What is Hypnosis?
Most of us have heard of it, some of us have seen it done, yet few of us have actually been hypnotised in person. What is hypnosis? The information we get about it is often unclear and the type of hypnosis we see on television used as entertainment is quite different to that used in therapy.
Almost every town and city in the UK will have several qualified and trained hypnotists or hypnotherapists and this method can be used to treat a huge range of conditions, from a fear of birds to losing weight or from extending concentration span to improving libido. If it’s a psychological problem or a physical problem caused by a certain thought process then there’s a good chance it can be treated or even cured by hypnosis.
A very common misconception of hypnotherapy is that whilst hypnotised the patient is asleep or in a state of unconsciousness. Conversely, clinical studies have shown that hypnotism induces a state of altered consciousness, where the individual is fully awake and in some circumstances actually more alert. This also means that hypnosis doesn’t require the individual to be in a certain state of relaxation either, although many hypnotists and hypnotism courses use methods to relax (breathing techniques and progressive muscle relaxation) to help the individual feel calmer and more positive about the experience.
So what exactly IS hypnosis? Hypnosis is, quite simply a certain mental state induced by a specific procedure. This mental state is fully conscious, but it causes the individual to focus fully and exclusively on just one issue, ‘blocking out’ all other thought processes and attitudes unless they are introduced by the hypnotist or the individual themselves if they are using self hypnotherapy.
This is what hypnosis is, but why does it work? Hypnosis is mainly used to deal with a problem or group of problems on their own, without any confounding external thoughts or attitudes ‘interrupting’. By giving the individual the chance to focus on that problem alone they can give it their full attention and gain a very rational perspective upon it. During a hypnotherapy session an individual will often be asked to think of a goal or phrase to repeat to themselves such as ‘I fully accept that I have this problem, I understand it and I do not resent it’. Then in subsequent sessions this phrase might change to being ‘although my problem is part of me, it isn’t necessary and I am willing to let it go’ and because these phrases are repeated during a state of hypnosis the individual is incredibly open to suggestion and will wholly believe them to be true. Phobias, anxieties and a range of other problems are often caused by ‘faulty’ irrational thoughts, so being able to eradicate these during hypnosis is incredibly useful and as records show, very successful.
Think of hypnosis as a form of deep concentration where the individual is highly open to suggestion and can gain a completely rational view on their problems or change their behaviour. It’s a method used worldwide and one which is becoming more and more mainstream as the years pass.