NFT: Do You Believe in Hypnosis?

for people who are susceptible

Some people can't be.

if he believes in hypnosis.

Back when I was practicing dentisty, I had a patient who taught hypnosis (I actually took some training with him) and said that he hypnotized himself for pain control when I worked on him. Except that he also had me turn up the nitrous oxide to the highest setting. I play cassettes in my office for a time, and one day he had me play the Bat Out of Hell album at 8am. I was totally freaking out.

In comment 16016297 Giantology said:

Quote:

if he believes in hypnosis.

Good observation. I’m probably also still in a trance.

In comment 16016306 Bill in UT said:

Quote:

Back when I was practicing dentisty, I had a patient who taught hypnosis (I actually took some training with him) and said that he hypnotized himself for pain control when I worked on him. Except that he also had me turn up the nitrous oxide to the highest setting. I play cassettes in my office for a time, and one day he had me play the Bat Out of Hell album at 8am. I was totally freaking out.

Nitrous is among the best human accomplishments. Meatloaf too.

In comment 16016310 christian said:

Quote:

In comment 16016306 Bill in UT said: Quote: Back when I was practicing dentisty, I had a patient who taught hypnosis (I actually took some training with him) and said that he hypnotized himself for pain control when I worked on him. Except that he also had me turn up the nitrous oxide to the highest setting. I play cassettes in my office for a time, and one day he had me play the Bat Out of Hell album at 8am. I was totally freaking out. Nitrous is among the best human accomplishments. Meatloaf too.

No argument here

My favorite experiences with nitrous are the aftermath of people who insist they aren’t any different when gassed in nitrous.

Smoker. "Went to hypnotist group bullshit the other night to quit smoking, the old lady made me go, what a waste of fucking time and money. We get in there, there's like 50 of us, this guy starts talking and talking he's so freaking boring I went to sleep. $150 so I could sleep in a chair for 45 minutes. Stupidest waste of time ever."

Me, "I don't see a pack of cigarettes in your pocket."

Johnny, "I quit on my own the next day, who needs that hypnotism bullshit."

All said without a hint of irony.

So yeah, I believe it. I can't be hypnotized my mind is too spacy but I used to live when Stern had the hypnotists on. Always a fun listen fake or not

Yeah. And I also believe in ghosts, that Oswald acted alone, & James Dolan is the devil incarnate.

Johnny Van is an excellent name for a character who doesn’t believe in hypnotism.

I saw a show once at a fair that had me willing to believe at times....

My suspicion is he had a few plants as well as a few normies.

He sent a few off that it wasnt "working" for ... but the over the top miley cyrus musical performance to end the show was a little too good not to be an act.

Yeah I’ve seen the fair act too. I’m sure there are plants.

I deeply want to believe in it. A world with hypnotists is a better world.

In comment 16016328 SFGFNCGiantsFan said:

Quote:

Yeah. And I also believe in ghosts, that Oswald acted alone, & James Dolan is the devil incarnate.

One of those is incontrovertible.

... in hypnosis. My mom was a lifelong smoker, tried all kinds of things to quit. Nothing worked. Went to a hypnotist and voila. Cold turkey for 30+ years now.

This is the she-witch who attacked me digitally in my sleep.



In addition to hypnosis, she also practices Past Life Regression therapy, so there’s that.

for smoking back in 1994. Whatever it was, it wasn't any kind of deep hypnosis. But I haven't smoked or desired a smoke in 29 years. The dude did something right.
That's my only experience.
And I had tried all the patches and gum and cold turkey before with no lasing effect.

So this thread has been quite eye opening. Doubt it'll work for me, but it'd be fun telling people how a Giants forum helped me quit.

insists hypnosis cured her IBS many years ago.

some people. I do not think I am one of them.

