Mythical Beliefs about Hypnosis

Along with Some Truths

Mark Briggs, LCSW, CHt, Editor*

Clinical hypnotism is a rapid-change technique which has gained much more credibility in the last 50 to 70 years. This has occurred as a result of increasing public respect, because of friends telling friends about beneficial (and sometimes miraculous) benefits they have achieved in many areas.  These include-but are not limited to–weight-loss, smoking cessation, stress, anxiety disorders, phobias, depression, medical conditions, self-esteem, childbirth, fertility.  Also, new protocols have been developed through academic research and creative application of the principles of the craft.  And academic studies of its efficacy have impressed physicians, nurses, physician’s assistants, other medical professionals, psychotherapists, and others in the healing arts who refer clients to hypnotists.

But many people still hold misconceptions about the powers and limitations of this wonderful treatment method. This article presents clarifications of some of the most popular myths about hypnotism.

Myth 1

Loss of consciousness.

One of the major misconceptions about hypnosis is that the hypnotized person will lose conscious awareness.  In hypnosis the subject does not lose awareness or fall asleep.  Part of this misconception is based on the name hypnosis which was first used by physician James Braid, after Hypnos, the Greek god of sleep.  The name stuck, and so we hypnotists are stuck with describing what we do as hypnosis, despite its total dissimilarity with sleep.  Hypnosis more closely approximates normal waking consciousness than it does sleep, although, when a person is hypnotized, suggestions are often used which induce a drowsy lethargic state.

In the state of hypnosis a client is alert and aware of all that’s going on around him/her.  Studies employing the electroencephalogram (EEG) were initiated as early as the 1950’s by Aserinsky and Kleitman.  These researchers sought a physiological connection, as defined by EEG criteria, between hypnosis and sleep.  No distinct brain psychophysiology has yet been identified indicating that the EEG of a hypnotized person is distinguishable from that of a person who is relaxed and alert with eyes closed.  Moreover, a deeply sleeping individual will not hear if spoken to, unless roughly awakened by shaking.  Yet a person in hypnosis though seemingly oblivious, will (with a few exceptions) hear and respond to the hypnotist’s speaking.  In a state of hypnosis a person is capable of thinking and reasoning, which doesn’t occur in sleep.

Myth 2

Hypnotized people do crazy things.

This can be said of people whether they are in a hypnotic trance or in a normal waking state.  Just look at the daily news!  But if you have ever witnessed a stage hypnosis show, you can see how people could get the impression that people do odd things in a hypnotic state and that the hypnotist’s commands are followed without question.  Hypnotists who consult with the public to help them with their everyday issues tell the concerned client that stage hypnotists are entertainers.  To achieve an entertaining show, the hypnotist must invoke in his or her volunteer subjects outrageous and comical behavior.  People only go into hypnosis if they want to, and they only accept the suggestions they wish to accept.  So, often in a stage hypnosis show, volunteers refuse the suggestions given to them, and they are then usually sent off the stage and back to their seats.

Hypnotism in an office setting is used for serious, rapid-change purposes, and so suggestions won’t be made for the subject to engage in any absurdities, as in stage shows.  If one were asked to do so, s/he would emerge from hypnosis and most likely leave the office and consult another hypnotist.  Also, not everything you see at a stage “hypnosis” show is hypnosis.  The entertainers employ many different maneuvers in order to manipulate the volunteers into doing the silly and outlandish behaviors which the audience paid to see.

Myth 3

Surrender of the will or loss of control.

If hypnotists could get their subjects to do their will, hypnotism would be one of the most legislated professions on earth!  Control by the hypnotist is a common misconception portrayed in grade B movies, where the hypnotist character uses his power to accomplish evil purposes such as seducing the beautiful young woman. While some might find this entertaining, the truth is far more mundane:  All hypnotism is really self-hypnosis.  The subject takes in each suggestion and, if acceptable, gives it back to himself or herself. This means that hypnosis is a consensual state and a collaboration between the subject and the hypnotist. If a subject does not want to enter hypnosis or accept the suggestions being given, s/he will not.

