What is hypnosis?
Hypnosis is a very relaxed, but highly focused state of consciousness which accesses your unconscious mind and makes it more open to the positive changes you wish to make.
Can I be made to do things against my will while in a hypnotic state?
No. You are in control the entire time. Just as you retain control while in a daydream or driving on “auto-pilot,” you are in control during hypnosis. If an emergency were to arise, you could and would respond. Also, if the hypnotist asked you do to anything against your beliefs, morals, ethics, or will, you would simply not do it and possibly even come immediately out of the hypnotic state. Hypnosis is not mind control.
Can I get stuck in hypnosis?
No. Hypnosis is a natural state. We generally enter this state of consciousness several times during the day, whether it is day dreaming, driving on “auto pilot,” or doing some automatic task. Just as you cannot get stuck in a daydream, you cannot get stuck in hypnosis.
How will I feel during hypnosis?
This varies from person to person and can even vary for a person from session to session. People report various feelings from feeling nothing to feeling light or heavy to feeling like they are floating. There is no “right” way to feel. Your experience of hypnosis is the right way for you.
Will I be able to open my eyes during hypnosis?
While many people find it easier to voluntarily enter a hypnotic state with their eyes closed, it is actually possible to be effectively hypnotized with your eyes open. As mentioned earlier, we enter hypnotic states frequently throughout the day. This is generally done with our eyes open.
Will I remember anything after the hypnosis session?
Many people undergoing hypnosis for the first time stay in a light stage of hypnosis. Because light hypnotic states are such a common part of our day, it is not uncommon for a person to feel he/she was not been hypnotized at all. In this circumstance, much, if not all, of the session will be remembered. However, some people do enter a deeper state of hypnosis the first time, and more will with future sessions. As the level of hypnosis deepens, it becomes more likely that parts or all of the session will not be remembered. Again, this varies by individual.
I am afraid that I will disclose information I don’t want revealed while under hypnosis.
As stated earlier, hypnosis is not mind control; neither is it a truth serum. Hypnosis cannot be used to entice a confession, nor will the hypnotized person share information they do not want others to know. A person under hypnosis can choose what to share and what to keep private just as they can in their normal, everyday level of consciousness.