Myths about hypnosis

Hypnosis is nothing magical or supernatural.

• Myth No. 1 – Hypnotists have special powers

  It is a myth that was created on the basis of Hollywood films, circus performances and stage hypnosis, intended mainly for the entertainment of the audience. It is the stage hypnotists, who are generally self-taught laymen and magicians, who exploit this myth (and thus reinforce it) to create a feeling of "supernatural power".

  In medical hypnosis, experienced and professionally trained therapists create circumstances in which clients can more easily develop hypnosis and thereby find solutions to their problems.

  It is important, however, to use the hypnotic state as correctly as possible for the help that the client needs.
  Unfortunately, recently there have been many lay hypnotists-hypnotherapists in Slovenia who, in addition to lacking medical, psychological and psychotherapeutic prior knowledge, also lack ethics.

• Myth no. 2 – Hypnosis only works on a certain type of people

  That's not true. It is true that hypnosis is more useful for some, but it mostly depends on the will, motivation and ability to concentrate. Everyone is suggestible to a certain extent, the more we are interested in something, the more we want something, the more open we are to receiving only that. It's the same with hypnosis. If you want it to work and accept it, you will also be able to accept its positive effects.

• Myth no. 3 – People who allow themselves to be hypnotized are weak-minded

  In fact, it's the other way around.

  Those who have great powers of concentration and imagination are more susceptible to hypnosis. They go into hypnosis more easily and stay in it for longer. So we are all susceptible to hypnosis, but the question is to what extent.

  Hypnosis is a natural ability to respond to new ideas. We all have this ability. Hypnosis is also not something that the hypnotist "does" to the client, but a state that the client develops within himself.
  The hypnotist creates the circumstances for this to happen more easily.

• Myth no. 4 – When we are in hypnosis, something can happen against our will

  That's not true. People cannot and will not do anything against their will or against their values. It is also not possible to hypnotize people if they do not want it or they don't want to. Research shows that what you wouldn't do in a waking state, you wouldn't do in hypnosis either. The hypnotherapist can only influence the client as much as he/she wants and allows. Hypnosis is dominated by your moral, religious, ethical and other principles!

• Myth no. 5 – Hypnosis can harm your health

  That's not true.

  Medical hypnosis is scientifically recognized. It is backed by a lot of evidence-based research. It is recognized as a treatment method by medical organizations around the world and in Slovenia.

  It can be safely used for a wide range of medical ailments if the therapy is administered by a trained (not lay) therapist.

  However, it is not suitable for people with heart disease, epilepsy, severe asthma and psychosis.

• Myth no. 6 - If I am hypnotized, I may not "wake up" from hypnosis

  It's true! You cannot wake up from hypnosis, because hypnosis is not sleep 🙂 A person in hypnosis may really look like he is sleeping, but he is aware and hears everything that is happening around him. No one ever gets "stuck" in hypnosis. If the "hypnotist" stops talking, the person will come back on their own. If there is any danger or necessity to "wake up" from hypnosis, it is enough for the person to simply open their eyes, stretch or start talking. Everyone can experience hypnosis differently, and the worst thing that can happen is falling asleep, from which you wake up after 5-10 minutes in a natural way. Some people even use hypnosis as a "bridge" to sleep.

• Myth no. 7 – In hypnosis, we sleep, or we are unconscious

  Hypnosis comes from the word Hypnos, the name of the Greek god of sleep, and a person who is in a hypnotic trance really resembles a state of sleep, but in fact is in a very awake, particularly focused state. In hypnosis, we are not asleep and not unconscious, but aware of everything events around us. Hypnosis and sleep are completely different states. Sometimes we fall asleep in between, which is not a problem, hypnotherapy still works.

• Myth no. 8 - Hypnosis is dangerous and the devil's work

  Therapeutic hypnosis is far from mystical. Hypnotic trance is actually a very natural state in which each of us finds ourselves at least a few times a day. Hypnosis itself does not heal and has no special power. Today, neuroscience can confirm and explain this, but at one time this event was shrouded in a mist of mysticism.
  A hypnotherapist cannot "instill" in you something that does not conform to his fundamental nature. Above all, the client's motive and goal are important. The ethics of each hypnotherapist obliges him to change only what he gets permission to do.

• Myth no. 9 - I have never been under hypnosis before

  Fact: Hypnosis is a normal, natural, scientifically explainable phenomenon and has nothing to do with magic, as was once believed.
  Hypnosis (trance) is a natural state that occurs several times a day. It occurs while engrossed in a book or television, while driving on a monotonous highway, when the individual forgets everything around him or loses track of time, while looking at the fire, when a song reminds the individual of a past time and emotions return, etc.

• Myth no. 10 - I will have to do shameful things, bark like a dog and the like

  People make this assumption based on things they have seen in various movies or stage hypnosis shows they have seen.
  It's a show where people volunteer to be on stage and decide completely on their own to do funny things. They usually make excuses later that they were hypnotized anyway.

  Hypnotherapy is a serious process of self-improvement, not entertainment.
  Every hypnosis is autohypnosis, the therapist just guides the patient through the whole process.

• Myth no. 11 - The hypnotist will have control over my mind

  No one can control your mind unless you let them. During hypnosis, the client has a complete view and determines how deep he will go. Your hypnotherapist will give you only those "suggestions" that you want, discuss them in the introductory interview with the therapist (pre-hypnotic conversation). If you hear a suggestion that you do not agree with or do not understand, your subconscious mind will simply ignore it.

  That is why we cannot change patterns as successfully with a smoker who wants to quit because of criticism from those around him, and not because of himself, as with someone who is motivated for his own sake.

• Myth no. 12 - When I am in hypnosis, I will lose the sense of everything that is happening around me and I will not remember anything

  Hypnosis is not a state of unconscious sleep, but a state of heightened concentration. In fact, in hypnosis we hear, feel, think better... and we are so focused on internal events that we are not too interested in external events. Being in hypnosis is mostly so pleasant that people don't want to "get out" (yet), but they would immediately open their eyes and break the hypnosis if something urgent happened in their surroundings.

• Myth no. 13 - I cannot be hypnotized because my mind is too strong and disciplined

  On the contrary, the stronger the will, the deeper you can go into the hypnotic state.

  Hypnosis is a natural state of learning and concentration and is one that belongs to all of us - both 'weak' and 'strong' minds. We all experience "daytime hypnosis" during a good movie, driving on a monotonous highway...

  Almost anyone can achieve some level of hypnosis, with the possible exception of people with more severe mental disorders or illnesses.

• Myth no. 14 - Hypnosis originates from ``Black Magic'' or is ``Supernatural''

  Fact: Hypnosis is a completely natural state that has also been scientifically researched in detail. Hypnotherapists are not psychics or fortune tellers with some ``special powers''. Hypnotherapy has its foundations in many years of clinical research by well-known psychologists such as Dr. Sigmund Freud, Ph.D. Carl Jung, Ph.D. Milton Erickson, Ph.D. John Kappas and many other doctors, psychologists, psychiatrists...