Hypnotism is a profession which usually draws kind-hearted, well-meaning, spiritual, ethical, and altruistic people. Also, successful hypnotists usually subscribe to a code of ethics. For instance, the National Guild of Hypnotists, the largest society of professional hypnotists in the world, mandates all of its members to subscribe to its ethical canons.  These canons require hypnotists to place the client first in all matters. NGH-certified hypnotists jealously guard their reputations and their right to belong to the Guild.

Myth 4

Revelation of secrets and hypnosis as truth serum or lie detector.

These misconceptions again comes from the old movie image of hypnosis where the all-powerful hypnotist mesmerizes a hapless victim to involuntarily reveal a secret formula or other sensitive information.  Hypnosis is often believed, by those who have not experienced this beneficial state, to be a truth serum.  When in a state of hypnosis, a client will not reveal or discuss anything that s/he would not disclose in a normal waking state.  However, hypnosis is a powerful modality in helping people to uncover secrets they have from themselves.  In hypnotic regression, it is often possible to recover forgotten information which can be useful in helping people to solve problems they’ve been unable to fix through other methods, including psychotherapy.

People often call hypnotists to be get themselves or others hypnotized in order to reveal some sought-after truth or to prove innocence.  Most often it involves a romantic relationship, and there’s a suspicion of infidelity.  The caller wants to use hypnosis to determine the truth about the other’s sexual behavior, or to prove his or her own fidelity.  Because all hypnosis is really self-hypnosis and because the state of hypnosis usually feels no deeper than being immersed in a task or a good book, then, of course, people can lie while in the hypnotic state!  If your mate wants to prove his or her innocence, s/he should consent to a lie detector test.

Myth 5

Getting stuck in hypnosis.

Often the prospective subject will ask, “What happens if you cannot get me out of hypnosis?  What if you have a heart attack while I’m hypnotized?”  The answer, “Open your eyes and get me help!”  There is no danger of the subject not being revived from hypnosis.  Because the subject holds the control, there is no difficulty in terminating the hypnotic state,

Except in rare circumstances when the subject is having such a pleasant experience, that s/he chooses not to emerge for awhile longer.

Often treatment is hastened when clients listen to recorded hypnosis programs or do self-hypnosis at home. At the end of the hypnosis sessions, they either bring themselves out of hypnosis or fall asleep.

On rare occasions the suggestions to terminate hypnosis will be ignored.  There are two possible reasons for this:

1)    The subject has lapsed into a natural sleep, in which case the hypnotist will have lost communication and rapport, or

2)    The hypnotic state may be so pleasurable that the subject does not wish to emerge and will ignore back-to-awareness suggestions.  This of course disproves the notion that the hypnotist has any control over the subject.

If there is no response to the reviving suggestions, there is no cause for alarm.  An experienced hypnotist would have no problem handling this situation, which rarely occurs.

Myth 6A

Weakmindedness.

A common misconception is that only the weak-willed or feebleminded can be hypnotized.  Contrary to this belief, intelligence and strong-mindedness are useful qualities in hypnotizability.  Going into a state of hypnosis requires the ability to abstract and to imagine.  The lower in intelligence people are, the more concrete and less imaginative their thinking.  It’s difficult or impossible to hypnotize people with IQs below 75.

Myth 6B

Hypnosis weakens the will.

The client’s will is not eroded in any way.  S/he is always in control and cannot be made to do anything against his or her will.  It should be emphasized that hypnosis is a collaborative process in which the subject always has free will!
Because all hypnosis is really self-hypnosis, the clients actually give every suggestion back to themselves.  The hypnotist has no power over you at all and cannot make you do anything against your will. All the hypnotist does is guide you into a hypnotic state and help you access strengths you already have.  It’s very much like The Wizard of Oz:  The lion already had the courage!

