Hypnosis- It's Not Just to Make People Cluck Like Chickens!

I often get asked what can hypnosis do for me? Will it make me cluck like a chicken? Many people know that hypnosis can be used to help people act funny and do funny things (like cluck like chickens). Such hypnosis is generally called stage hypnosis. Stage hypnosis is the most popular and most often discussed form of hypnosis and stage hypnosis has been key in spreading ongoing myths about hypnosis. The stage hypnotist takes volunteers from the audience, hypnotizes the volunteers, and makes it appear that the volunteers are under their command as they direct their hypnotized subjects to perform a variety of funny acts. The audience howls with laughter as the subjects perform as commanded. Stage hypnosis is the easiest hypnosis to perform and learn how to do as a hypnotist. Why? The stage hypnotist takes volunteers. Volunteers are people who generally like to make others laugh. They know when they volunteer that they will be asked to do a variety of funny things and they don’t tend to mind doing as they’re asked. People who want to volunteer just to find out what it is like to be hypnotized but really don’t feel comfortable making others laugh are not likely to go into a deep enough hypnotic trance to be selected to be in the show. They are usually sent back to their seats or if they follow commands enthusiastically, they will be allowed to stay in the show, but they are not in a deep trance. Stage hypnosis is easiest because the hypnotist selects volunteers, who usually like to make people laugh anyways, and has them do what they would generally do naturally.

Clinical hypnosis is more difficult to learn because the clinical hypnotist works with people who are trying to change something and usually having a difficult time. The clinical hypnotist usually has to have training to help convince the subconscious to change what it likes or wants, and sometimes convincing it to change is difficult. Clinical hypnotists work with people to help them lose weight, stop smoking, control pain, reduce stress and anxiety, sleep better, and enhance sports performances. In short, clinical hypnosis can help someone feel and perform much better than many other therapies alone. The clinical hypnotist convinces the subconscious that changing would be better for the person being hypnotized and they help the subconscious develop new and more positive ways of changing and meeting needs.

Clinical hypnosis has been researched and clinically studied and some of the following results were obtained.

Weight Loss: Hypnosis when added to weight loss treatments and therapies increased weight loss by approximately 97% during treatment and therapy. That in itself is impressive. Many people though, state that they do well during treatment but when treatment stops they tend to gain weight back. The people who had hypnosis treatment during the research reported that they tended to continue to lose weight and increased weight loss by 146 % after the therapy was completed. This means that not only did hypnosis continue to be effective after treatment was completed, the effectiveness actually grew.

Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)- Studies and research demonstrated that approximately 1/3 of participants reported that they were completely free of any IBS symptoms after 7 weeks of hypnosis therapy. Close to 2/3 of participants had reported significant improvements in symptoms.

Chronic Pain- Research studies show that hypnosis can reduce pain significantly and even stop people from feeling chronic pain. It can work with up to 90% of the general population. Hypnosis has also occasionally been used as the only anesthetic for surgeries in people who for one reason or another could not tolerate regular chemical anesthesia.

Clinical hypnosis was used in a clinical trial to reduce asthma effects. 82 % of participants who learned and used self-hypnosis reported that they were much improved or in total remission from asthma.

Clinical hypnosis has also been successfully used to reduce high blood pressure

Clinical hypnosis has been successfully used to reduce instances of herpes, eczema, and warts.

Clinical Hypnosis has been used to help reduce hot flashes

Clinical hypnosis has been used to help people with sleep disorders

Hypnosis has also been successfully used to treat anxiety, depression, phobias, and addictions

It’s not just to make people laugh any more!