Understanding Hypnosis

Jhon H. Whitaker, C.H.t

reprinted from Health 2000

    Let us begin by discussing what hypnosis is not!  It is not witchcraft or magic, it is not sleep or in any way being out of control.  Nor is it accepting ideas against your will, although Hollywood would have us believe that is so. Additionally, stage hypnosis is strictly entertainment.  Hypnosis is therapy and requires a college degree and a Texas mental health license such as psychologist, social worker, family counselor or even a nurse.

    Hypnosis is defined as any state of absorption in which the attention can be concentrated on a single thought or idea.  It works best on behavioral changes like eating disorders, smoking cessation, phobias, and stresses from overwork and lifestyle changes.  Although the word hypnosis comes from the Greek word hypnos, meaning sleep, people who are hypnotized are not asleep; they are in trance.  Hypnotherapists possess no special gift or mysterious power.  A hypnotist is simply a person who has been trained and can access the 90% of our brain that lives in the subconscious mind.

    Hypnosis is not an alternative to seeking proper medical care, it is complimentary therapy, and should be used in partnership with traditional medicine.  A physicianís training and diagnosis of a problem can not be replaced by that of a hypnotherapist or counselor. 

    Although hypnosis has recently been in the news and on television, that doesn't mean it's new.  Sigmund Freud, the father of psychiatry, was the first to say that hypnosis was a shortcut and that is still true today.  It has been used by physicians, psychiatrists, psychologists, social workers, counselors and therapists of all types for at least a century.  It was accepted by the American Medical Association in 1958 to help people reach their goals with psychosomatic or emotional issues.

    Intelligence is required for hypnosis to occur.  In fact the more intelligent you are, the easier it is for you to experience a trance state.  Since we normally enter into the trance state several times a day, it is familiar and comfortable to us. 

    Hypnosis will work for you if you want it to.  It is the people who come in and say 'I want it to work' who are 100% successful.  Some common complaints are 'I have to quite smoking', or 'I have to lose weight'.  Some people have a fear of flying, others have too much stress or suffer from insomnia.  What I find when someone comes in and says "I must do..." or "I have to do...", is that they are not ready for change. When something is forced upon you it becomes negative.  When you choose to make it your own responsibility, it becomes positive.  This is where hypnosis can best be utilized as a shortcut. 

    While hypnosis can have very quick and long term behavioral changes, it is by no means a "one shot treatment".  On occasion, many people do get benefits from a single session, but trust your therapist's judgment and follow whatever programs they feel you need to accomplish your goals.  Group hypnosis helps less than 40% of the clients.  For the highest degree of effectiveness you need personalized therapy.  Hopefully, your therapist will record your personalized session for reinforcement.  Do not feel comfortable with a therapist who hands you a prerecorded tape.