Clients often seek the help of the hypnotist because they have not been able to direct their own wills to think, feel or behave in the ways they want. For instance, food addicts and nicotine addicts have been able to use hypnosis in order to escape the miseries brought on by their inability to control their behaviors. They report that hypnosis increased their willpower.  Hypnosis strengthens the will; it does not weaken it!

Myth 6C

Hypnosis against your will.

A person cannot be hypnotized against his or her will.  Hypnosis is not a clash of wills, but rather a collaborative process in which client and hypnotist work together in order to achieve the result the client wishes.  The client agrees to cooperate with the hypnotist, and the hypnotist agrees to respect the client and use his or her best professional skills to bring about the change that the client (sometimes desperately) wants.

Myth 6D

Repeated inductions will weaken the mind.

Repetitive hypnotic induction does not weaken the mind.  In university studies thousands of students have been hypnotized hundreds of times without harm.  And repeatedly going into the deep relaxation of hypnosis or meditation remarkably increases synaptic connections and builds the brain in remarkable ways that have been clearly shown through modern imagery techniques.  Hypnosis strengthens the mind!  The chief reason that people consult professional hypnotists is to gain power over forces within them that they haven’t been able to control on their own.

Myth 6E

When hypnotized, you are in a trance and have no control.
It can truly be said that all of life is hypnosis. “Trance” is a normal state. People see hypnotists because they are unwittingly in unwelcome trances. For instance, they may unconsciously believe that they cannot survive without cigarettes, alcohol, drugs, or extra food. Or they may believe that they are imperiled by normal things such as thunder storms, mice, or certain insects, or even having a conversation with a stranger. Or they may believe that life is not worth living, or that they themselves are worthless, and so death seems attractive. If these are not trance states, then there is no trance! Hypnosis gives you control; it does not take it away!

In hypnosis, you are usually awake and aware of what is happening. Hypnosis is like a daydream state. You are awake and aware, but are very relaxed, with your attention focused on a specific thought or image. Also, you always have control. If the hypnotist told you to rob a bank, you would just say, “No” and open your eyes.  Of course, if you really wanted to rob a bank anyway, then you might follow the suggestion to do so. The point is that it is you, not the hypnotist, who makes hypnosis work or not work. Hypnosis helps you to think, feel, and behave the way you want to.

Myth 6F

Hypnosis opens the subject to vulnerability to the Devil or dark forces. 

This is a belief of a small minority (less than 1%) of Christians. Weirdly, many of these same people believe in meditation as a deeper way of knowing God.  Meditation and hypnosis involve the same brainwave states of relaxation!  Not only are hypnosis and meditation not dangerous, but hundreds of studies have showed that the deep state of relaxation achieved in both meditation and hypnosis are highly associated with mental, emotional, physical, and spiritual health and cause very positive, measurable physical brain improvements over time.

Myth 7

Hypnosis is habit-forming.

While hypnosis is a very pleasant state to be in, there is no possibility of becoming physically addicted, nor can it be habit-forming the way food, drugs alcohol and certain behaviors (eg, gambling, shopping, sex, and hoarding) can sometimes be.  One can be hypnotized many times, but there is no risk to the client that this will become addictive.

Myth 8

If you heard the hypnotist, you were not hypnotized.

This misconception has probably come about due to a common belief which equates the state of hypnosis with sleep or being drugged.  And bad movies have fueled the myth.  Clinical hypnosis is usually experienced as a state of deep relaxation and one-pointed attention. It is very much like being focused on a task or being gripped by a television show or a movie. Of course you hear the movie or the TV show!

While in hypnosis the level of awareness of your surroundings may shift to some degree, but you will still be conscious of the hypnotist or his/her voice.  The better you are able to immerse yourself in your inner world experiences, the less you’ll be aware of your surroundings in the way that you are accustomed to.  That’s why we call hypnosis an altered state of consciousness. In this altered reality, your awareness of the hypnotist may change, but you will still be cognizant of the hypnotist’s talking.

Myth 9

Hypnotism should only be practiced by physicians or psychotherapists.

