Hypnosis is a trance-like mental state in which people experience increased attention, concentration, and suggestibility. While hypnosis is often described as a sleep-like state, it is better expressed as a state of focused attention and heightened suggestibility. People in a hypnotic state often seem sleepy and zoned out, but in reality, they are in a state of hyper-awareness. While there are many myths and misconceptions, hypnosis is a very real process that can be used as a therapeutic tool. Hypnosis has been shown to have medical and therapeutic benefits, most notably in the reduction of pain and anxiety.
In some cases, people might seek out hypnosis to help deal with chronic pain or to alleviate pain and anxiety caused by medical procedures such as surgery or childbirth. The following are just a few of the applications for hypnosis that have been demonstrated through research:
Hypnosis has also been used to help people with behaviour changes such as quitting smoking, losing weight, or preventing bed-wetting, alcohol reduction and many other issues.
What impact does hypnosis have? The experience of hypnosis can vary dramatically from one person to another. Some hypnotized individuals report feeling a sense of detachment or extreme relaxation during the hypnotic state while others even feel that their actions seem to occur outside of their conscious volition. Other individuals may remain fully aware and able to carry out conversations while under hypnosis, the experience is different for everyone.