We did a thing for High School seniors on graduation night at the county fair grounds to keep them off the roads and from wrapping themselves around telephone poles. Activities all night, bands, games, food etc, until about 6 AM...
They had a hypnotist attend a couple years and he he was able to get about 5 or 6 kids to volunteer. He was able to get them all under and do the wacky things that were asked of them - nothing dangerous. When they came back out, none remembered what they did. But the parents and/or their friends had video of them under...

I’m a therapist and could probably comment on this a bit. What you experienced is not hypnosis. Our brain is not completely turned off. There are lots of different theories on what impacts our dreams, which nothing close to anything solid. Some theorize it’s the unresolved stuff from our day, last stuff we thought about before bed, or stimulation during sleep. As someone with major chronic pain (I’m up 5-6 times per night because of my hips and back), I know when I have a lot of pain, my dreams are terrifying and usually tangentially related to where I feel pain.

As for hypnosis, Milton Erickson is considered the father of hypnosis in therapy, brief therapy, and using “trance” like states to encourage change. Fascinating guy. This isn’t a clock on a string. Many therapists (myself included), would argue that you get in a trance like state all the time, when listening to someone you connect with, or hear “certain words”. I have clients repeat back to me things that I shared with them, verbatim, and insist it was an original thought (that’s a good thing…). Initially, I’ll have them say a corrective thought outloud, which feels absurd, but it can become almost a hypnotic code word (think something like your kid is screaming and you say outloud in front of a mirror, “I don’t have to fix this” because we practiced it in therapy. Chances are, you’ll even remember a piece of our session when we practiced it, hence the drop in heart rate, etc.

My therapist is a hypnotist. I asked him to hypnotize me once. We did a little bit of it. It’s not what you would think it is like. You have to be willing to get into a trance like state and then particular phrasing just hits you and sticks forever. Hypnotherapy is that on steroids. Some people are more willing than others. I’m skeptical of everything, especially myself, my own feelings, and my field, and read books on rational thought for fun. People like that are terrible for hypnosis. So if you see something like hypnosis for entertainment (which is typically asinine), a hypnotist is looking for people that meet certain criteria (and people that go to those obviously are self-filtering). People that are really swayed by political speakers, or really “get in the spirit” at church, are more inclined to want to be swayed.

Anyway. I typed this on my phone. What a typical BS therapist response worthy of my field!

Thanks Jesse, that’s fascinating.

I think what was so bizarre to me is that I could hear and process what I was listening to in my earphones, and it was crystal clear part of my dreams.

I’ve had the sounds of my alarm clock or a truck outside meld into a dream, but this was a commanding presence.

I’m sure it’s just a coincidence what I was accidentally listening to was a hypnosis podcast. But yikes, it really freaked me out.

And yeah, "waking up" to that would be unnerving.

But if pain is hurting your sleep I can relate. I'm on a time crunch to finish up a house and spending my days doing extensive body crushing labor. Everything hurts, can't get comfortable etc. My musician buddy got me some indica edibles and I sleep like a baby. Temporary measure until all this work is done but no side effects, no waking up groggy, just a solid night's sleep and all that uncomfortable soreness is just a little stiffness.

I am a convert.

In comment 16016422 j_rud said:

Quote:

And yeah, "waking up" to that would be unnerving.

Freaked me out big time.

I’m open minded about basically anything. But having a hypnotist some how sneak into playlist while I’m sleeping is a new one!

My mother was hypnotized when giving birth to me in lieu of drugs and she said it worked for her (though this was 50 years ago). I do think it depends on the person. With respect to your experience, my first thought was that your issue was more related to poor/lack of sleep. I often have similar issues when sleep deprived. Just a thought!

She kinda hot. Except for the thumbs.

lol

IMO

I talk with this guy in my sleep that says is not's healthy.

It worked on Kevin Bacon didn't it? It helped him when he was told to DIG, even though the girl was in the wall.

you see on TV, the movies or stage productions.

Basically, it's putting you in a deep state of relaxation and making you susceptible to suggestion. You have to want to be hypnotized. Nobody can do to you if you don't want it.

I used it to quit smoking a long time ago. It worked.

