Hypnosis Myths and Misconceptions
- Myth/Misconception: Hypnosis Is Dangerous.
Truth: Hypnosis is actually extremely safe. This association of hypnosis to danger comes in large part to the caricature of hypnosis portrayed in mostly old movies. The hypnotist is depicted as a gesticulating sort of tyrant preying on sheepish women to essentially manipulate and take advantage of them. In fact, the well-trained hypnotherapist does an extremely thorough psychological assessment of his clients to determine if they are candidates for hypnotherapy in the first place. He also determines during the first consultation, a treatment plan, which is often tweaked and refined during the process of therapy. He is also often asking his client for feedback after the hypnosis to determine as precisely as possible their reaction to it.
Myth/Misconception: “Hypnosis makes you Cluck Like a Chicken.”
Truth: This is the outgrowth of people confusing stage or television hypnosis with real hypnotherapy. The stage hypnotist usually selects people from the audience who look like they want to let go and have a “ball.” The more out of control the audience member is the more of a scream it seems to be for them and for the audience. But, it is a far cry from hypnotherapy, where clients are treated with the utmost respect and empathy and where results aren’t instantaneous. And where the goal is not the quick laugh, but enduring growth.
- Myth/Misconception: “You May Not Wake Up From Trance.”
Truth: Everyone wakes up from hypnosis. Essentially the myth that you may not "wake up" comes from a fear of letting go that some people have before experiencing hypnosis. The fact is that everyone wakes up from hypnosis. In fact, the word “waking up” is a misnomer. We'll comment more on that next.
- “You Go To Sleep During Hypnosis.” Hypnosis would be of no clinical use if it led to the client sleeping, because in the sleep state we are totally unconscious. For hypnosis to lead to change, the client needs to be part unconscious and part conscious. Very similar to the state you are in at the movies.
- “Some People Can’t Be Hypnotized despite Wishing To Be.” We have never worked with a client who was unable to be hypnotized. That’s not to say that some are more able to go into deeper trances than others. However, we have treated some people who due to a variety of reasons were more resistant to being hypnotized and usually require more time and emotional support from the hypnotherapist to let go enough to experience hypnosis. When a client feels safe and is more trusting of the hypnotherapy process and as well as in the hypnotherapist, they are able to let go enough to allow them to by hypnotized.
- “Hypnosis Is Mind Control.” Hypnosis is really the opposite of “mind control.” Clients generally seek out hypnotherapy when they are feeling that their mind is out of control. In other words, they may know for example, that smoking is bad. But, they only know it with one part of their mind. They’re conscious mind or intellectual mind. However, most behavior is controlled by our unconscious mind, which seeks immediate gratification and could care less of consequences. In hypnosis, the unconscious mind is influenced so that it becomes part of the solution, where it once was part of the problem.
- “Self-hypnosis is as effective as Hypnotherapy.”
This is possible only if a hypnotherapist trained the person attempting self-hypnosis. The reasons for this are the following: without first having experienced hypnotherapy, anyone attempting self-hypnosis would be lacking necessary reference points to guide them into various levels of trance. It would be like someone attempting to climb a mountain without the benefit of a climbing instructor after reading a book on mountain climbing. They could do it, but it would it be highly inadvisable. |
