self hypnosis

**Posts:** 7 · by **avi8856455** » Sat Aug 08, 2015 8:47 pm

hey everyone my name is avi and i would like to ask some questions about hypnosis.
i have read "the Power Of Your Subconscious Mind" by joseph murphy (this isnt directly about hypnosis, but it has some connections.. dry suggestios are still suggestions) and "instant Self-Hypnosis: How to Hypnotize Yourself with Your Eyes Open"
now, from what i understood in order to hypnotize myself i need to read a script and follow the instructions (imagine, breath), and then refer to the specific script which aims to my goal.. quit smoking, lose weight etc.., i just wanna make sure this is the right way, the main script commands me to imagine myself on a beach, on a elevator and to count from 1 to 10
i hope this sounds familiar
so if everything is right so far.. and this is the best way to hypnotize myself proceed reading the rest, if not please tell me whats wrong
* how can i know i'm hypnotized? i tried reading it twice, the first time it affected me and i got to some weird sleepy mode after reading the main script, but when i started reading the goal script i lost it, and on the second time i didnt get to the same state at all, i kept thinking about how its not going to work and how i'm still judgemental and the "critical factor" is still working on my thought.. am i supposed to still have a free thought or what? my mind was wandering and reading at the same time
* by the second book, the fact i'm reading the scripts are a distraction for the conscious and therfore what i'm reading will get in the subconscious.. i thought being hypnoitzed already bypasses the conscious thought, so if i'm hypnotized by reading the first script why i need to read the second? even more, why do i need to read the first script if doing the instructions inside it will get me in trance?
* what are the limits of hypnosis? what can it hit and what it cant? can you start / stop emotional deprivation with hypnosis? can you make yourself be more creative? can you make yourself be calm under every single situation? can you become a math genius.. i'm not asking for those specific goals i am just asking for limits
* about interacting with hypnosis out of hypnosis, ive heard a story about a man who could get in a hypnosis state when hearing a keyword, is that possible? even if it is done after defining that keyword in a pre hypnosis session, mention it
also can you cancel hypnotic suggestions effect with a keyword? like in a specific session i created a suggestion for acting calmly which will stop when i say the words scooby doo, so the day after i will calm like hell unless i will say scooby doo? does the subconscious listen to what i'm saying?
hell thats a lot of questions
id really like if you can confirm if what i did was right if you're short on time
thanks

**Posts:** 12131 · by **Richard@DecisionSkills** » Sat Aug 08, 2015 10:33 pm

avi8856455 wrote:... i thought being hypnoitzed already bypasses the conscious thought, so if i'm hypnotized by reading the first script why i need to read the second? even more, why do i need to read the first script if doing the instructions inside it will get me in trance?

* what are the limits of hypnosis? what can it hit and what it cant? can you start / stop emotional deprivation with hypnosis? can you make yourself be more creative? can you make yourself be calm under every single situation? can you become a math genius.. i'm not asking for those specific goals i am just asking for limits

Just my opinion, so take with a grain of salt.

The reason you need to read the second, is because each person that is marketing their version of hypnosis must make it slightly different in order to make theirs stand out from the competition. It has very little to do with actual, experimentally confirmed results...it is more a popularity contest based on testimonials. The method that has the most appealing narrative, the best testimonials and a good story will sell more books, seminars, etc. etc.

As to the limits. I believe hypnosis is primarily a placebo effect. If you write a script about being a math genius and you believe, i.e. you have strong faith then possibly you begin to take more math classes, you pay attention and frame things around you and in your world more in mathematical terms and to some extent the constant repetition of the scripts results in some indirect, trickle impact.

Consider a person that is incapable of simple addition. They write a script, they repeat the script and so as they walk by a book store, they window shop and what book will stand out? The books on math. So the person purchases a book on math. Continue repeating the script and the constant reminder, eventually he/she opens the book and learns the first lesson, simple addition.

Bottom line, I think hypnosis can be a useful tool in some situations. I have no real issue with people that are ethical selling pseudo-science to make the world a better place. And the placebo effect can be useful as well. I believe where the limits exist are in the inability to actually confirm any results, hence the ability for one method of hypnosis to say you need two scripts another to say the script must be read in XYZ manner, etc.

