Why is hypnotism a real thing?

[IndigoChild5559]

It doesn't make any sense to my that hypnotism is real, yet science says it is.

What is hypnotism, why does it work, and is it related to the placebo effect. also, what is the next level of this magical power -will we be able to transfer thoughts and communicate subliminally in 3,000 years? Will we be able to see into the future?

Just... Why..?

Asking WHY hypnotism is a real thing is like asking why sleep is a real thing. Because God did it that way in her wisdom LOL. Seriously though, human beings have many different states of consciousness, and the hypnotic state is simply one of them.

It is a relaxed state in which one is very susceptible to suggestion -- some of us more than others. I'm not very suggestible at all; no hypnotist is able to get my hand to float up for example. Others are so suggestible that you can get them to squawk like chickens, stop smoking, lose weight... Hypnosis also creates a very malleable state where it is easy to create false memories, which is why therapists no longer use it to determine things like early childhood abuse.

Science doesn't truly understand the trance-like state of hypnosis -- but then again, science doesn't really understand consciousness in general. We know that one enters hypnosis through a concentrated focused awareness, such as listening to a metronome, focusing on a spot of light on the wall, or staring at the dividing line on a road as you drive straight through the desert. We know that it heightens both suggestibility and imagination. What we don't know is why or how.

One hypothesis (and it is only a hypothesis) is that in hypnosis, one has direct connection with the subconscious mind. There is some physiological evidence to this -- EEG's resemble those of sleep. But again, this is not overwhelming evidence. We just really don't understand hypnosis.

 

[Windwalker]

I suppose it is possible. If one could really bypass your conscious awareness, you might get some thought/desire pushed into the unconscious mind.

Yes, this is how cultural programming works. We are all hypnotized.

 

[beenherebeforeagain]

My brother claims that in high school a hypnotist had him on all four, barking like a dog in an auditorium in front of the whole school. He said he felt humiliated afterwards.

Could that be true?

Yes, it could be true. I had to impersonate The Fonz, be a striptease dancer and take part in some other activities. During that first session, which was strictly for entertainment, I was incredibly po'd at the hypnotist for making me be the Fonz...but his post-hypnotic suggestions cleared up my emotional response. The hypnotist should have been able to ease your brother's reaction.

 

[beenherebeforeagain]

Sometimes when I look out a window, I freeze and just space off on a focused object... Does that mean I have hypnotized myself?

...Because I've never been hypnotized that I know of, so I'm curious.

maybe...or you just zoned out...may or may not be the same thing...

 

[Brickjectivity]

My brother claims that in high school a hypnotist had him on all four, barking like a dog in an auditorium in front of the whole school. He said he felt humiliated afterwards.

Could that be true?

Yes. It is possible.

 

[IndigoChild5559]

My brother claims that in high school a hypnotist had him on all four, barking like a dog in an auditorium in front of the whole school. He said he felt humiliated afterwards.

Could that be true?

Yes.

"She turned me into a newt!
...I got better."

 

[IndigoChild5559]

Sometimes when I look out a window, I freeze and just space off on a focused object... Does that mean I have hypnotized myself?

...Because I've never been hypnotized that I know of, so I'm curious.

Yes, that is mild hypnosis. If by focusing on that object you went off into yourself, and sort of lost touch, that would be a deeper hypnosis.

 

[Etritonakin]

Presently, humans are of a nature to be warlike and/or manipulative -seeking "weaknesses" in anything which may give them advantage -or because they are inconsiderate, intrigued, bored, etc.
The complex human mind is capable of wondrous things due to its complexity, but it wasn't really made for extreme security or invulnerability.

Ideally, people would be respectful of each other rather than attempting to manipulate the thoughts and actions of others -allowing others to be informed and conscious of their decisions.
That's how things will be one day -but now we do things ranging from finding relatively innocent mental tricks to mass-manipulation.

The brain is made of up various systems which do various things. The part which is actually "us" -knowingly making decisions based on knowledge available thus far -is only a small part of the overall system. Most have little idea how their brain works -or that the brain does things automatically -without our knowledge or consent -analyzing data - helping us survive on one level which is more automatic and "animal" -but also thereby allowing us to make better decisions, be more creative, etc. on a conscious level. Manipulating or bypassing the conscious decision-making area or process is the goal of many -from advertisers to military strategists.
The same principle would also be true for sorcery/witchcraft, influence by spirits, etc.

Be very aware of who you are -your principles - what you do and do not really want to do -what you should and should not do -and know that many are trying to influence or even supersede "you" every day!

 

[Cooky]

Yes, that is mild hypnosis. If by focusing on that object you went off into yourself, and sort of lost touch, that would be a deeper hypnosis.

Yes, that's what happens. A few of my daughters and I tend to do it somewhat frequently. We refer to it as being "frozen", and we notice when each other do it.

