Psychology
Debunking The Myths Surrounding Hypnosis
By Robert Greenshields
Dec 19, 2007

Have you ever been to a fair and watched a hypnosis presentation? Or perhaps you’ve seen one on television. You know the type, where someone crows every time they hear a particular word or some other nonsense. This sort of presentation has diminished the potential usefulness of hypnosis, reducing it to merely a form of entertainment instead of the powerful learning and behavior modification tool it could actually be. Hypnosis modifies the way we think, and as such can be a tool that strips away our unproductive thinking habits and helps us get to the root of a solution. This article will provide a little information about the true nature of hypnosis and hopefully help debunk the myths so you can consider whether it might be a good tool to help you reach your own goals.

Hypnosis induces a state of mind that is similar to when we are in a light sleep. Although a person who has been hypnotized might appear to be unaware of the reality around them, they are in fact more aware, more focused and more willing to accept changes in their lives. Under hypnosis you are able to experience thought without the usual series of critical and judgemental thoughts.

Hypnosis is capable of working very quickly. Since at least 80% of our habits and behaviors are controlled by the unconscious, it would just make sense to attack a problem at its root and deal with it on a unconscious level; this is one of the main practical benefits of hypnosis.

It is a popular belief that hypnosis puts a person into a trance where their mind and behavior can be programmed. Of course, if this were true, it would be right to be very wary of any individual who wanted to put us “under” hypnosis. But in reality, a person is merely more open to suggestion and will not do anything they do not believe is right at the time. Hypnosis allows a person to explore their own unconscious without conscious thoughts impairing the process. Because of this, hypnosis can be used effectively to help people clarify and set goals, as well as the more well-known behavior changes like weight loss and smoking cessation.