Hypnosis - What It Is And What It Is Not

By Sarah Cox

Myths have always chased hypnosis and its healing arm, hypnotherapy. Some consider them to be occult whereas others reject them as pseudo science. Provided below are some general beliefs prevalent about hypnosis, and the real truth behind them.

There is no mysticism or rituals involved in hypnosis. It hinges more on the science of psychology and is very simple to practice for anyone who is prepared to learn it. Even people who have observed hypnosis on others usually refuse to acknowledge it. They hold that the people who have undergone hypnosis are mentally not strong enough to withstand the influence of the practitioner. But that is not true at all. Hypnosis can in fact be successfully practised on people who are mentally tough and are trying their best to resist the spell.

Another myth is that hypnosis is an alternate state of consciousness, which again is a serious misconception. A hypnotized individual is totally conscious of his environment. Hypnosis actually brings forth a state of complete relaxation characterized by a growth in levels of attentiveness, and this heightened sensitivity helps the subject to receive new inputs without difficulty.

Another myth, which has been circulated by some researchers, claims that hypnosis can be applied on merely 5% of humans. Researchers have come up with this low result because they have used the identical hypnosis technique on all people without considering their individual natures. Hypnosis can't be straight jacketed like that and works only if there are different methodologies for different personality styles.

People also tend to associate hypnosis with meditation. But while hypnosis is a communication technique, meditation is all about a mental state and normally has nothing to do with communication. Similarly, a state of trance is also sometimes confused with hypnosis, which is not correct. The individual doesn't interact to achieve a state of trance, on the other hand hypnosis is not possible without communication.

Another myth is that bodily and behavioural changes in an individual are not attainable through hypnosis training or hypnotherapy. Hypnosis obviously cannot attain something that is unnatural to the body. However, it can propel the body to a healthy shape through behavioural transformations like eating in a controlled manner, and quitting smoking and other addictions by ensuring a good amount of of inspiration in an individual.

Hypnosis, and specifically hypnotherapy, can have an important function to play in the overall welfare of a person, and not giving them a try just because of some misconceptions is a missed opportunity.

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