What Is Hypnosis And How Can It Help Me

There is still a low level of understanding amongst the public about what hypnosis is. The sinister old movie images of a creepy looking man controlling the minds of his victims still worries some people, yet if they were to try hypnotherapy they would discover that this old stereotype couldn't be further from the truth.

Read on to discover what hypnosis really is and what it can do for you.

When you hear the word hypnosis, what immediately comes to mind? Is it a dark figure with a goatee swinging a pocket watch back and forth in an attempt to take control over your mind and have you do his evil bidding for him? If so, then it's time to turn off the cartoons and pay attention.

Have you ever been watching a movie and felt like you were actually there? Or perhaps pulled into a good book by the words of the author? Maybe you were driving down the road, singing at the top of your lungs to a new tune and were almost completely unaware of what was going on around you. If so, congratulations! You have been hypnotized!

Hypnosis is commonly defined as a relaxed and focused state of concentration. When you were watching the movie, reading the book and exercising your vocal chords, you were relaxed in your environment and completely focused and concentrating on only one thing.

Here are some common misconceptions about hypnosis:

1. Hypnosis will not make you tell secrets. When in a hypnotic state, you're merely open to suggestions. You still have a choice and won't divulge anything you wouldn't ordinarily divulge. You might bring forward some inner truths, which is what hypnosis is generally used for. These might shed light on some self-sabotage or some other situations you're currently placing yourself in.

2. Hypnosis cannot make you do something against your will. Those people you see on stage have a desire to do something outrageous, which is why certain suggestions work on them. If you don't have that same desire, those suggestions would not have the same effect on you.

3. You can't be stuck in a permanent hypnotic state. Hypnosis is merely a relaxed and focused state so it's impossible to be "stuck" there. For instance, if the specialist left the room, one of two things would happen. Either you would fall asleep and wake up naturally or your mind would realize nothing is happening and bring you out of your focused state.

Benefits of Hypnosis

Hypnosis can be helpful in many ways, from remembering people's names to completely changing your life. Many people use hypnosis to change habits, such as quitting smoking, and form new habits, like exercising daily.

Research even suggests that hypnosis may be able to make your body look younger by reprogramming new cells and instructing them to find the healthiest blueprint to develop.

How You Can Use Hypnosis

There are a couple of different ways to induce hypnosis, including self-hypnosis and seeing a specialist. Here are some of the benefits of each:

Self-Hypnosis. Using CDs and MP3 downloads, you can practice self-hypnosis in the comfort of your own home. This allows you to get into a comfortable and relaxed stage more quickly and stay there for extended amounts of time.

The relaxation is a key part of being hypnotized, and there are many programs that take you through the relaxing process all the way to helping you accomplish the changes you wish to make.

Another added benefit is the cost. While seeing a specialist can be a huge benefit, cost is a giant hurdle for many people.

Specialists. Seeing a specialist is a great way to start your hypnosis regimen. Having a professional to guide you is a great tool. Specialists can also help with uncovering some of the innermost issues you might have and fix your problem on a deeper level.

If you have any questions, most specialists will allow a free consultation so you can get the feel of them and their space. The biggest thing to remember is you must feel comfortable and be open to their practices if you want to make a change.

Hypnosis depends totally on you. If you don't want to be hypnotized or feel you can't be hypnotized, then your mind will stop you. Without your comfort and willingness, hypnosis will not work, no matter what route you try.

If you want to make a change for the better, do your research and understand what hypnosis really is, so you can make an informed decision. After all, hypnosis can't make you do something against your will!

(c)2009-present, Annaly Curzon. The author is a psychology student interested in personal development and self-help. She maintains the personal development web site Working On Me. For more information about hypnosis, visit Working-On.me/hypnosis-downloads.

About the Author

Annaly Curzon is a psychology student with an interest in self-help and personal development. She maintains the website Working-On.me.