Hypnosis Myths Exploded

It seems there are more hypnosis myths than myths about any other subject. This is because movies, TV, novels and other media tend to dramatize hypnosis rather than give an accurate picture.

That is probably because drama sells and truth doesn’t.

The truth is that hypnosis is a self-induced altered state of mind that allows you to give constructive suggestions directly to your subconscious mind and make dramatic changes in your life.

You can quit smoking, learn faster, improve your self image and self esteem, improve any skill, lose phobias like fear of flying, fear of public speaking, fear of spiders, etc and so on. The list is almost endless.

Below, I have tried to bust some of these hypnosis myths. Hopefully, that will set the record straight for you.

Hypnosis Myth 1

One can get stuck in hypnosis and never come out.

This is probably the biggest hypnosis myth. If, after hypnotizing a subject, the hypnotist were to disappear, one of two things will happen.

One, the subject – realizing that the hypnotist is not there – will snap out of the trance and open his/her eyes.

Two, if the subject is in a deep trance then s/he will drift off into normal sleep. S/he can be woken up like a person in normal sleep or will wake up on his/her own when the sleep is complete.

Hypnosis Myth 2

Any body can be hypnotized.

The fact of the matter is that a person can be hypnotized only if he wants to. No one can be hypnotized against his/her wishes.

People with certain mental or neurological conditions cannot be hypnotized.

Hypnosis requires imagination and a certain ability to concentrate. People deficient in these fields are difficult to hypnotize.

Hypnosis Myth 3

In hypnosis you have no control over yourself.

This is one myth that frightens most people.

In hypnotism you are in a daydream like state. You are completely aware of everything around you.

As you are totally relaxed and focused on only one thought, it appears as if you are not in control of yourself, which of course is wrong.

If a hypnotist asks a hypnotized lady to strip, what do you think will happen? She will snap out of hypnosis – that is what will happen.

In fact, once a stage hypnotist did ask a hypnotized lady to strip – only to prove to the audience that she will not strip and will snap out of her hypnosis. Imagine his surprise when the lady actually started stripping! He hurriedly stopped her and brought her out of her trance. On inquiry it turned out that the lady was a professional striptease dancer!

This story only goes to show that under hypnosis one will only do those things that one is comfortable with. Otherwise it would had been very easy to produce murderers, bank robbers, etc.

Hypnosis Myth 4

Hypnosis can cure anything.

Hypnosis is a very powerful tool which helps in the cure of many ailments. But it is not a panacea and does not cure everything. It is one of major hypnosis myths that has to be done away with.

Hypnosis uses the power of our own mind to straighten out many of our personal problems. It can affect permanent cures in many areas of our life and should be used to our advantage.

Hypnosis Myths 5

Only weak-minded people can be hypnotized.

Absolutely false. In fact, if a person is really very weak-minded, then his ability to concentrate is also very low and it is very difficult to hypnotize such a person.

Ignorance and superstition are our greatest enemies. Hypnosis has been denigrated for long by these two factors. Let us make positive use of hypnosis and change our lives for the better. Hope this article has exploded most of the hypnosis myths that you may have held.