The Truth - the whole truth and nothing but ... 

Some people condemn or say NO to hypnosis just because they do not KNOW enough about it. Read some of the truths and misconceptions about hypnosis below. 

Truth or Fiction:

Hypnosis is caused by the power of the hypnotist  --  False

The hypnotist may use his or her communication and rapport building skills, making it more likely that the subject will accept guidance through a suggested experience, but only to the degree that the subject permits it. Amazing things may occur during hypnosis, however this is, again, due to the willingness of the subject. It is clearly a relationship of mutual responsiveness and trust.

The fact is, that when you are ‘under hypnosis’ you are NOT under the control of the hypnotist nor or you asleep or unconscious at any time!

You retain your own free will and moral code - you can NOT be made to do anything that is alien to your sense of decency or truth. The people who perform on stage hypnosis shows are quite willing to do what is required of them otherwise, they simply would not be on the stage! 

Only certain kinds of people can be hypnotized on stage:  True

Only those willing to go into Hypnosis will go into hypnosis. In practice, there are definitely some people more difficult to induce hypnosis in than others, but this does not mean they are less capable of being hypnotized. It merely indicates their resistance for one of many possible reasons, (e.g., fear of losing control, difficulty in distinguishing internal states such as relaxation or tension, negative situational factors, fear of change, etc.) Once the nature of the resistance is identified and resolved, the subject becomes able to experience hypnosis satisfactorily. The true fact is everyone from time to time experiences hypnosis.

Once one has become hypnotized, one can no longer resist it and surrenders their personal will:    False

This is, of course, NOT true. If a subject chooses not to go into hypnosis, for whatever reason, then he or she will not. Just because someone says, "I do not want to be hypnotized - does not necessary mean that they do not want to experience the hypnotic experience, they could be saying consciously, NO NOT FOR ME but subconsciously they really want to give it a try to satisfy their curiosity. Prior experience with hypnosis, good or bad, is not the sole determining factor of whether hypnosis is accomplished or not. Even the most responsive subjects can refuse to follow the suggestion of a hypnotist if they choose to. Many will simply just refuse the suggestion or they will simply choose to come out of the hypnosis experience. 

Is it Mind Control or connected to dark evil powers- - FALSE

Not at all. People only respond to the suggestion given in this state of extreme ability to focus called hypnosis and only if they choose to. In MIND CONTROL the person has no choice but to accept the information being given. In Hypnosis they are in absolute control. No one can make anyone do anything that they do not want to do. You can not alter anyone's belief system unless they choose to accept the suggestion and have a desire to do so.. 

Dr. H ad's:  Here is an example in my own life.  When someone told me about Jesus Christ and how that he died for my sin debt so that I could have a real one on one relationship with God the Father our creator and that through God's Son, (Jesus the Christ,) this was possible. 

They did not brain wash me to believe this truth by forcing this truth in me, I accepted the info as absolute fact and absolute truth because I chose to accept it as truth and absolute fact. My choice, no one made it for me. No one brain washed me to make me believe this info. 

The dictionary describes brainwashing as:

Our hypnosis show does not force anyone to believe anything. Our goal is to entertain, we do not use brainwashing techniques. We do not brainwash or altar anyone at anytime. We simply act as a guide in the show and the people who choose to perform they do so by accepting the suggestion and using their imagination to act it out. Nothing taboo about it at all. Just like being in a High School play and the director says, Show me a sad or happy face, everyone responds because they chose to and we see the results. This is exactly what is being done on the stage in our hypnosis shows. In hypnosis you are very focused, not asleep. 

See Diagram to explain the difference in your ability to focus using your conscious mind and then using your subconscious mind.

As you can see, you are merely more focused with less distractions than when you are using your conscious mind. This is exactly what a foot ball coach does with his team during half time. He simply gets them to focus more intently on the game than on the crowd. Simply a form of hypnosis. We use it everyday in our schools, churches, jobs, watching TV, etc..

The only power used is the persons own power of the mind to focus and to use their own God given imagination.

Any time you tell someone that their life can be better, and they accept that is absolute fact, then you are using hypnosis. The person simply chooses to remove the old thought pattern and replace with a new thought pattern. Going from, It can't get better to it is going to get better.

One can be hypnotized to say or do something against one's will or engage in anti-social behavior:    False

Since the subject retains ultimate control of his or her self, it is not possible to hypnotize someone to do something against their will - but it is possible to suggest to them that they change their will. 

For example, if the subject does not already have anti-social behavior traits, it is not possible to induce anti-social behavior in hypnosis. It is true that brainwashing and other untoward influences exist. However, the conditions necessary to effect such a powerful influence do not typically surface in the therapeutic context, nor are those conditions in and of themselves hypnosis, and they are quite far removed from the ethical and sensitive applications of hypnosis promoted in hypnotherapy practices today.