**Posts:** 7 · by **avi8856455** » Sun Aug 09, 2015 5:58 am

what? hypnosis is based on a placebo effect? oh no thats so so disappointing
if so then i guess the suggestios change my behaviour thanks to the placebo effect and the actual results come from my behaviour, thats what you're saying? thats still very disappointing.. i was looking forward to take advantage of my subconscious
how about non behavioural change? emotional change? i saw a post here about removing romantic connection, thats not based on behaviour, is that possible?
ill just get to the point, i want to become less affected by emotions, if not at all (which is best), is that possible to do considering its only a placebo effect?

**Posts:** 1435 · by **jargan** » Sun Aug 09, 2015 10:14 pm

avi8856455 wrote:what? hypnosis is based on a placebo effect? oh no thats so so disappointing

How is it disappointing when the result is exactly the same? If what you do to use the power of your mind gets a different name -- "placebo effect" instead of "hypnosis", does that change what happens... or is it just a bunch of different words?
Something worth thinking about, maybe...

**Posts:** 34 · by **Navid** » Mon Aug 10, 2015 11:21 am

i am not agree with forbes robbins blair . i suggest you try betty erickson self hypnosis . just google it and you can find how to do it
good luck

**Posts:** 12131 · by **Richard@DecisionSkills** » Mon Aug 10, 2015 9:36 pm

avi8856455 wrote:ill just get to the point, i want to become less affected by emotions, if not at all (which is best), is that possible to do considering its only a placebo effect?

No, hypnosis will not allow you to be unaffected by emotion. Write all the scripts you want, use any method of hypnosis you want and I guarantee that when your plane begins to crash, someone points a gun at you or someone close to you dies you will experience strong emotions.

And Navid reinforces my original point, there is the "forbes robbin blair" method and the "betty erickson" method and the "julius fawcett" method and the "tony robbins" method and the "XYZ" method, various competitors each selling their version of hypnosis, none of which can confirm results through any other way than testimonials. If you believe a method worked for you then you write a glowing testimonial that is published and used as promotional material. If on the other hand you believe the method did not work for you then it is your fault, that you must not be doing it correctly or maybe it is just not the method for you. You will not find negative testimonials.

Certainly there are ways to reduce and gain control over one's emotions. CBT deals with anger, depression, etc. etc. This type of therapy might include repetitive behaviors to reinforce a certain thought process so that when you experience a specific trigger you are consciously aware of how to better react. To what extent that process works it's way into the subconscious...I don't know.

**Posts:** 7 · by **avi8856455** » Tue Aug 11, 2015 5:35 am

Richard@DecisionSkills wrote:
avi8856455 wrote:ill just get to the point, i want to become less affected by emotions, if not at all (which is best), is that possible to do considering its only a placebo effect?

No, hypnosis will not allow you to be unaffected by emotion. Write all the scripts you want, use any method of hypnosis you want and I guarantee that when your plane begins to crash, someone points a gun at you or someone close to you dies you will experience strong emotions.
.

i know what i want is possible with other people, their amygdala does not procees fear and other emotions
well maybe i can settle with less, you mentioned highly dangerous states, but what about anything less than that? is that possible?

**Posts:** 2958 · by **quietvoice** » Tue Aug 11, 2015 12:24 pm

avi8856455 wrote: i know what i want is possible with other people, their amygdala does not procees fear and other emotions
well maybe i can settle with less, you mentioned highly dangerous states, but what about anything less than that? is that possible?

I agree that it can be done. One route that you can go is to look into the "three principles" of Mind, Consciousness, and Thought online.

**Posts:** 12131 · by **Richard@DecisionSkills** » Tue Aug 11, 2015 1:07 pm

avi8856455 wrote: i know what i want is possible with other people, their amygdala does not procees fear and other emotions
well maybe i can settle with less, you mentioned highly dangerous states, but what about anything less than that? is that possible?

How do you know their "amygdala" does not process fear? Did you watch their brain activity in a scanner while exposed to different stimuli?

At this point the thread has shifted from can hypnosis turn me into a genius in math to can hypnosis help me control emotions. Those are quite different issues.

Consider, a monk with decades of training can achieve a state of calm, they can go so far as to be calm or at least appear calm as they set themselves on fire in protest (self-immolation). So achieving this level of control is possible. But a monk is not using hypnosis, a monk is not reading scripts. A monk uses the ancient technique of meditation.

And the amygdala of the monk is still functioning. That same monk will still experience fear and other emotions, especially when faced with a new or unexpected environment or situation. A week before self-immolation, walking down the street with his fellow monks, he will still experience a bump in adrenaline when a fast moving car behind him blows their horn. This slight bump allows him to react quickly to get out of the way. If a fellow monk that he has known for decades and is like a brother to him is unfortunately struck and is killed at that moment, the monk will still experience the pain of loss. Monks are human.

