Hypnosis uncovered: separating fact from fiction -

Hypnosis is one of the most fascinating—yet least understood—forms of therapy. It is a human condition involving focused attention, reduced peripheral awareness, and an enhanced capacity to respond to suggestion. But what does all that mean? 

Browse the gallery for some surprising facts about the science of hypnosis and its ancient origins. 

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What is hypnosis? - Did you know that hypnosis does not involve mind control, magic, unconsciousness, or sleep? In fact, a human stays completely awake during hypnosis.

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"Look into my eyes" - Hypnotism has nothing to do with all that "look into my eyes" baloney. You simply cannot be made to enter hypnosis against your will because when all said and done, you know exactly what you are doing.

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Hypnosis for everyone - Believe it or not, everyone has the ability to be hypnotized because it's a natural, normal state that each of us enter at least twice each day. For example, it's very easy to zone out while reading a book. And how many times have you got behind the wheel and arrived at your destination without any clear memory of driving there?

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An aid to self-improvement - Hypnotherapy can aid self-improvement through strategies such as non-clinical stress management. In fact, it's commonplace for hypnotherapists to work in complementary ways with physicians and other health care providers to help optimize the care patients receive.

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A natural state of mind - Hypnosis is a natural state of mind. In fact, contrary to popular belief, all your senses are awake and alert while you are in a hypnotic state. Indeed, scientists have proven that patients remain totally aware under hypnosis.

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Always in control - A hypnotized person never goes "under" as such; you are in control at all times while in hypnosis.

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Hypnosis can be used as an anesthesia -

Hypnosis can be used as pain management. In fact, studies undertaken using electroencephalography (EEG) have demonstrated that hypnosis abolishes the emotional experience of pain, while still allowing one to experience the sensory sensation.

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Hypnotherapy - Hypnotherapy results can be restorative, rehabilitative, and curative simply by harnessing the untapped power of the subconscious mind.

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Hypnosis has a wide range of applications - Hypnotherapists use trance and suggestions to help people cope with everyday lifestyle challenges, such as issues related to jobs and health.

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Fears and phobias - These typically include getting over fears and phobias, weight loss, negative memories, insomnia, and quitting smoking.

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Stage hypnosis - Stage hypnotists, those who appear on shows and select seemingly random members of the audience and send them to sleep, are a world away from clinical hypnotists, who practice an approved form of hypnotherapy.

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Hypnotic suggestibility - Some people are more prone to hypnotic suggestibility. Susceptibility to hypnotism may well be a function of personality traits such as openness or empathy—and leading from that, some sort of responsiveness.

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Non-manipulative - Hypnosis in not manipulative. You only say and do in hypnosis what you would normally say and do in a fully conscious state.

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Hypnosis through the ages - Hypnotism as a tool for health has been practiced for millennia. The Hindus of ancient India built temples for the sick to be cured by hypnotic suggestion.

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Ancient Egypt - Some of the earliest recorded descriptions of hypnosis date back to ancient Egypt in 1500 BCE.

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Sleep temples - Imhotep, generally regarded by scholars to be the world's first known physician, also used healing sanctuaries known as sleep temples to conduct a type of suggestion therapy, where patients would be put under the influence of incantation, or hypnotic state.

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Franz Mesmer (1734–1815) -

Mesmer, a German doctor, theorized the existence of a natural energy he called "animal magnetism," later referred to as "mesmerism."

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James Braid (1795–1860) - In 1843, Scottish doctor James Braid is said to have adopted the term "hypnosis" for a technique derived from animal magnetism. In the modern age, mesmerism generally functions as a synonym for hypnosis.

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Étienne Félix d'Henin de Cuvillers (1755–1841) - Many historians insist French scientist Étienne Félix d'Henin de Cuvillers coined the term hypnosis, which, they argue, he was using as early as 1820.

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Remember to forget - Hypnosis only brings about memory loss if that is an intended aim. Hypnosis is all about suggestion. If the objective of undergoing hypnotherapy is to forget negative memories, that goal can be achieved.

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The power of the subconscious - Think of your mind as an iceberg. The 10% that's visible (above the surface) is the conscious mind. The 90% that's hidden (below the surface) is the subconscious mind. It's this part that  contains a "mental movie" of everything that has happened in your life.

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Tapping into the subconscious -

As you enter into hypnosis, you bypass the conscious mind and can then access information in the subconscious mind.

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Quit smoking - Hypnosis won't make you to stop smoking right away, but compelling scientific evidence has found that hypnosis can be an effective tool for helping you quit.

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Fear of a hypnotized trance - Many people fear that once "under", they'll remain in a hypnotized trance for good. But this is a popular misconception. It's impossible to stay locked in deep hypnosis because hypnotized people never lose control of their mind or body, and are able to come out of the hypnotized state as easily as opening their eyes.

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Hyperawareness - But your brain does work differently while in a hypnotized state. It "turns off" the desire to ask questions or take note of surroundings and instead gains hyperawareness. You're still in control of your body and/or environment, but without consciously thinking about it.

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Self-hypnosis - It is perfectly possible for a person to hypnotize themselves without the need of a guide, or a hypnotherapist—and it's totally valid!

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Hypnotism in the modern age -

We've come a long way since the days of James Braid. For example, celebrity British hypnotist and behavioral scientist Paul McKenna (pictured) presents seminars in hypnosis, neuro-linguistic programming, weight loss, motivation, and Zen meditation, and is credited with helping Ellen DeGeneres quit smoking.

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Hypnosis in popular culture - 'The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari' (1920), a German silent horror film, was the first movie to use hypnosis as a major theme: the main character is a master hypnotist!

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'The Manchurian Candidate' (1962) - Adapted from the 1959 novel by Richard Condon, this celebrated political thriller tells the story of an American soldier put into a hypnotic trance to implement an assassination plot.

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'The Mentalist' -

This television series follows a former psychic medium, Patrick Jane (portrayed by Simon Baker), who uses hypnosis on several characters to help a law enforcement agency solve murders.

Sources: (New Scientist) (Natural Hypnosis)

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