Understanding hypnosis

What clinical hypnosis is — and isn’t

Hypnosis has picked up plenty of strange associations from stage acts and movies. Here’s what it actually is, how it’s used in therapy, and the myths worth letting go of.

A definition

The Society of Psychological Hypnosis (Division 30 of the American Psychological Association) defines hypnosis as:

“A state of consciousness involving focused attention and reduced peripheral awareness characterized by an enhanced capacity for response to suggestion.”

That shift in attention lets you tap into natural abilities you already have and make change more quickly. Because it puts more of your own potential to work, learning self-hypnosis is, in a real sense, the ultimate act of self-control.

How it’s used in therapy

Researchers still debate exactly how hypnosis works, but brain imaging shows that different areas of the brain become active during hypnosis, and studies show that hypnotic suggestion can change aspects of how we think, feel and physically respond. Clinicians use it in three main ways:

Imagery. The mind can use vivid — even symbolic — mental pictures to help bring about the changes you’re working toward.
Suggestion. In a state of concentrated attention, ideas that fit what you want have a stronger impact.
Exploration. Hypnosis can help uncover underlying motivations, or whether past experiences are connected to a current problem.

Its effectiveness seems to come from quieting the critical, second-guessing voice of the conscious mind, so your own intentions for change can take hold.

Myths, busted

Six common myths about hypnosis

Over the years, hypnosis has been surrounded by misunderstanding. Here’s the truth behind the most common ones.

Myth 1

Hypnosis means losing control

Forget the stage show. A clinician simply guides you into a natural, relaxed state of concentration — very similar to daydreaming or getting lost in a good book. All hypnosis is ultimately self-hypnosis: unless you’re willing, and unless the suggestions fit what you want, it doesn’t happen.

“One of the interesting ironies about hypnosis is that old fantasy that it takes away control. It is actually a way of enhancing people’s control, of teaching them how to control aspects of their body’s function and sensation that they thought they couldn’t.”
— David Spiegel, MD, Stanford University School of Medicine (Newsweek, 2004)

Myth 2

Only “weak-minded” people can be hypnotized

The opposite is closer to the truth. Hypnosis takes concentration and motivation. Research has linked hypnotic ability with focus and absorption, and most people can experience it to some degree — often more easily with practice.

Myth 3

You’re asleep or unconscious

There’s no loss of consciousness. People typically report being aware of everything that happened. It feels much like meditation, with a stronger inward focus. Your eyes may be closed, but you are not asleep.

“Hypnosis promotes deep relaxation and an altered state of perception, but it does not put you to sleep.”
— Daniel G. Amen, MD

Myth 4

You could get stuck in a trance

You can’t get stuck in hypnosis any more than you can get stuck in a daydream. We pass in and out of trance-like states every day — absorbed in a book, a film, or a familiar drive. If a session were interrupted, you would simply open your eyes, or drift briefly into ordinary sleep and wake up normally.

Myth 5

Hypnotists have special powers

The only “special power” is training: careful observation and an understanding of people. The occult associations are pure Hollywood. Hypnosis has been accepted as a legitimate therapeutic method by the British Medical Association since 1955 and the American Medical Association since 1958.

Myth 6

Hypnosis is just a trick

It’s a well-studied clinical tool. Hospitals use hypnosis to help patients prepare for surgery and manage pain and anxiety, and research has explored its role in comfort during medical procedures, chemotherapy-related nausea, and habit change. Results vary by person, which is why it’s best delivered as part of a plan with a trained clinician.

The bottom line

Hypnosis is a natural state of mind. When you’re hypnotized, you’re relaxed and focused — and free to get up and walk away at any time. In the hands of a licensed clinician, it becomes one more way to help you make the changes you came for.

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