What is Hypnosis and Trance
Hypnosis and The Brain
The Hypnotic State
Working on “your conscious”
Information overflow
Myths and Misconceptions about Clinical Hypnosis
How does it work?
Risks and precautions

What is Hypnosis and Trance

Hypnosis is a method of communication that induces a trance. Hypnosis can be conducted by one individual addressing another, or it may be conducted by self addressing the sub-conscious (self hypnosis). Trance is a natural occurring state in which one’s attention is narrowly focused and relatively free of distractions. People go into and out of trance spontaneously throughout the day, mostly when concentrating on something. In Trance, the attention may be focused either internally (on thoughts – through internal self-talk, images, or on both) or externally (on a task, a book or a movie for example). It is the focus of attention that is so narrow that other stimuli in the environment are ignored or blocked out of conscious awareness for a time. Examples of trance states are: daydreaming, deep concentration and some forms of meditation.

Clinical Hypnosis was Approved by the American Medical Association in 1958. It was also approved by The British Medical Association and by most other Medical Associations around the world. Clinical Hypnosis, also called Hypnotherapy is the use of Hypnosis in a medical, psycho-educational, or therapeutic setting.

Hypnosis and The Brain

The brain operates in four general states determined by the frequency of the electricity generated by the exchange of chemicals in the neural pathways. The four states include Full Conscious Awareness, the Hypnotic State, the Dream State, and the Sleep State.

These four states correspond to electrical activity in the brain and are defined by frequency ranges on an EEG. Full Conscious Awareness occurs when the majority of the electrical activity in the brain is in the Beta range (14-35 Hz). The Hypnotic State occurs when brain activity is in the Alpha range (8-13 Hz). The Dream State occurs when brain activity is in the Theta range (4-7 Hz), and the Sleep State occurs when brain activity is in the Delta range (.5-3 Hz).

Full Conscious Awareness is where which we spend most of our waking hours. In this state, our mind is attentive and uses logic to reason, evaluate, assess, judge, and make decisions.

The Hypnotic State

In the Hypnotic State, the doorway between the conscious and the subconscious is opened. Memories become easily accessible, and new information is stored. In the Hypnotic State, you are not really "thinking" in the traditional sense. You are "experiencing" without questioning, without critical judgment or analysis, like when you are watching a movie. The hypnotherapist can make suggestions that are very likely to "stick" - precisely because your conscious mind is not getting in the way. You are not "judging" or being "critical" of the suggestions.

We pass through all four bands sequentially as the electrical activity decreases on our way to sleep and as it increases up on our way to total wakefulness. Regardless of whether we are on our way to sleep or to wakefulness, when we pass through the upper theta/lower alpha range we go into hypnosis automatically. There is no power on earth that can stop it from happening but likewise, there is no person or power on earth that can force you into hypnosis; you must want to go into hypnosis and follow the hypnotist's direction exactly.

The will located in the conscious way of functioning is always present, always working. If for some reason you force yourself not to allow the suggestions to be accepted, they will not. The smoker who is not really committed to that goal, cannot be forced to quit.

As to the issue of the subconscious' chief concern for the clients' health and welfare, the subconscious function of the mind begins to operate long before the conscious mind, in early childhood. On the level of instinct, the strategies for self-preservation and survival are irrevocably etched in the subconscious. The subconscious always makes sure that the body functions in the best way possible.

Working on “your conscious”

A less technical definition of hypnosis is: A naturally occurring altered state of consciousness in which the critical faculty is bypassed (mind in the conscious mode) and acceptable selective thinking established.

This simply means that the reasoning, evaluating, judging part of your mind (conscious) is bypassed. While we wonder how this could possibly happen, we are subjected to it all the time. The advertising industry is dedicated to bypassing our critical judgment all the time in order to influence our buying behaviour.

We sometimes suspend our critical judgment when for instance an authority figure makes some sort of comment. Doctors, clergy, professors, and many more fall into this category.

Children suspend their critical judgment frequently in games of "let's pretend". Actors do it in playing a part; they have to suspend their critical faculty, and they ask the audience to suspend theirs to accept them as being someone else.

With the critical faculty bypassed, specific thoughts/suggestions can be lodged in the subconscious where they can propel the client toward a desired goal or towards a change behaviour in a positive, permanent way. Any such suggestions must be acceptable to the client, of course or they would have no effect at all.

This focus on a specific goal or behaviour is done with laser-like precision and intensity in hypnosis. It is a little like looking through a telescope from the wrong end. You see just one tiny spec of the environment in focus though you may be aware of everything around it.

The ways in which the mind operates in its subconscious mode provide the answer.

It is instructive to note that our autonomic system is in the subconscious. That is the system that tells our hearts to beat and our lungs to breathe. It is because of this we don't have to think (conscious mind), "Oops! Gotta take a breath now!" or "Time for another heart beat!" Fortunately this is all taken care of by our subconscious----- automatically. Everything that is done for our benefit, originates here. Therefore should a hypnotist make an inappropriate suggestion of any kind, it would be immediately rejected by the client.