If you are looking to reduce the intensity of your emotions, I do think mediation and to some extent even hypnosis can be an effective tool. The main reason, in my opinion, is that meditation is a simple concept that focuses on tranquility, that focuses on achieving a state of calm, nothingness, of emptying the mind (like hypnosis, the purpose of meditation is different dependent on who you ask). Anyway, I believe a person that is highly skilled at meditation can handle stressful situations and can better control their emotions more readily than others. Having that skill allows them to remain calm and/or obtain a calm state faster. Their amygdala still functions.

**Posts:** 6 · by **Krish Davis** » Sat Mar 12, 2016 10:41 am

Connect with Facebook groups or any other social media sites to find out more from experts in the field of Hypnotism. Cheers!

**Posts:** 9885 · by **Candid** » Sat Mar 12, 2016 8:52 pm

avi8856455 wrote:the main script commands me to imagine myself on a beach, on a elevator and to count from 1 to 10
i hope this sounds familiar

Yes, it does. I first heard it in a Silva Method (silvamethod.com) workshop about 25 years ago.

how can i know i'm hypnotized?

As soon as you ask the question, you've lost it. Just go with whatever feelings you have and assume you're there. It would be better to record your script so you don't have to read it and can have your eyes closed. Silva used to hand out tapes at the end of their admittedly expensive five-day program.

am i supposed to still have a free thought or what? my mind was wandering and reading at the same time

Your mind needs to wander. The opposite, concentration, is a beta (awake) function, whereas subconscious material lies in the alpha level: the dream state. Beta, alpha, theta and delta are all measurable brainwaves in which beta is 13 cycles or more per second (the buzzing awake mind) and delta is deep sleep from which it's difficult to wake someone. http://www.brainworksneurotherapy.com/w ... brainwaves The relaxed but alert alpha state is the one to aim for... and you can't keep stopping to consult a written script, hence the recording suggestion.

By the way, you don't want to stop your emotions; they're friendly guides and warnings. Fear and anger let you know something's wrong so you can do something about it. You might like Abraham Hicks on the subject (abraham-hicks.com). They say there are only too emotions, one feels good and one feels bad, and they encourage us to pursue the good feelings. Makes sense, right?

As to the limitations of hypnosis or self-hypnosis, who knows? I'm never going to be a mathematical genius. That sentence is an affirmation; not that I wouldn't like it necessarily, but that experience suggests I'm a klutz with numbers. Ooops, there's another one. Your subconscious is never likely to override long-held conscious beliefs and experience, to say nothing of the opinions of teachers.

Simple affirmations can be every bit as powerful as trying to put yourself in a trance, and as Wayne Dyer wrote, you'll see it when you believe it. And yes, the subconscious does listen to what you're saying but it knows when you're kidding, based on what you've already got in there. Another great teacher, Louise Hay, says you need to follow affirmations by looking for the evidence.

Example:
Affirmation: I am losing weight (you don't have to say it aloud, just think it often, especially in the presence of food)
Feeling: This feels good. I'll be able to wear those jeans again... and I'll feel healthier, more inclined to exercise...
Evidence: New distaste for junk foods, making smaller meals, being more active

It's something that gets easier as you start feeling and then seeing results. And I really recommend the Silva Method!

**Posts:** 54 · by **Robert Plamondon** » Tue Mar 15, 2016 3:46 am

avi8856455 wrote:what? hypnosis is based on a placebo effect? oh no thats so so disappointing

That's the wrong way to look at it. The right way of looking at it is that the placebo effect is one example of hypnosis.

In clinical drug trials, the control group generally does better than people who receive no treatment at all, because of the power of expectancy: there are all these medical get-well rituals that tell your unconscious mind that it's time to get well. If the drug also helps, so much the better.

Keep in mind that people doing controlled trials are not trained hypnotists and they consider the power of suggestion to be a nuisance that interferes with their experiments, rather than a fundamental part of their healing arts. So they're really bad at it. Nevertheless, it works so well that it's hard for even a pretty good drug to stand head and shoulders above a placebo.

If you think of the placebo effect as (generally) a case of unintended or sloppy hypnosis, you have an inking of what the real thing is like.

Also, remember that there's such a thing as the "nocebo effect," where suggestion makes someone worse instead of better. There are many documented cases of people wasting away and dying after being cursed, for instance. As a hypnotherapist, a lot of my time is spent reversing the bad suggestions my clients accepted somewhere along the way.

