As humans, we tend to fear the unknown. Hypnosis has been shrouded with mysticism for so long that even though we are living in the digital age of information, in some circles, hypnosis is still regarded as a hat trick or a gimmick. And as our motto at Morpheus is, “we make hypnosis make sense,” it’s time we cleared up some of these common misconceptions.
Does someone have to be gullible to be hypnotized?
Most definitely not. Most of our clients at Morpheus are professionals and managers—people whom suss out legitimacies every day.
“Suggestibility” is a word commonly used when referring to how effective hypnosis will be for someone. Not to be confused with “gullibility,” ”suggestibility” speaks to how immersed you naturally are in your own mind. Suggestibility has nothing to do with any lack of critical thinking ability, but instead, the ability to temporarily suspend your critical thinking. If a movie can make you jump or cry—you are suggestible. If you create worlds and flesh out characters while reading a good book—you are suggestible. If you can get lost in a daydream—again, you are suggestible.
Am I asleep during hypnosis?
No. For hypnosis to be effective, a part of your mind must remain focused on the hypnotist’s words. Hypnosis has a quality of awareness that sleep does not. People who are in hypnosis may sometimes look like they are asleep, but in actuality, they are just very relaxed.
Will I say or do things against my will?
No. In a battle of wills between the hypnotist and the client, the client will always win. That being said, hypnosis is an altered state of consciousness where your inhibitions are lowered and you are open to suggestion. You might say, do, feel, imagine, accept, think or believe things you don’t normally believe. That’s the defining quality of hypnosis—it’s the reason people seek out hypnotists when they aren’t able to achieve personal change alone. As long as you have the right guide, you won’t say or do anything you’ll regret later.
At Morpheus, there isn’t a single thing we would say during hypnosis that we wouldn’t say to you in a normal waking state. Every suggestion that we make is always intended to help you come closer to reality, rather than distort it.
Is hypnosis dangerous?
In a highly suggestible state, bad suggestions can have just as much of an effect as positive suggestions. Poorly performed hypnosis can mask symptoms and ultimately delay treatment. It can cause false memories, and generally leave the client worse off. Rather than pretending there are no risks involved, at Morpheus, we believe in practising risk-aware hypnosis.
Can I get “stuck” in hypnosis?
No. That would be like being stuck in a daydream or stuck in that groggy state right after you wake up—it just does not happen. Hypnosis is an altered state of consciousness that everyone taps into multiple times a day, including that groggy mindset five minutes after you wake up and right before you fall asleep. Trance can be a deeply relaxing experience. So relaxing that someone might consciously choose to stay there for the bliss of it all, but, as hypnosis is not mind control, you have the power to snap yourself out of it and go about your day.
Fear is the main factor that will stop anyone from allowing themselves to be lead into a hypnotic trance. There is an aspect of surrendering to the experience that is needed and that can only be accomplished if you trust your hypnotist and truly believe that their intentions are in your very best interest. I hope by answering some of these common questions we were able to alleviate any concerns and put your mind at ease.
If you have any additional questions regarding hypnosis or our practice here at Morpheus, please send us an email at [email protected]
We’d love to hear from you!
One of our Client Care Coordinators published this post.