Information overflow

Our subconsious does other things for us, too. We are bombarded by 60,000 stimuli per second every minute of our lives. In one minute we receive 3,600,000! One can only speculate what would happen if they would flood our consciousness! Especially when we know that our conscious mind can only be aware of five to seven pieces of information or "clumps" of information at a time. When it works with one of them, that is all it can handle-one thing at a time.

Emotions and the imagination also reside in the subconscious. In an emotional state, we are motivated to proceed in the direction of what we are imagining. Emotion is the fuel of the subconscious, while imagination is the language.

Habits by definition are those repetitive behaviours that you do "without thinking." Thinking is a function of the conscious; everything else is in the subconscious. A habit is usually eliminated by replacing it with another. Some habits are easier to eliminate than others and if they are firmly held in the subconscious may require finding the causes and remove them.

The subconscious doesn't "think" in the usual way; it reacts. And it can't distinguish between reality and unreality; it absorbs all the information received through the senses as true - as real.

Generally speaking, if two or more emotions are in conflict, the dominant one wins out over the weaker; imagination wins out over will power; emotions win out over logic; the subconscious wins out over the conscious.

The subconscious can be your master and your greatest ally in your quest for success and self-improvement.

InductiveTrance methods usually include instructions for relaxation and concentration. Trance is facilitated through Hypnotic Language patterns, which include: guided visualisations; stories; accessing memories; analogies, ambiguous words or phrases; repetition; statements about association, meaning, and cause and effect.

Myths and Misconceptions about Clinical Hypnosis

Hypnosis is neither mind control nor brainwashing. Research has shown that attempts to “brainwash” people through extreme methods such as physical and mental duress have proven ineffective, except in causing states of depression, anxiety and confusion. Some people worry that hypnosis could cause them to do something against their will or to do something that could endanger them. Research shows that this definitely is not the case. Hypnosis is a method of influence and, depending on the skills of the practitioner, and the receptivity of the listener, it is no more or less powerful than any other method or psychological persuasion, manipulation or motivation (such as advertising or propaganda).

People change their minds and actions throughout their lives. When such changes occur as a result of exposures to specific information, it is sometimes because this information has been presented through skilful persuasion and influence. A hypnotherapist uses communicative methods of persuasion and influence; so do people who advertise and market goods and services; so do teachers, politicians, lawyers, entertainers, parents and ministers.

The difference is that a qualified Clinical Hypnotherapist is guided by legal requirements and ethical responsibilities. Therefore, the therapist is required to work contractually with the client toward specific outcomes under informed consent and with mutual agreement.

How does it work?

During light trance, you are not immobilised. You remain aware of your surroundings. In light trance, people can open their eyes, talk, and move around. In fact, most people in this state of trance are not aware of being “hypnotised”. Most people can be hypnotised to some degree. Anyone who can be hypnotised can also be easily taught to bring him/herself out of trance at any time. In fact, emerging from trance happens spontaneously, when one is interrupted as by a phone ringing.

The deepest levels of Trance, produce a dreamlike state. Some people become so relaxed in trance that they may fall asleep. This is not a problem, because some part of the mind continues to listen to the voice of the hypnotherapist. Under hypnosis, many sleeping clients can still follow instructions such a moving a finger, taking a deep breath, or awaking themselves up when told to do so. Many people require practice and training to routinely reach deep trance states, while a few people seem to have a natural ability to do so.

There is no “right” way to experience trance. People vary in suggestibility depending on their personality, traits and moves. Some people enter trance easily and some don’t. One person may find it a deep, restful feeling, while another may experience a light, floating sensation. Some people hear every word the hypnotherapist says, while others allow their minds to drift to other thoughts. Some experience vivid imagery, whilst others do not. Some people remember the suggestions they hear and some do not. Some people see results right away, and some people see results gradually over time, or even after a delay of a few days or weeks. Every person’s experience of hypnosis is unique.

There are dozens of ways to induce trance and make hypnotic suggestions. Hypnosis cannot solve every problem. Even with hypnosis, it is still necessary for you to do some conscientious planning and research about the outcome you choose. You should still expect to make conscious decisions and you will have to take action to get results. Hypnosis is not a cure-all and is not magic. Hypnosis can be effective in many cases, smoking cessation in particular. However, there are no guarantees that hypnosis will work for everyone under every circumstance.

Risks and precautions

Hypnosis carries very few risks, if any. It is contraindicated for individuals with certain medical problems, for those who are actively abusing drugs or alcohol, or for those who are paranoid, psychotic, delusional, or hallucinatory. Hypnosis should not be used for physical problems such as pain unless the client has consulted a physician or doctor to determine the underlying causes.

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Contributions and exerpts from articles by Judith E Pearson PhD, G Edward Riley M Div. CH and C. J. Newton, MA