Hypnosis

[Khandro]

Not sure where to put this question, but has anyone here been hypnotised, and if so can you describe it, was it 'real'?

[Khandro]

mibn; // another topic perhaps.//
No, I think this topic covers the conscious and subconscious very well. I tend to agree with birdie's well-articulated view. I haven't been hypnotised (hence the OP) but I wonder how much it boils down to some form of auto-suggestion, i.e. the person who gives up chocolate or smoking obviously wants to do that - probably badly, that's why they went for hypnosis - and the process gives them an extra hook to hang on to, though why chocolate or tobacco should suddenly taste bad, if true, I don't understand.

[Old_Geezer]

But what is auto-suggestion except that it's self hypnosis ?
A hypnotist simply sets the conditions such that you can get into that necessary frame of mind easily, and then guides your thoughts to what you wish to achieve.

[Cloverjo]

I went to a hypnotist once to try to cure my anxiety. It didn't work, possibly because I was worried that if it did work, it might manifest itself in a different way which might end up being worse.

OH went to try to stop him eating so much - it didn't work. I know someone who did it to cure his fear of dancing in public. He was about to get married and wanted to be able to dance at the reception without fear. It worked for him.

[Khandro]

OG; But don't you think that believing you've been 'hypnotised', might give you that extra resolve to do what it was you wanted to do anyway.
Not unlike praying "God give me strength", - that is if you believe in God.

[Old_Geezer]

I doubt any or few could believe that they were hypnotised when they were not, so I don't think your scenario is practical Khan. There are plenty of success stories to show hypnosis works beyond reasonable doubt. It's simply not the magic 'cure' some assume it to be. It's a tool, an aid, to add to your determination/willpower and support them.

[Cloverjo]

That's interesting, birdie. I am quite sceptical about hypnotism, too, really.

I wonder about stage hypnotists. Are their victims all stooges? What about Derren Brown tapping someone on the head and the person immediately collapses. I know he says he doesn't use stooges, but I can't believe people would go under so easily.

Birdie, do you mind me asking, do you still have to 'flood' regularly or do you just know you'll be ok if you have to give a speech any time in the future?

[Khandro]

birdie; I agree, but what I have to say is my only direct experience and it is completely true; When my son (now 50) was about 9 he developed about 15 warts on his right hand, we tried everything to remove them to no avail, our dear old Irish doctor of the time said to him, "Then there is only one thing left, you will have to go for hypnotherapy".
We went to a specialist doctor and 'hypnotist' who hypnotised him and told him he was giving him a special liquid which must be painted on each wart before bed. As my wife did this each night, my son squirmed in 'agony', I examined the liquid which (though I didn't say it) seemed to be simply water. After two weeks all the warts were gone BUT, my wife developed one large wart on the finger of her right hand! This persisted for several months and would not respond to treatment. Then one evening we went to see a film called 'Soldier Blue' in which there is a terrifyingly savage attack and slaughter of American- Indian women, children and babies. My wife was so shocked she stood up in the cinema and said "I can't take this, I'm leaving", so we walked out. When we got back home she said "Look my wart has gone!" and it had, and there was no sign of it.
Neither my son nor my wife has ever had a wart since.

[paddywak]

Back in the 70's a guy called Bloxam published some 400 tapes of people undergoing hypnotic regression which claimed to "prove" people had lived before.Needless to say these generated loads of interst and research from both the "fors" and the "againsts" which produced a lot of interesting reading but no proof either way, but if you're interested google The Bloxam Tapes.Personally I've never been hypnotised but I've seen seversl stage hypnotists and I've always been rather sceptical about it all.

[andy-hughes]

Khandro - //But don't you think that believing you've been 'hypnotised', might give you that extra resolve to do what it was you wanted to do anyway. //

I must disagree here.

I did want to give up chocolate and sugar, and I have no doubt that this assisted me in accepting the hypnotic suggestions that were implanted into my mind.

But that does not explain the fact that my (considerable!) desire for chocolate several times a day was immediately eliminated, and replaced with a mild feeling of nausea at the sight of chocolate which did settle down after a few days.

What never did subside - and I tried it a year later - was the fact that my previous huge enjoyment of the taste of chocolate was replaced by the feeling that it was slightly nasty, and not something I would eat again from choice.

I didn't want to eat the chocolate bar, I did so merely to see how it would taste, and I got my answer. I have not tried it since.

[wildwood]

Khandro; I find your story regarding your wife's wart instant disappearance unbelievable.

[Cloverjo]

Thanks for telling me about that, khandro.

One of my worst fears is going to parties (I know there are worse things to be scared of, but that's my main thing).

Coming up to Christmas, I have to go to a couple of parties. The thought of them makes me sweat and shake. I'm scared of hypnotism to get through them, in case I behave like someone entirely not like me and people might think I've gone mad.

[Cloverjo]

I meant birdie, not khandro. Sorry.

[modeller]

I trained to do hypnosis primarily for self and family use . However I have used it on friends who needed help because their GPs treatment was not working. In general terms it was successful , but it was not a panacea .
My wife was cured of a life time of hay fever but ten years later she died
from liver cancer despite the NHS treatment and hypnosis.

[modeller]

I must point out however the recipient must want and believe in hypnosis .
No one can be hypnotised who doesn't want to be.

[modeller]

Cloverjo . A word of warning , under hypnosis you may do things you deep down 'WANT TO' but you really shouldn't.