...My wife, and my more talkative daughter seem to never do it.

 

[IndigoChild5559]

Yes, that's what happens. A few of my daughters and I tend to do it somewhat frequently. We refer to it as being "frozen", and we notice when each other do it.

...My wife, and my more talkative daughter seem to never do it.

I've always called it "spacing out" or "being lost in my thoughts." I do it frequently as well, particularly when I'm driving (I have to make a conscious effort to stay out of that condition).

 

[Cooky]

I've always called it "spacing out" or "being lost in my thoughts." I do it frequently as well, particularly when I'm driving (I have to make a conscious effort to stay out of that condition).

I think people who don't do it are prone to anxiety attacks, from my observations.

 

[Spirit of Light]

It doesn't make any sense to my that hypnotism is real, yet science says it is.

What is hypnotism, why does it work, and is it related to the placebo effect. also, what is the next level of this magical power -will we be able to transfer thoughts and communicate subliminally in 3,000 years? Will we be able to see into the future?

Just... Why..?

Human beings have at least two consciousnesses, The one we call the main consciousness and the other is subconsciousness, Hypnosis takes "contact" with the subconscious side of our being, as far as I know, they hypnotherapist ask certain questions to get our main consciousness to let subconsciousness arise to the front of our consciousness. "look like a trance" to the untrained eye.

 

[Brickjectivity]

I've always called it "spacing out" or "being lost in my thoughts." I do it frequently as well, particularly when I'm driving (I have to make a conscious effort to stay out of that condition).

...or like if your child asks you permission and you absentmindedly say 'Yes' but then don't remember saying 'Yes'.

 

[Shadow Wolf]

My brother claims that in high school a hypnotist had him on all four, barking like a dog in an auditorium in front of the whole school. He said he felt humiliated afterwards.

Could that be true?

General rule of thumb, something like that no, and you generally will not get people to do something they wouldn't already do. But assuming a random person who wouldn't normally or want to act like a dog, it won't happen.

 

[Darkforbid]

General rule of thumb, something like that no, and you generally will not get people to do something they wouldn't already do. But assuming a random person who wouldn't normally or want to act like a dog, it won't happen.

"A hypnotist cannot influence anyone to do anything against their will”

We know simply by delving into the history of hypnosis of many examples of unwanted influence. There are many modern day incidents, some of which are recorded on CCTV cameras, such as cashiers being hypnotised and handing over the money in their tills because they were put into a trance state, or people being shocked into trance and robbed in the street. Indeed, we have only to think of advertisers and politicians and rabble-rousers and gurus – all artificially induce the REM state in the people they wish to influence.

“A person’s own ‘moral code’ will protect them from doing anything against their own best interests”

There is no evidence that people can be relied upon not to do things against their own best interests and masses of evidence that they do so all the time. People’s moral codes are as flexible and changeable as the climate.

 

[Cooky]

"A hypnotist cannot influence anyone to do anything against their will”

We know simply by delving into the history of hypnosis of many examples of unwanted influence. There are many modern day incidents, some of which are recorded on CCTV cameras, such as cashiers being hypnotised and handing over the money in their tills because they were put into a trance state, or people being shocked into trance and robbed in the street. Indeed, we have only to think of advertisers and politicians and rabble-rousers and gurus – all artificially induce the REM state in the people they wish to influence.

“A person’s own ‘moral code’ will protect them from doing anything against their own best interests”

There is no evidence that people can be relied upon not to do things against their own best interests and masses of evidence that they do so all the time. People’s moral codes are as flexible and changeable as the climate.

So you're suggesting that being hypnotized is not just 'playing along' as like an actor in Hollywood or a play.

 

[Shadow Wolf]

We know simply by delving into the history of hypnosis of many examples of unwanted influence. There are many modern day incidents, some of which are recorded on CCTV cameras, such as cashiers being hypnotised and handing over the money in their tills because they were put into a trance state, or people being shocked into trance and robbed in the street. Indeed, we have only to think of advertisers and politicians and rabble-rousers and gurus – all artificially induce the REM state in the people they wish to influence.

There is no sound and empirical evidence to show hypnosis can achieve those things.

 

[beenherebeforeagain]

So you're suggesting that being hypnotized is not just 'playing along' as like an actor in Hollywood or a play.

Some (few) might 'play along,' but most people are really hypnotizable to some degree

 

[IndigoChild5559]

...or like if your child asks you permission and you absentmindedly say 'Yes' but then don't remember saying 'Yes'.

Or worse, you say yes, and don't even remember what the child was asking for, or even that they asked because you were busy on the computer. LOL

 

[beenherebeforeagain]

Or worse, you say yes, and don't even remember what the child was asking for, or even that they asked because you were busy on the computer. LOL

Who would EVER do something like that????