I don’t believe I would be susceptible to any hypnotic suggestion. That’s just me.

Back in the 80s, my older sister's best friend had lots of issues due to her biological father and her parents' divorce. My sister lived in an apt one floor down from a guy that was really 'out there' by my opinion. He was a hippie, really into incense, spiritual healing, how the body processes food, etc. Super mellow guy, incredibly nice too. He said he would do some hypno therapy with Denise. Denise said she would like me to be there just to reduce her nervousness.

While some details are fuzzy, I can't remember how he 'put her under'...just talking to her I think, she definitely fell into some level of a trance...closed eyes, relaxed body, etc. For about 30 minutes he took her through many traumatic incidents where she acted like she was reliving it in real time including screaming, crying, and arm movements like defending herself or punching her aggressor. Denise was exhausted by the end, but very relaxed even though 10 minutes earlier wanted to run away and/or attack her perceived aggressor.

As it turned out she was abused in many ways by her father at a very young age. Still needs/gets therapy today.

For me it was a real eye-opening experience. I do believe there are a rare few people who do see, feel, hear the world differently and this guy was one of them.

She hypnotized me when we met and when I pulled out of 30 years later, I found myself completely domesticated, apologizing for no reason, answering to silly names, giving all my money to her, tuition bills for three kids, throw pillows everywhere, Hallmark on the TV, and friends that I happily no longer hang with.

With the price of eggs these days, who knows what will happen?
Link - ( New Window )

.
The Amazing Alexander - ( New Window )

Jim that’s a great one. Along those same lines.
Ed Glosser - Trivial Psychic - ( New Window )

In comment 16016426 oghwga said:

Quote:

But if pain is hurting your sleep I can relate. I'm on a time crunch to finish up a house and spending my days doing extensive body crushing labor. Everything hurts, can't get comfortable etc. My musician buddy got me some indica edibles and I sleep like a baby. Temporary measure until all this work is done but no side effects, no waking up groggy, just a solid night's sleep and all that uncomfortable soreness is just a little stiffness. I am a convert.

I already do that. Thanks for the rec. though. I highly recommend it to people as well. It helps me a tiny bit, but it's more just enjoyable lol. I wouldn't say it helps with the pain, for me. It helps me sleep through it a little more. This has been ongoing for nearly a decade. Going to HSS on Friday! Woohoo!

In comment 16016587 Beer Man said:

Quote:

She hypnotized me when we met and when I pulled out of 30 years later, I found myself completely domesticated, apologizing for no reason, answering to silly names, giving all my money to her, tuition bills for three kids, throw pillows everywhere, Hallmark on the TV, and friends that I happily no longer hang with.

😆 and you would do it all over again

Back in the day, My parents told me that my Uncle was hypnotised at some event. He was made to do some weird stuff and then they woke him. He wasnt planted and didnt remember any of it....but everyone else was amused.

So its a bit scary to know that someone can get into your brain. I think thats what brainwashing is to some extent. At some point, people are subject to influence.

There's parts of me that would be curious if it would work on anxiety and/or lowering blood pressure etc.

The other part of me would be concerned about being in that position.

Is it science, spiritual (good or bad), or BS?
I dont know.

...in front of close to 5,000 people. He was called up at random from the crowd and proceeded to cluck like a chicken in front of everyone after being hypnotized.
He was one of roughly 16 people called up to the stage and out of those about 2-3 of them didn't fall under hypnosis. His assistant just walked them quickly off stage while the others went into a trance. I didn't believe it was possible until I saw that.

In comment 16016809 Pete in CO said:

Quote:

...in front of close to 5,000 people. He was called up at random from the crowd and proceeded to cluck like a chicken in front of everyone after being hypnotized. He was one of roughly 16 people called up to the stage and out of those about 2-3 of them didn't fall under hypnosis. His assistant just walked them quickly off stage while the others went into a trance. I didn't believe it was possible until I saw that.

Oddly enough, thats what they made my uncle do too, but that was in the 1970's. Crazy stuff.