10 Facts about Hypnosis and Hypnotherapy

You stay completely awake during hypnosis:
Contrary to popular belief, hypnosis is a natural state of mind.  It's not a form of sleep.  You’ll be able to hear, comprehend and later remember (unless it’s helpful to have a suggestion to forget certain aspects).

The average person experiences hypnosis at least twice a day:
Common examples include arriving at your destination without memory of driving there; zoning out while reading a page of a book; or becoming so engrossed in the TV that time just evaporates.

Hypnosis has been recognised since the 18th century:
Franz Mesmer is credited with bringing hypnosis to the attention of the public sometime around 1770. It's where we get the term "mesmerised".
 
Hypnosis can be used as an anaesthetic:
Hypnosis can be used for pain management.  This can be done by removing the emotional experience of pain whilst still allowing the sensory sensation.  It can be beneficial in treating chronic conditions and many women use it during childbirth.

Stage hypnosis and clinical hypnosis are very different:
Although the methods used to induce the trance are similar, that is where it ends.

Hypnosis has a wide range of applications:
These include getting over fears and phobias, weight loss, negative memories, insomnia, and quiting smoking to name a few.

Hypnosis only brings about memory loss if that is an intended goal:
Hypnosis is all about suggestion. If the purpose of undergoing hypnotherapy is to forget negative memories, that can be achieved. Forgetting memories is only likely to happen if that’s the goal, and even those memories can be brought back with further suggestion.
 
Your brain works differently while in a hypnotised state:
Hypnosis allows the brain to bypass the conscious part of the mind.  It ‘turns off’ the desire to ask questions or take note of surroundings.  Instead, the brain gains hyperawareness, a state of being in control of your surroundings without consciously thinking about it.

Hypnosis feels different to different people:
People who have undergone hypnosis report different feelings whilst “under”. Some describe their experience like falling asleep with the TV on, while others report feeling heavy. Others use words like “light” or “floating”. Since we all internalise experiences differently, it makes sense that the feeling of hypnosis is different for each person.
 
You can hypnotise yourself:
Ultimately all hypnosis is self-hypnosis.  For example, if I were to tell you to close your eyes, it’s not actually me that closes your eyes, it is you.  You choose to follow the suggestions.  Take that a little further, if you learn the key elements of a successful hypnosis session then you can create your own session. You’ll no longer be limited to relying on paying a hypnotist, the world opens up to you with self-hypnosis.

What else would you like to know? Let me know!