Hapiloons

What is hypnosis?

Hypnosis is the (therapeutic) use of an alternate state of mind that we frequently enter without realising. In this trance state there is an enhanced ability for positive suggestions to be accepted.

Hypnosis is not sleep. During hypnosis at all times you are in full control of yourself, you could ask questions, or open your eyes at any time you want to.

Can I be hypnotised? A hypnotist/psychologist etc said I was un-hypnotisable.

If you can imagine then you can enter a state of hypnotic trance. It's important to remember not all hypnotists have the same level of skill. If a hypnotist does not correctly inform about hypnosis or provide an assurance of their professionalism, some individuals may not allow themselves to accept the suggestion of entering a state of trance.

All hypnosis is self hypnosis. This means that even though you are listening to a hypnotist, it is your choice what to respond to, and how.

For people that find them self a little reluctant to visit a hypnotherapist, it may be wise to listen to a few hypnosis audio sessions first. This will familiarise you with the state of trance. The more times you go into trance, the better you get at it. You get faster, and your brain learns how to get the most out of it.

What are the effects of a hypnotic trance?

Since the trance state is very similar to daydreaming, the first few times a person enters it, they might not even realise they have. There are some things that can occur by themselves without being suggested, this might include:

• Anesthesia - You might have a desensitisation or total removal of the sense of pain.
• Amnesia - You might be aware of what you are experiencing, but afterwards you forget what happened.
• Hyper-mnesia - capability for very vivid memory.
• Time-Distortion - It might seem like a shorter, or longer amount of time.
• Catalepsy - a muscle or set of muscles becomes rigid or locked in place.
• Drowsiness - sometimes in a relaxed trance it can make you feel sleepy.
• Excited - sometimes a new intense experience can make you feel this way.

What is hypnosis most commonly used for?

The most common use of hypnosis is to help people quit smoking. Other than this there are other common uses such as helping people with:

• Weight loss.
• Relieving anxiety.
• Confidence building.
• Power performance - assisting with time management and goal realisation.
• Retrieving information from memory (such as remembering events from a crime scene)
• Sexual Dysfunction
• Moving on from past events.

There are many more than this. This is a small list to give a basic idea. There are many cases of hypnosis helping with many medical ailments. As many problems are psychosomatic hypnosis helps get to the cause and deal with it in only a few sessions.

What will I experience after a hypnosis session?

You might feel drowsy for a few minutes, or even very excited. With a good hypnotist you will feel very confident that you are in the process of change. Often after one session you will know that you will never have that problem again. You are likely to experience positive behaviour changes relevant to the therapy that was done. These changes might be minor and barely even noticeable or they might be drastic. It's important to know that they will be positive changes.

Is hypnosis like meditation?

Meditation is like hypnosis. When people meditate they may or may not be entering a trance state. In meditation a person may or may not be using the state to give themselves positive suggestions for influencing their own life. Individuals trained and experienced in meditation are more likely than untrained people to be accessing the trance state when meditating.

Are hypnosis audio recordings effective?

Audio sessions are useful for a number of things. They are useful for being introduced into hypnosis, having a relaxing break with positive suggestions and imagining your success. For some problems an audio tape may be all that is required for you to achieve the change that you desire. Audio tapes gain effectiveness when used for a number of days in a row.

Recording your own Audiotape could be even more effective as the suggestions are relevant to you.

Why go to a hypnotist when I have access to audio sessions?

There is only so much that can be achieved with audio recordings. A session with a hypnotist should be relevant to you and the results you want to achieve. A hypnotist can create metaphors and suggestions on the spot. Most hypnotists use a range of skills and techniques to help you achieve the results you desire. For most problems, 1 to 6 sessions will be all you ever need.

What about stage hypnosis?

Stage hypnosis is entertainment. The hypnotist in this case is a showman that knows how to please a crowd. A stage hypnotist is likely to first ask for volunteers, this brings up the people that are curious and comfortable to be on stage. The hypnotist will then probably do some kind of induction / suggestability test. This is just a test to see how strongly people are responding to him. People that are more comfortable, compliant, adventurous and exhibitionist will be the ones that follow the suggestions the best. Again it is their own choice to do so. After removing the rest of the people from stage, the remaining people will do anything that they are ok with, that the hypnotist asks them to do. Since their on stage often infront of hundreds of people, it'd just look better to do what the hypnotist says.

If you really wanted to, you could trick the stage hypnotist, but in front of hundreds of laughing people, you would look like the fool.

Can a hypnotist make me do things I don't want to do?

No one can make you do anything you don't want to do. When a hypnotist gives you a suggestion, whether it's your concious or subconcious part of you, it's your choice to accept the suggestion. Often times in a therapeutic scenario Arm levitation or amnesia will be suggested. Often people accept these suggestions because it's a safe scenario where it's being used to show them that they are in a hypnotic trance. Just remember you can open your eyes whenever you want.

Is hypnosis safe?

It's as safe as you are. If you're doing it in a car, well, then you could get overly relaxed and crash. Sometimes stage hypnotists do dangerous stunts, It's the stunt that's dangerous, not the hypnosis, and you are still in full control to make choices of what's safe for yourself.