Robert

**Posts:** 135 · by **saladinsmith** » Tue Mar 15, 2016 2:35 pm

Robert Plamondon wrote:That's the wrong way to look at it. The right way of looking at it is that the placebo effect is one example of hypnosis.

This. So much this.

I remember a study where they tested how effective prayer was for healing. They'd have patients in the hospital, and some of them would be prayed for, others would not, some would be told that someone was praying for them, and others would not. One thing they found was that when a patient was told that someone was praying for them -- whether someone really was, or not -- they got worse. Apparently in the patient's mind, being told by scientific types that someone was praying for them meant that their illness was beyond the abilities of the doctors, and all they could do was pray, and so it had the nocebo effect, even though that hadn't been what was intended.

Some scientists will say that hypnosis is the placebo effect, just because there's no way to properly conduct experiments on it. In a proper experiment, you have a control group who thinks that they're being hypnotized, but aren't. The thing is, when someone thinks they're being hypnotized, it actually works on them. So the control group will usually have the same results as the hypnosis group.

I'm difficult to hypnotize. I've had one hypnotist work with me for months, and eventually it did get to the point where he was able to put me into trance pretty quickly, though I tended to pop right back out. But so that he knew when I was in trance, he told me to say "I sleep" when I dropped. And then one day we were hanging out with someone else, who was joking around, pretending to be a really bad hypnotist, and just as a joke, I said "I sleep". Instantly I dropped into trance -- it was nothing to do with what the "hypnotist" was doing. Just the act of pretending to drop caused me to actually drop.

I could tell you dozens of stories like this, but I've already rambled on long enough. But there are even inductions out there revolving around this idea. Basically saying, "Don't try to go into trance for me now. Just pretend like you are." And it works as in induction, sometimes even better with difficult subjects than a regular induction would.

**Posts:** 54 · by **Robert Plamondon** » Tue Mar 15, 2016 3:42 pm

saladinsmith wrote:
Some scientists will say that hypnosis is the placebo effect, just because there's no way to properly conduct experiments on it. In a proper experiment, you have a control group who thinks that they're being hypnotized, but aren't. The thing is, when someone thinks they're being hypnotized, it actually works on them. So the control group will usually have the same results as the hypnosis group.

Some scientists should learn how to do their jobs. Experiments with a control group are an interesting special case of experimental design, but they're by no means the whole shebang.

Possibly the worst thing researchers have to struggle with is that people are social animals. Whether we do what we're told depends on the rapport we have with the other people involved. Years ago, at Stanford, Ernest Hilgard got rid of a lot of the interpersonal variability by eliminating the hypnotist, using the same reel-to-reel audio recording for every subject. Some of them achieved positive and negative hallucinations and everything! But even then, if one subject found that the voice on the recording reminded him of someone he respected, and another subject found that the voice reminded him of someone he hated, this accidental response would muddy up the data.

None of this presents an insuperable obstacle, especially when one realizes that blinded tests aren't the sundae, but the cherry on top. Inventions and breakthroughs come from elsewhere. You use anecdotal information, personal experience, and odd manifestations of unexpected results when creating something new, and only go through the social ritual of controlled experiments after you're done, to prove your point.

(The most interesting and under-used approach is to find a way of measuring success and then seeing which PRACTITIONERS seem to have the best success, and studying them, not their clients. Michael Lambert's research into therapeutic effectiveness is a good example. He still doesn't know how or why therapy works, but now there are tests that can measure progress with reasonable accuracy, and good practitioners are consistently WAY better than average or bad ones. Surely the best practitioners -- and the worst -- hold the key to understanding effective therapy. Not the ones in the middle. Yet most studies assume their conclusions by treating practitioners are interchangeable parts, and bogosity ensues.)

saladinsmith wrote:I could tell you dozens of stories like this, but I've already rambled on long enough. But there are even inductions out there revolving around this idea. Basically saying, "Don't try to go into trance for me now. Just pretend like you are." And it works as in induction, sometimes even better with difficult subjects than a regular induction would.

Thanks for mentioning this! I'd forgotten it. Hypnosis is all about the imagination, so asking someone to pretend something moves them close enough to touch it. I seem to recall that MRI scans can tell the difference between a hypnotized subject with a suggestion for a numb arm vs. a non-hypnotized subject "pretending" to have a numb arm, but I suspect either of us could close the gap tremendously with small differences in wording for the "pretending" subject, simply by shifting the frame from "technique acting" to "method acting."

Robert

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