Hypnosis is natural and harmless

In most states, no license is needed to be a hypnotist.  States have determined that hypnosis applied to goals, habits, fears, sports and normal everyday issues is harmless and does not need regulation.   Hypnotists, however, cannot diagnosis or treat psychological or medical issues.  Only licensed psychologists or medical personnel may legally diagnose or treat medical or psychological issues.   Hypnotist certified by the NGH are capable of helping you with normal everyday issues.

The 5 Myths of Hypnosis

People who have not experienced hypnosis are usually concerned that one of the five things below might occur.   All five are myths. 

1) M – It must be like the movies

As portrayed in movies and novels, hypnotists are unscrupulous individuals who use hypnosis to turn their subjects into mindless automata to carry out their evil intentions.  A recent example of such a movie is “The Curse of the Jade Scorpion.” In it, a hypnotist makes Woody Allen’s character disable the alarm systems of his wealthy clients so the hypnotist can rob them.  If this were possible, there would be many hypnotists with their own private islands.  The simple truth is that you can reject all of a hypnotist’s suggestions and people do.  Anything that doesn’t feel comfortable or moral to you will be rejected by you.   

2) Y – You can’t hypnotize me, I’m too smart!

In order to go into hypnosis, you have to focus, follow instructions, relax, visualize, and respond to suggestions.   People with a low IQ, young children, and senile individuals can’t do all of these things and cannot generally be hypnotized.  Everybody else can be hypnotized if they want to be.  We go in and out of various hypnotic states all day long.  When we drive our cars and don’t remember how we got to our destination, we were experiencing “highway hypnosis.” When we are so absorbed in a movie that we don’t hear someone calling our name, we are in hypnosis.  

3) T – I’ll tell all my secrets

 Some people believe that when they are “under,” they will reveal things they don’t want to.  This is a myth.  Hypnosis involves focused concentration.  In that state of heightened awareness, it is more difficult for someone to extract information from you than normal. Because you can reject any suggestion given you, you can reject any suggesting asking for information you do not want revealed.   

4)H – I’ll have amnesia

When you are in hypnosis, you are not unconscious, you are focused.  No one outside you has control of your memories.  You may have relaxed so deeply that you don’t immediately remember what was said to you, but like every other event in life, things come back to you later.  Your mind automatically stores data from your experiences in spite of your perceived condition.  For instance, patients under anesthesia hear and remember what their surgeons said about their condition during surgery.  Surgeons have to make sure they don’t inject negative opinions that may prevent recovery.  If you don’t remember something it is because you didn’t find it important to remember,

5)S – I’ll get stuck in hypnosis

 Once you understand that hypnosis is a state of focused attention, you’ll also understand that getting stuck is not an option.  It takes energy to focus on what the hypnotist is saying, and it takes energy to create images in your mind.  If a hypnotist doesn’t talk to you for a while, you’ll get tired of trying to stay in hypnosis and either open your eyes, or sleep.  There are no documented cases of people getting stuck in hypnosis.  Hospitals don’t have special wards for people who are stuck in hypnosis.  When people are so involved in a movie that they react as if it is real, they don’t get stuck in the movie.  They naturally come back to normal awareness when the movie ends. 

Experience Hypnosis for Yourself!

Try this simple method for getting into a light state of hypnosis while learning to relax.   Take a deep breath and hold it for the count of five then release it slowly and completely.  Repeat several times.  Now close your eyes and imagine that someone has just put some smooth creamy and expensive lotion on their fingers and rubbed it lightly onto your forehead.  The warmth of your skin melts the lotion, and it is absorbed into your skin and causes the muscles in your forehead to become warm and relaxed. Warm and relaxed. Enjoy the warmth and relaxation in your forehead for a moment then let that relaxation flow down into the muscles around your eyes, causing them to feel warm, comfortable, and relaxed.