One can become "stuck" in hypnosis or might not "wake up" from hypnosis:    False

Hypnosis is a state of focused attention, either inwardly or outwardly directed. The subject can initiate or terminate the experience any time he or she chooses and is in complete control.

One must be relaxed in order to be in hypnosis:    False

Since hypnosis is a state of concentrated attention, you can be anxious, even in deep suspense, and still be focused. Although desirable, physical relaxation is not a necessary prerequisite for hypnosis to occur.

One is asleep or unconscious when in hypnosis:    False

Hypnosis is not sleep! Although physically there is decreased activity, muscle relaxation, slowed breathing, etc., the subject is relaxed yet alert mentally, with a level of awareness of what is going on around them. Even in deep hypnosis the subject is aware of external reality to some degree. Many go into hypnosis even with their eyes open.

Hypnosis may be used to accurately recall everything that has ever happened to you:    False

The mind does not simply take in experience and store it in exact form for accurate recall later. In fact, memories are stored on the basis of perceptions; therefore, and are subject to many of the same distortions as perceptions. People can remember things that did NOT actually happen, they can remember selected fragments of an experience, and they can take bits and pieces of multiple memories and combine them into one false memory. Example: a person sees a magician levitate 2 INCHES off of the ground, but later recalls that memory and tells the story to others that the same magician levitated 2 FEET off of the ground. The imagination is a very creative process and can even spoof the mind and belief system to change the true facts.

Hypnotized persons will tell secrets or will always tell the truth:    False

Hypnosis will not compel a person to tell secrets nor share any other information if they don't want to. Persons under hypnosis can lie purposefully or recall information in a distorted manner as noted above.

Hypnosis is a satanic practice:    False

Hypnosis and trance are perfectly natural occurrences and are neither good nor bad in and of themselves.

Hypnosis will not work on highly intelligent persons:  False

Innate characteristics of people such as intelligence or lack of, does not have any effect on the hypnotizability of a person. Persons can resist being hypnotized on demand either actively or passively regardless of their intellectual capacity.

Stage hypnosis has a good effect on people who participate in the show:  TRUE

Thirty minutes under stage hypnosis is equal to 3 to 8 hours of very restful sleep - depending on the persons response to the hypnosis experience.

Stage hypnosis - - - - is probably one of the most controversial ways hypnosis is used.  If you have ever been to a stage show you would be forgiven for thinking that the volunteers were “under the power” of the hypnotist - that they were not in control - and that they were being made to look foolish and do ridiculous things against what we call "their will".  

"Of course, ethical stage hypnotists never embarrass their subjects" and will always refer to them as the Stars of the show.

The fact that hypnosis is used in this way as entertainment, and that people do enact the fantasies suggested by the hypnotist is not disputed, but the idea that they are controlled or coerced in some supernatural way is complete nonsense.

FACT: They were on stage because they wanted to be on stage and nobody forced them - they volunteered. They probably enjoyed acting silly to make people laugh. People love to be the center of attention.

The fact is, that when you are. as many suggest, ‘under hypnosis’ you are NOT under the control of the hypnotist any more than an actor on a stage is under the control of a director who directs a play!

I REPEAT AGAIN: You retain your own free will and moral code - you can NOT be made to do anything that is alien to your sense of decency or truth. The people who perform on stage hypnosis shows are quite willing to do what is required of them, otherwise, they simply would not! They came up to have fun and fun is what they get. (Some of us do this quite well without hypnosis!)

Bearing in mind that the majority of people who volunteer for this are generally extrovert by nature, it might be argued that in a different environment with a few glasses of good wine and some prompting, the outcome would probably be similar.

All in fun, but what has this got to do with clinical hypnosis or Hypnotherapy?

One argument is: "It’s difficult to see how imitating Elvis Presley, building imaginary sand castles or seeing the audience in their undergarments through an imaginary pair of X Ray spectacles, and other such indignities, is going to inspire confidence in anyone who is considering Hypnosis as a viable form of treatment for their panic attacks, depression, insomnia, emotional difficulties, etc.  

The Fact is that many who come to the stage show very quickly become convinced that if it worked on stage that it could work for them too. Many who would have never gone to a Hypnotherapist wind up seeking such services because of their positive experience they had.

Bottom line - stage hypnosis is all in fun and everyone has fun either being part of the show or watching it. If the show is done in good taste and if everyone is treated with respect, then everyone will have a blast.

Dr. H

( see also the F.A.Q page)