Chapter 6 - Hypnosis myths debunked
Hypnosis is a widely misunderstood phenomenon. Fueled by over-dramatic stage hypnotists and misleading movies, a large portion of the general public has developed an irrational fear of hypnosis. They picture themselves being made to quack like a duck or rob a bank under the spell of an evil hypnotist.The reality is, of course, very different. As described in the previous section, hypnosis is a very natural state and is perfectly safe, whether it be under the guidance of a professional hypnotherapist or in a self-hypnosis session.
But, even though hypnotherapy is becoming increasingly popular and is gaining respect as a complementary therapy, it still suffers from a stigma due to fear and misconceptions. We will look at some of the most common myths about hypnosis and explain why they are unfounded.
In particular, we have a look at the following myths:
- If you can be hypnotized, you have a "weak" mind
- The hypnotist will have complete power over me and make me reveal secrets or do things against my will
- You can be hypnotized against your will
- I didn't get hypnotized, I heard every word!
- You can remain permanently stuck in hypnosis
- I'll become dependent on the hypnotist
- I won't remember anything that happened when I was hypnotized