Look into my eyes.You're getting sleepy, very sleepy. Now, bark like a dog.

What is this nonsense? Does hypnosis really work? Yes, it does work and can be effective for a variety of problems. Due to Hollywood and stage hypnotists, unfortunately, hypnotherapy is often misunderstood.

Allow me to put to rest some of the common misperceptions regarding hypnosis. Simply stated, hypnosis is a state of mental and physical relaxation. There is no loss of control or a loss of consciousness. Think about the last time your body was at rest and your mind focused on nothing. The time you were sitting and staring out the window? Your mind was blank as you stared into space. This could describe a "hypnotic trance." It's a state of relaxation where you are aware, alert, and totally in control of yourself.

The negative belief we have regarding a particular problem, ("I can't quit smoking!") lies in the conscious part of the brain. Hypnosis is as an alteration of our consciousness, thereby allowing the unconscious to search for new ways to solve the problem.. In other words, the unconscious part of the brain offers positive beliefs to replace the conscious negative ones. The hypnotherapist becomes the facilitator of the process that you fully agree to and participate in. If you don't want to be hypnotized, you won't.

The next question often asked is how can a hypnotist make a person act like a chicken on stage. The first thing the stage hypnotist does is to select willing participants. Once several are selected, he identifies the most suggestible (by movement of eyes and other related physiological responses). At this point, he has a pool of suggestible participants willing to "go along with the show." These people will comply if the requests are harmless. If, for example, the hypnotist suggested an unlawful or immoral act, the person would reject the suggestion.

As a clinician, I have used hypnosis effectively for many years. Stress related disorders, phobias, pain management, athletic performance, and smoking cessation are a few areas where hypnosis can be effective. Hypnosis is not magic, devil worship or mind control. It's been successfully utilized in the medical community since the days of Sigmund Freud.

Although hypnosis has been shown beneficial in several areas, it doesn't work in others. Weight loss, alcoholism, and other addictive disorders have a dismal success rate. Despite marketing claims, these conditions do not respond well to hypnotherapy. Of all the addictive disorders, smoking cessation has the highest success rate (approximately 35%). Using multiple tools in combination (such as hypnosis, with the patch, gum, etc.) increases the rate of success for those who want to quit smoking.

Are there dangers in being hypnotized? Generally speaking, no. All of us have experienced a "trance-like" state before, such as, staring into the fish aquarium, the fireplace, the ocean, etc. This heightened state of awareness and relaxation is a comfortable and pleasant condition. The potential danger comes from who's doing the hypnotizing. No laws or licensing boards govern the use of hypnosis. Anyone, therefore, can learn and use hypnosis. If a person who suffers from a fairly severe mental disorder finds their way to a hypnotist not properly trained, it could be a recipe for mental disaster.

Before you spend your hard-earned money, keep in mind that hypnosis is effective with: smoking cessation, pain control, concentration, stress reduction, anxiety, phobias, and athletic performance. It's not effective with: weight loss, substance abuse, and eating disorders. The following should also be considered:

• The hypnotherapist should be a properly trained professional (MD, DO, Ph.D., DDS, MSW, etc.).
• One-on-one sessions produce better results than group sessions.
• Be aware of exaggerated claims.

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