Myth: A person can be hypnotized by a hypnotherapist against their will.
Fact: A person must consent to be hypnotized before they can be induced to enter a trance state with a professional.
Myth: A Hypnotist can use soothing words and soft music to simply lull his client to sleep.
Fact: In hypnosis, the conscious mind is completely relaxed and rested but not asleep. In sleep, the conscious mind is to some extent still tense and alert.
Myth: Weak-willed people make the best client.
Fact: The best hypnotic clients are individuals with a strong will, who can focus well, and have average intelligence. Hypnotism actually has nothing to do with the will, it depends upon the imagination, a faculty that is vastly strong than the will. Therefore, bright, imaginative people make the best clients.
Myth: The Hypnotist's will " dominates" that of the client.
Fact: There is no "domination" and no "submission" in hypnotism. The hypnotist helps clients to release and express their won latent or hidden abilities. For example, a man unaccustomed to public speaking can, when hypnotized speak fluently and confidentially to an audience of thousands. He already had the ability to do this but suppressed it by his own doubts and fears. The hypnotist can release that ability in an individual. Hypnosis produces the desired results quickly. Whereas other therapies can take months or years.
Myth: Only a small proportion of the population can be hypnotized.
Fact: 90-95% of adults can be hypnotized to some degree. Some will respond more rapidly than others. In the average group, enjoying their first experience with hypnotism, about one in five will promptly enter a deep enough trance to get used on stage. There are two classes of people who cannot be hypnotized at all: those mentally incapable of focusing and infants too young to understand the words of a hypnotherapist.
Myth: The hypnotherapist has absolute control over a client's mind and body.
Fact: This is the most injurious myth concerning hypnosis. No hypnotherapist can make a person say or do anything contrary to their deep-rooted beliefs. Any suggestions that arouse sincere moral indignation or repugnance immediately cause the client to break the trance, either by coming out of it or by lapsing into ordinary sleep. Thus as we have shown here hypnosis is not an anesthetic that renders the person helpless; it is a means of releasing and intensifying his or her own personal power and ability.
Myth: Hypnotherapy requires a deep trance.
Fact: Hypnosis has many therapeutic uses, but results do not depend upon the depth of the trance. Some nervous disorders can be completely cured in the lightest trance while another client with the same complaint may receive little benefit from anything but the deepest hypnosis.
Myth: A client will not wake up after hypnosis.
Fact: There is not the slightest danger of this. The client, left to themself, will fall into ordinary sleep and wake normally. How soon depends on the time of day. A client hypnotized soon after breakfast would probably wake within the hour; hypnotized late at night, they would probably sleep through to their normal waking hour the next morning.
Myth: Hypnotism is dangerous.
Fact: An automobile is not in itself dangerous, food is not dangerous, and tranquilizers are not dangerous, but all of these things if misused can cause harm. Hypnotism practiced by unqualified Hypnotherapists can be dangerous. It is perfectly safe when used properly by an experienced practitioner who has proper training.
Myth: A person knows nothing when they are hypnotized.
Fact: In light and medium states of hypnosis, the client is fully aware of what is being said or done. When they come out of hypnosis they will remember every detail. They may actually deny that they were hypnotized at all. Even in a deep trance most people hear and know all that is going on.
Myth: The medical community condemns hypnotism.
Fact: The American Medical Association accepted the therapeutic value of hypnotism in June 1958, as long as done by medical professionals. Canadian and British medical associations agreed on April 23, 1995. Hypnotism is used in many dentist offices to produce drugless anesthesia without suffering or anxiety to the patient. Hypnosis is being used by many surgeons for all kinds of operations. Many psychologists and psychiatrists use hypnosis with their patients.
Myth: Hypnotherapy, like psychoanalysis, requires ongoing, lengthy sessions.
Fact: With many clients, complete relief can be obtained in a comparatively short time. On some occasions, a couple treatments are all that are required. Most require a series of treatments over several sessions.
