What Is Hypnotherapy?
There’s no universally accepted definition for hypnosis. This is because it’s so difficult to uncover what is happening during hypnosis. To understand exactly what it is and how it works, we need to discover how the human mind works. Due to the immense power and complexity of the human mind, this is practically impossible.
Psychiatrists understand the general characteristics of hypnosis, and have some models of how it works.
It’s commonly accepted that hypnosis is a trance state that is characterised by greater suggestibility, relaxation and increased imagination. It’s a natural state of mind, like daydreaming. You’re fully conscious, but can be consciously unaware of stimuli around you. This is like when you’re deeply absorbed in a book or film. You may not hear someone talking because you have ‘blocked it out’.
Another problems when explaining what is hypnosis is that everyone’s experience of hypnosis is unique. No two experiences are exactly the same.
However modern technology is beginning to allow us to take a deeper look at what is actually happening to your brain whilst in hypnosis.
The University of Geneva published a study in the journal ‘Neuron’, using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). They noted differences in the activity of the brain when a subject was in a hypnotic trance. The researchers used fMRI to scan brains of 12 people who were tested on hand movement before and after being hypnotized for left hand paralysis.
Despite the paralysis, neurons in the motor cortex region were still firing in preparation for the task. However the cortex appeared to be ignoring parts of the brain that normally communicates for controlling movement.
This suggests that hypnosis does not inhibit the motor cortex and directly stop the hand from moving. It seems that hypnotic suggestions allow the individual to choose to have left arm paralysis. This makes sense from my observations of being a clinical hypnotherapist for many years.
It’s commonly accepted that a hypnotherapist cannot MAKE a subject change. They can only facilitate it. For example a clinical hypnotherapist could do a good job helping someone quit smoking. However the subject may choose to ignore the suggestions and immediately light up. They can take the attitude “I’ll show them I can still smoke…see it doesn’t work”.
This runs counter to popular myths of hypnosis. Many people believe that the hypnotherapist “controls” the patient. But this isn’t true.
If an emergency breaks out whilst a subject is in hypnosis, they can easily snap out of it, and deal with it appropriately. You cannot be ‘stuck’ in a hypnotic trance, despite what the media sometimes suggests.
A hypnotic trance is like meditation. Your eyes are closed and you feel deeply and pleasantly relaxed. You can move your fingers, toes, or whatever you want, whenever you want. Most people experiencing hypnosis for the first time usually try this just to make sure. I know I did. And I remember being surprised I could move my fingers!
Millions of people around the world have experienced success with hypnotherapy.
There’s no loss of control, just deep relaxation, like a daydream. And just like a daydream, time passes a little differently. What can seem like a few minutes, may be an hour. Its the same feeling of time distortion as when you’re deeply engrossed in a movie. You may suddenly realise you’ve been watching it for 2 hours, when it seems like 20 minutes!
Once in trance, the hypnotherapist gives you agreed suggestions that are beneficial to you. Your subconscious mind is more able to absorb these suggestions and act on them in the future. Hypnotherapy is a means of communicating with your subconscious mind. This is the part of your mind that’s responsible for your automatic habits and urges. Once your subconscious mind is communicated with, there’s usually permanent change.
At the end of a hypnosis session, when you open your eyes, you realise how deeply relaxed you were. The world may seem a little surreal for a minute or two. You kind of remember what was said, but it can easily slip from your mind because you were so relaxed. It’s fine if you don’t consciously follow what was being said – your subconscious mind still absorbs it.
Hypnosis helps you make changes to your subconscious thinking. But ultimately it’s up to you to choose whether to accept these changes, or whether to resist them. Modern technology is beginning to help us uncover what hypnosis is and how it works. A stronger scientific foundation for hypnotherapy will help people realise what a powerful and effective form of therapy it really is, and dispel some of the myths. The best way to really understand what hypnosis is, is to try it for yourself. Then you can be sure what it feels like, and what it helps you achieve.
