COMMON MYTHS



Loss of consciousness:

One of the major misconceptions about hypnosis is that the subject will lose conscious awareness. In hypnosis, the subject does not lose awareness or fall asleep and is alert and aware of everything at all times and hears everything the hypnotist says.

Hypnotized people do odd and crazy things:

The perception is that the hypnotist's commands are irresistible. A stage hypnotist is an entertainer.  To put on an entertaining show the performer must invoke in the volunteer subjects outrageous and farcical behavior. Hypnotherapy is used for serious purposes, so the client will not be asked to engage in any of this type of behavior.

Surrender of the will and loss of control:

Since the ability to be hypnotized is a subjective experience, the ability to be hypnotized rests within the subject. Although the hypnotist develops the hypnotic state and guides the client through it, the subject is always in control.

Revelation of secrets:

Hypnosis is wrongly presumed to be a "truth serum" that renders the hypnotized person incapable of lying, and robs the subject of the ability to keep embarrassing secrets confidential. While in a hypnotic state a person will not spontaneously begin talking, or reveal any intimate secrets they would not tell while in the waking state.

The fear of getting "stuck" in hypnosis:

Often a prospective client will ask "What happens if you can't get me out of this?". Since the client holds the control, there is no difficulty in terminating the hypnotic state. If my client is enjoying the hypnotic state a great deal as is often the case, I sometimes need to repeat my back to awareness suggestions.

Hypnotized against will:

​A person cannot be hypnotized against their will. Hypnosis is a condition of trust and cooperation between the client and hypnotist.

A hypnotized client can be made to commit acts detrimental to themselves or others:

A hypnotized person will not do anything he or she would not do in the normal waking state.