Hypnosis - The Truth Behind All The Misconceptions

Hypnosis and its subset, hypnotherapy, have always been steeped in myths. Some consider them to be black magic whereas others reject them as pseudo science. Some of the common myths associated with hypnosis and the reality behind them are given below.

There is no practice of occult involved in hypnosis. It is a very simple technique, which can be explained easily with the help of psychology and other scientific procedures. Even people who have observed hypnosis on others mostly refuse to believe in it. They say that hypnotised subjects allow practitioners to perform well in their art by not displaying enough mental strength to block the influence of their words. But that is not true at all. Hypnosis can be exercised on anyone irrespective of his or her mental strength.

That hypnosis is an altered state of consciousness is another myth that has been doing the rounds. A hypnotized individual is completely conscious of his surroundings. Hypnosis actually brings forth a state of absolute calm characterized by a growth in levels of attentiveness, and this intensified sensitivity helps the subject to absorb new inputs with considerable ease.

Another misconception, which has been propagated by some scientists, claims that hypnosis can be applied on merely 5% of humans. Researchers have come up with this low result because they have made use of the same hypnosis technique on all subjects without focusing on their individual traits. One hypnosis technique for all is not a viable answer as different people fall under different character types, and therefore are responsive to different techniques.

Many people take hypnosis to be a variant of meditation. However, communication between the subject and the practitioner is paramount in hypnosis, while meditation is like a communion with the self without any communication involved. The state of trance and the state of hypnosis are entirely different from each other too. Trance is again a mental state sans any communication, whereas communication forms the very basis of the hypnosis technique.

Another myth is that bodily and behavioural changes in an individual are not possible through hypnosis training or hypnotherapy. Hypnosis is obviously not magic that it can transform the physical appearance of an individual on its own. But by mentally conditioning a person to give up addictive behaviour like eating too much and constant smoking, and by heightening one’s motivation levels, hypnosis can bring about important physical changes in an individual and ensure a healthier body.

Hypnosis, and specifically hypnotherapy, can have a vital function to play in the overall welfare of a person, and not trying them out just because of some false notions is a missed opportunity.

Learn more about hypnosis course or hypnotherapy course and discover its benefits to your profession.