Fact: A person must consent to be hypnotized before they can be induced to enter a trance state with a professional.
Myth: A Hypnotist can use soothing words and soft music to simply lull his client to sleep.
Fact: In hypnosis, the conscious mind is completely relaxed and rested but not asleep. In sleep, the conscious mind is to some extent still tense and alert.
Myth: Weak-willed people make the best client.
Fact: The best hypnotic clients are individuals with a strong will, who can focus well, and have average intelligence. Hypnotism actually has nothing to do with the will, it depends upon the imagination, a faculty that is vastly strong than the will. Therefore, bright, imaginative people make the best clients.
Myth: The Hypnotist's will " dominates" that of the client.
Fact: There is no "domination" and no "submission" in hypnotism. The hypnotist helps clients to release and express their won latent or hidden abilities. For example, a man unaccustomed to public speaking can, when hypnotized speak fluently and confidentially to an audience of thousands. He already had the ability to do this but suppressed it by his own doubts and fears. The hypnotist can release that ability in an individual. Hypnosis produces the desired results quickly. Whereas other therapies can take months or years.
Myth: Only a small proportion of the population can be hypnotized.
Fact: 90-95% of adults can be hypnotized to some degree. Some will respond more rapidly than others. In the average group, enjoying their first experience with hypnotism, about one in five will promptly enter a deep enough trance to get used on stage. There are two classes of people who cannot be hypnotized at all: those mentally incapable of focusing and infants too young to understand the words of a hypnotherapist.
Myth: The hypnotherapist has absolute control over a client's mind and body.
Fact: This is the most injurious myth concerning hypnosis. No hypnotherapist can make a person say or do anything contrary to their deep-rooted beliefs. Any suggestions that arouse sincere moral indignation or repugnance immediately cause the client to break the trance, either by coming out of it or by lapsing into ordinary sleep. Thus as we have shown here hypnosis is not an anesthetic that renders the person helpless; it is a means of releasing and intensifying his or her own personal power and ability.
Myth: Hypnotherapy requires a deep trance.
Fact: Hypnosis has many therapeutic uses, but results do not depend upon the depth of the trance. Some nervous disorders can be completely cured in the lightest trance while another client with the same complaint may receive little benefit from anything but the deepest hypnosis.
Myth: A client will not wake up after hypnosis.
Fact: There is not the slightest danger of this. The client, left to themself, will fall into ordinary sleep and wake normally. How soon depends on the time of day. A client hypnotized soon after breakfast would probably wake within the hour; hypnotized late at night, they would probably sleep through to their normal waking hour the next morning.
Myth: Hypnotism is dangerous.
Fact: An automobile is not in itself dangerous, food is not dangerous, and tranquilizers are not dangerous, but all of these things if misused can cause harm. Hypnotism practiced by unqualified Hypnotherapists can be dangerous. It is perfectly safe when used properly by an experienced practitioner who has proper training.
Myth: A person knows nothing when they are hypnotized.
Fact: In light and medium states of hypnosis, the client is fully aware of what is being said or done. When they come out of hypnosis they will remember every detail. They may actually deny that they were hypnotized at all. Even in a deep trance most people hear and know all that is going on.
Myth: The medical community condemns hypnotism.
Fact: The American Medical Association accepted the therapeutic value of hypnotism in June 1958, as long as done by medical professionals. Canadian and British medical associations agreed on April 23, 1995. Hypnotism is used in many dentist offices to produce drugless anesthesia without suffering or anxiety to the patient. Hypnosis is being used by many surgeons for all kinds of operations. Many psychologists and psychiatrists use hypnosis with their patients.
Myth: Hypnotherapy, like psychoanalysis, requires ongoing, lengthy sessions.
Fact: With many clients, complete relief can be obtained in a comparatively short time. On some occasions, a couple treatments are all that are required. Most require a series of treatments over several sessions.