Top 5 Common Hypnosis Myths Dispelled

When I tell people I’m a hypnotist, I often get this cynical look followed by a list of all the myths they have about hypnosis. It usually entails some fear about what they view as a mystical practice seen in movies or hypnotist stage shows. I sometimes find this skepticism to be an initial hindrance when working with new clients. So, I have put together an article dispelling the top 5 myths of hypnosis backed by scientific research.

I hope this will ease some of the fallacies around hypnosis, so more people will try it and find the healing they need.

MYTH #1: “You can be hypnotized to do things against your will.”

FACT: Hypnosis is NOT mind control. And you are not a helpless zombie under the influence of the hypnotist!

This myth is influenced by hypnotist stage shows where many of the “volunteers” are actors pretending to be hypnotized. This myth is absolutely not true. On the contrary, you are completely aware of everything the hypnotist is saying. You are actually in a more focused state than when not under hypnosis.

If at any time the hypnotist suggests something that offends you or goes against your core beliefs, you can open your eyes and break the hypnotic state. You can not be forced or coerced to do anything you don’t want to do under hypnosis.

In fact, when hypnosis is used on surgery patients instead of anesthesia – yes, you read that right – the patients are completely awake and alert. They have full memory of the surgery, yet they can relax and not feel pain. 

MYTH #2 – “Some people can’t be hypnotized.”

FACT: Everyone can be and has been hypnotized.

We have all experienced hypnosis while watching a really good movie. It’s when you become so engrossed in the movie that you are unaware of anything around you. You may have felt happiness or sadness, just as the director intended.

Or when driving, and you can’t remember how you got to your destination because you became so focused on your thoughts. These are both examples of being hypnotized in daily life.

While everyone can experience hypnosis to some degree, some people are better at it than others. For instance, a Stanford University study conducted by Dr. David Spiegel found that about 10% of the general population are what they call ‘highly hypnotizable. These are people who can be hypnotized and have surgery without anesthesia. 

Dr. Spiegel’s study also found that the MRIs of all participants in the study showed some degree of hypnotizability, with those who were labeled ‘low hypnotizability’ still displaying brain activity in the regions of the brain that are responsible for focused attention, decision-making, and value determinations.

Such findings suggest that even if you are not deep into the hypnotic state, you can experience the benefits of hypnosis.  

MYTH #3: “Hypnosis is not as effective as other forms of therapy.”

FACT: Not only is hypnosis more effective than other forms of therapy for numerous issues, but results can also be seen and felt in a significantly shorter time. 

Many of my clients have been in traditional therapy for years and still struggle with the same issues they started with. After sessions with me, they feel lighter, as if a weight has been lifted off of them.

Several recent studies have supported my personal experience. Here are 3 of them:

A 2021 study published in the Journal of Affective Disorders found hypnosis to be more effective at treating mild to moderate depression than cognitive behavioral therapy.

And a 2021 meta-analysis published in the Psychology of Consciousness found hypnosis more effective at weight loss, improving body image, and limiting food cravings and emotional eating than traditional therapeutic approaches. 

There’s also an interesting study published in the Neuroscience and Behavioral Review stating that hypnosis is more effective at reducing pain and anxiety in pediatric cancer patients than other treatments, including the use of painkillers.

MYTH #4: “Hypnosis means you are unconscious or asleep, and when you wake up, you won’t remember anything.”

FACT: You are not unconscious or asleep during hypnosis, and you can remember everything that happens in a session.

Unlike sleep, hypnosis is not an on-or-off thing. 

In a session, a client can go in and out of the hypnotic state several times. Hypnosis can be thought of as a meditative state that could be utilized for therapeutic healing. Just as with meditation, your mind can wander in and out as you get distracted or lose focus.

And just like mediation, you still benefit from the practice even if you are not focused the whole time. Additionally, like with everything, the more you do it, the better you become at it. Contrary to movies and stage shows, you will remember everything that happens during a hypnosis session.

From a scientific standpoint, you can also read the article published in 2019 by Dr. Ann Williamson, which describes hypnosis as a “waking state of awareness, (or consciousness), in which a person’s attention is detached from his or her immediate environment and is absorbed by inner experiences such as feelings, cognition, and imagery.”

MYTH #5: Only weak-minded people can be hypnotized.

FACT: Studies have shown that people with above-average intelligence who can concentrate and have vivid imaginations are better at hypnosis. 

A Stanford University study published in an issue of Archives of General Psychiatry found that the brains of highly hypnotizable people show more activity in the default networks (left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex and the anterior cingulate cortex) simultaneously during hypnosis.

These regions of the brain are responsible for focus attention, decision-making, and imagination. These findings suggest that very hypnotizable individuals have greater brain functioning than people with low hypnotizability.

Another article published in Psychology Today by Amy Fries found that the brain scans of “superior intelligent groups” showed significantly more activity in the default networks of the brain than the “average intelligence group.” 

While these studies suggest that some people can be more hypnotizable than others, it does not mean that less hypnotizable people can’t benefit from hypnosis. Furthermore, the more you are hypnotized, the better you will get at it. 

Concluding Thoughts

These are just some of the common myths about hypnosis. I hope this article helps dispel some of the untruths surrounding hypnosis. I find Hypnosis to be such a powerful tool that I utilize with my clients along with other therapeutic modalities. I integrate hypnosis with neuroplasticity, somatic healing, NLP, and other life coaching tools to help my clients overcome anxiety, procrastination, negative thought patterns, over-eating, and much much more.

---

---