There is a belief held by a minority of licensed healthcare providers that hypnotism should only be practiced by medical or psychological professionals.  While, of course, these professionals have much to offer, there are many issues which do not require them.  And hypnosis can help people accomplish results that other helping professionals cannot, such as controlling food or nicotine, or uncovering repressed memories and motivations.   Or hypnosis may accomplish the same objective much, much faster.

The editor (a licensed psychotherapist) notes that medical and psychological professionals who use hypnotism usually employ it occasionally as one of many treatments in their therapeutic armamentarium. The body of knowledge in the field of hypnotism is prodigious-and growing-and developing a healthy competence in it requires years of full-time practice.  Dedicated hypnotism professionals immerse themselves in the mastery of the craft, and are therefore usually much better at it than the licensed professionals. Of course, there are psychiatrists, clinical social workers, psychologists, and other licensed mental health professionals who have specialized in hypnosis and have therefore achieved excellence in the field.

Myth 10

Many people cannot be hypnotized.
Most people can be hypnotized. However, some people with certain mental or neurological conditions cannot be hypnotized. Also some or very concrete in their thinking may not be hypnotizable.  And about one percent of the population cannot be hypnotized for reasons that are not known.  Some people are more receptive to hypnosis than others, but most people can be hypnotized, if they want to be.

The editor believes that some few people should not be hypnotized, such as those with psychotic illnesses or with extremely strange beliefs.

Myth 11

Hypnotism can cure anything or solve any personal problem.
No, hypnotism is not a cure-all. It’s very powerful and can fix or alleviate a great many physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual ailments. At times hypnotism can produce what seems to be miracles. But it is not the answer for everything. Hypnosis is a strong, natural tool that most of us have available to us to tap into an amazing resource within to help improve our lives in a great many ways.  If you have questions about whether hypnotism can help you with your problem, talk to a competent, insured professional hypnotist who belongs to a reputable organization of hypnotists, such as the National Guild of Hypnotists.  The NGH at ngh.net can refer you to one. Or contact us at this website.

Myth 12

Hypnosis is dangerous.
Hypnosis is practiced by millions of people daily around the globe without any harm. Hypnosis has come and gone several times in the last 6,000 years.  This time around, with the collective worldwide experience of over 100 years, and with more scientific study of hypnosis than ever in history, it can be safely reported that one is more likely to win a super lottery then to be harmed by hypnosis. People are harmed regularly by their fellows through non-hypnotic methods, such as lying, manipulation, betrayal, treachery, sarcasm, verbal abuse, and many others.  It’s conceivable that an unscrupulous person could use these methods while a person is hypnotized. But the hypnosis would not facilitate the perpetration in any way.

And most professional hypnotists belong to professional hypnotism organizations which have strong ethical canons. The editor suggests that you work with hypnotists who belong to large, well-known organizations of professional hypnotists, all of which have codes of ethics for their members. The largest organization of professional hypnotists in the world is the National Guild of Hypnotists.  The NGH holds its members to high standards of preparation, ongoing professional education, and ethical behavior.  Well-trained hypnotism professionals will not accept as clients those very few persons, such as psychotics and some fringe people who think in antisocial or irresponsible ways, who might somehow misinterpret hypnotic suggestions.

The editor also suggests that you make sure that the hypnotist is covered by malpractice insurance, because insurance companies very carefully check out the professional credentials and records of those they insure.

Myth 13

Deep hypnosis is necessary for good results.
Not necessarily.  Any level of hypnosis from light to deep can bring good results, although certain procedures do require sufficient depth in order to work.

Remember, you’re already in a trance.  Proofs of this assertion are your hangups, issues, anxieties, and many of your limitations, fantasies, and unprovable assumptions.

Mark Briggs is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, a psychotherapist, a writer, a Certified Hypnotherapist, and an advisor to Alternative Hypnosis in East Syracuse, which is the oldest hypnosis clinic in Central New York.

*This article includes ideas from Joshua Kirnie, Sean Brookhouse, Karen Schwarz, William Kroeger, the editor himself, and many others.