HOW DOES HYPNOSIS WORK?

 

What really happens to the mind under hypnosis?

Lets take the mystery out of hypnosis. First, I want you to know that Hypnosis is a completely natural state of mind. Although you may not have been formally hypnotized before, you have experienced this state of mind countless times. You’ll understand that better when you know what it is that really happens in your mind during hypnosis.

For the moment, imagine dividing your mind into two parts. One is the conscious mind, those things you are fully aware of and focusing on at any given moment and the second is the subconscious mind. The subconscious mind works like a giant computer. Every experience we’ve ever had in our lives is permanently stored there. Of course it would be too much trivia to be constantly aware of so you can think of it as a filing system that is accessible to us with hypnosis and other methods.

The subconscious mind controls ‘involuntary’ bodily functions, such as heart rate, breathing, digestion, etc. Hypnosis is the only tool that gains access bringing many of these ‘involuntary ‘functions under your voluntary control. Habits are controlled in the subconscious mind and this is of major importance. The subconscious mind is also the seat of emotions and since certain emotional connections to food seem to be common among overweight people, you need to be able to gain access to the subconscious mind in order to effectively change those responses.

Imagine, if you will, a filter, screen or network which lies over the subconscious mind. I will call it the critical factor. You can think of it as a kind of protective mechanism so that every single thing we are exposed to does not become accepted as truth by the subconscious mind and become acted upon. In hypnosis we are purposely bypassing the critical factor of the mind so that ideas which are beneficial to us can make a deep and lasting impression on the subconscious mind. The critical factor of the mind merely becomes less active through a variety of methods but it never disappears. It is simply less active and it will return to full activity should any suggestion be presented which your mind did not deem to be in its best interest. You are not a blank slate in hypnosis and you will not accept just any suggestion that is presented. You are in full control at all times.

Think about sometime when you were watching a sad movie and maybe you were crying or at least feeling some emotions coming up. The critical factor was still active enough that you knew it was just a movie and yet it wasn’t bombarding you with interfering thoughts like, “Why are you crying? This lady is not dead. You saw her on Oprah this morning.” And yet, if your partner taps you on the shoulder and asks if you want some popcorn you can turn and respond and then instantly return to the movie and be right back into it again. We go into and out of our subconscious mind all day long. Every time we are involved in some creative endeavor, every time we daydream, every time we get wrapped up in our emotions, every time we drive along in our car and suddenly realize we don’t remember the last mile we drove, every time we are feeling our emotions or acting out of some previously formed habit.It is estimated that we spend between 50 and 80% of our waking hours in our subconscious mind. I like to remind people that when we enter into that state of mind we call hypnosis that we are not going into uncharted territory where no human has ever set foot before. It is a common and completely natural state of mind that we have all experienced countless times before, we just didn’t call it hypnosis.

How do I know I can even be hypnotized?

Since hypnosis is a completely natural state of mind, there is no such thing as a person who can not be hypnotized. A thorough explanation of hypnosis and careful instruction in reaching that wonderful state of relaxation takes place during the very first session. Remember that it is a natural ability of the human mind and you will find it extremely relaxing and enjoyable.

Will I know what is going on while I am hypnotized?

Absolutely! Hypnosis has nothing to do with being asleep or unconscious in any way. You hear everything, remember everything and know exactly what’s going on the entire time. You are always in control.

I have seen stage shows where persons who were hypnotized did crazy and silly things. Will that happen to me?

Absolutely not. When a person goes up on stage to participate in an entertainment show of hypnosis, they have a certain contract in mind. They know that they are going to be asked to do a lot of silly things and they agree to that at some level of their mind. If we were to bring the ‘star’ of the show to my office for some clinical purpose, they would not respond to any of the suggestions which they had responded to when they were in the entertainment setting. The context in which the hypnosis is taking place and the understood purpose of the hypnosis in the individual’s mind always determine the type of responses that can be elicited. You can not be caused to do anything in hypnosis that you would not ordinarily do. And, of course, in a clinical setting all suggestions would pertain precisely to the goal of your becoming more and more in control of your eating behavior.

What will I feel like when I am hypnotized?

Actually, everyone has a different subjective experience so I can only give you some of the common reports. Some persons liken it to the peaceful feeling they have just upon awakening on a morning when they don’t have to get up right away. They are fully aware of where they are and what’s going on but it’s just very peaceful and relaxing to lie there, sort of a gray area between waking and sleeping. Most individuals think that hypnosis should be more like the state of sleep itself where we are not consciously aware of anything. They expect to “wake up” from hypnosis as from a sound sleep. Since we are never ”asleep” in hypnosis we don’t need to “wake up” from it. It is simply a very comfortable and natural state of mind that we enter into and then back out of.Some individuals will experience a sensation of heaviness in the limbs while others may report a light floating sensation. Breathing tends to slow down in hypnosis somewhat like it does when we sleep at night.

Think of it this way. If we gathered a group of individuals around a swimming pool and asked them to enter into the pool, we would see a wide variety of methods. Some would dive in and some would head down the steps at the edge of the pool while others would test the waters gently with their foot. The same is true with a group of people entering into hypnosis. Some will dive right in and enjoy a deeper quality of relaxation than they ever have before in their entire lives and they will love it. Others will just gently test the shallow waters.

The point is it doesn’t matter which you do. You need only a light to medium state of hypnosis to bring about positive behavioral change. Those individuals who enter a deeper state of hypnosis will not necessarily “do better”. You are not in competition with anyone. It is the nature of the subconscious mind to respond more easily and more rapidly with each repetition of response. Before you know it, you will be able to enter into hypnosis “just like that” whenever you so desire. Soon you will cease to ask yourself the question “Was I hypnotized ?” and instead just ask yourself the right question, “What does hypnosis feel like to me?”