I stared at the fixed point while in agony. Gradually, I became less bothered by the pain. I was aware that it was there, but it seemed less important and I used to become calm and, often, it seemed to me that I fell asleep for many hours.
I say "it seemed to me" because, sometimes, people in a deep trance believe that they fell asleep. They snore, are not very responsive, and do not sense the passing of time as conscious people do.
In lighter trances, this is not the case, and most people who go to a hypnotist for the first time feel a bit anxious and will only go into a light trance. Then they think they cannot be hypnotized. That brings me to another point, which is that hypnosis works by helping you to help yourself. Although many people are helped by it, what you typically hear is this sort of thing: "I went to the hypnotist because I was having trouble with sleeping. The problem has cleared up, but I don't know if it is because of the hypnosis." I have heard from people who told me they went to a hypnotist, didn't even believe they were hypnotized, but their issue magically cleared up.
Being a hypnotist, you have to accept that you are empowering people to use their own minds to repair their minds and bodies. Some realize you helped while others (correctly) think they "just" did it themselves. Well, of course they did it themselves. However, the hypnotist helped them to do it themselves.
That's the biggest misconception (and some hypnotists have it too): that the hypnotist has "power." In fact, a hypnotist empowers you to use your own untapped mental abilities to resolve your own physical and mental symptoms.
Sometimes, people don't think hypnosis can help them because their problem is "real." (Note: this is not medical advice, but...) I think it is important to see a physician when you have symptoms. Get the best help you can. However, if you still are having problems, hypnosis might help.
It is hard to do reproduceable experiments with hypnosis for many reasons. However, it can help with many problems that seem entirely physical. Why is this? No one really knows, but I have theories.
My main theory is that, often, the subconscious can influence "involuntary" aspects of the body. For example, reducing your heart rate in hypnosis is something you can achieve with relative ease with a little practice. What else can it do? I think there is a lot.
We might ask ourselves why our subconscious mind doesn't simply heal us then if it is capable of it. I have several theories. First, I think the state of hypnosis is actually part of the healing process, so the mind and body need that arena for healing to happen. Secondly, sometimes, we are the victim of our own self-limiting beliefs -- if we do not believe something is possible, our subconscious minds tend to agree. They are part of us, after all.
Lastly, there is sometimes what is called "secondary gain." This is a psychological concept. Basically, it means that, on the one hand, whatever is wrong with us might hurt and be causing a lot of difficulties, but it is solving another problem. Sometimes, the subconscious mind will create a problem (or fail to repair it) to get us out of another problem.
For example, I read about a woman who came to see the hypnotist because she had a terrible ulcer and was in agony. It turned out that her ulcer flared up particularly badly when her in-laws dropped in unannounced. It was a real flare up. A genuine ulcer that was medically diagnosed. However, although she would not have consciously chosen it, the ulcer got her out of these very upsetting surprise visits. She had tried asking that they phone first, and her husband was not supportive.
In hypnosis, two things happened. She realized the ulcer was there to serve a purpose. The hypnotist guided her to come up with an alternate way to deal with her in-laws that would not cause her physical harm. One of the interesting things about being a hypnotist is that the subconscious figures things out on its own. She was not told what to do. She was told to do "something else that would not result in harm or discomfort to her."
She did not remember the session because most people don't remember when they are in a deep trance. Nevertheless, after the session, she confronted her husband about the unannounced visits. They spoke to his parents together, as a united front and the unannounced visits stopped. They started phoning first to make arrangements.
Then, in a short time, her ulcer improved, and it gradually cleared up.
There is no magic here. Stress has a terrible effect on the body. What is the opposite of stress? I think we find it in hypnosis and it has a beautiful effect on the body and mind. I have a lot more to say about it, so, if you are interested, stay tuned!
