About Hypnosis

The word "hypnosis" implies sleep, though this poorly describes what is happening . There is no fully adequate single word to describe the hypnotic state though there are aspects in common with trance, dreamlike state, meditation, mental imaging, relaxation therapy.

Only a few things need to be understood. The first is that the mind can exist in several different states. The most obvious is the difference between being awake and sleep. Others can also exist. Although not to be recommended, all drivers will be aware of travelling a distance with one's mind on anything but the road, being safe and yet unable to recall any incident from the last  few miles of the journey. Being in a hypnotic trance is to be in another state of consciousness. Its value is that it allows access to the sub-conscious mind. (See diagram)

The conscious mind is everything that we feel, see and think and that we are aware of. The sub-conscious is all the mental activity that does not reach consciousness. We are not normally aware of what the sub-conscious is doing, even though its work is vital to our functioning and its activity is much greater than that of the conscious mind.

Hypnosis is achieved by asking the conscious mind to focus. By narrowing its span of attention, broader access to the sub-conscious becomes available. The deeper the trance the greater the access to the sub-conscious. Even when in a deep trance, like being in a deep sleep the person can come immediately to full awareness when a danger presents itself. Unlike being asleep, when in a hypnotic trance, the conscious mind still retains a large degree of awareness and control. Indeed, hypnotherapy is about increasing a person's control. The person often needs a measure of control in order to be able to enter, move about within and leave the hypnotic trance. Furthermore, medical hypnosis is very often about overcoming restrictions dictated by the sub-conscious mind and consequently enabling the person's free will to carry out and achieve more.

Hypnosis is a skill. All people have it, it can be developed and some people have a greater talent for it than others. The hypnotherapist acts as the trainer to the person allowing the individual to develop this skill. Patients who have been treated by hypnotherapy can be encouraged to do it themselves at home and gain on-going benefits.

The role of the medical hypnotist is to know which technique is appropriate for a particular patient with a given condition. This may be for a specific, known and well defined problem and can be approached directly. Alternatively there are techniques that are often content free. In these the hypnotherapist can work with the individual's sub-conscious mind with the detail being denied to both the conscious mind and the hypnotherapist. The advantage is that the sub-conscious can work on a particular topic that may be too painful to bring to the surface. It also means that the patient can benefit whilst at the same time being free from the fear of making embarrassing disclosures to the therapist. Hypnosis does not have to be deep in order to benefit.

Lastly it is important for the patient to have confidence in the technique and the therapist. If there are any doubts or there are questions raised, please do not be afraid to ask before starting.