Who can be hypnotized? How can I protect myself from hypnosis?
Posted on May 5, 2018 by NLP Hypnosis Centre.
Olivier Hidalgo
Who can be hypnotized?
These are some of the questions and comments I receive most frequently.
Can all people be hypnotized?
How can I protect myself from hypnosis?
How can you protect me from being hypnotized?
They can not hypnotize me because I’m very smart
They can not hypnotize me because I am very analytical.
The smarter the easier to hypnotize.
Summary.
Almost all (although in theory it is said all) can enter into hypnosis. Some very easily and are chosen as volunteers in the Stage Hypnosis. It takes more time and practice for others.
The best way to protect yourself against hypnosis is to learn hypnosis … and experience hypnosis by entering hypnosis at least once.
Very analytical people can certainly enter into hypnosis.
There is no scientific evidence of a direct correlation between hypnosis and greater or lesser intelligence.
Long explanation.
Let’s start by defining what hypnosis is.
Hypnosis is a technique that leads to the hypnotic state, sometimes called hypnotic trance.
The hypnotic state is a state of total concentration. A state of total focus on something, someone or a goal. During the hypnotic state you more easily access your subconscious by temporarily dismissing the Critical Factor or Critical Faculty. During the hypnotic state you accept suggestions more easily.
During the hypnotic state – or during hypnosis – so-called hypnotic phenomena can occur, such as forgetting numbers, forgetting your name, seeing things that are not there or not seeing things that are there, such as having a shoe in your hand and not seeing it. These hypnotic phenomena are widely used in stage hypnosis.
The subconscious does not distinguish between true or false, between truth and lie. Accept information based on experience, authority and familiarity. For example, if during your childhood, several adults, teachers and relatives told you that you should not study engineering because you are not good with numbers. Your mind, your subconscious, accepts this as true, although in reality it was false and not based on any scientific study of what you can or cannot do.
And interestingly during his life … it will cost him the math, not because it is true that it is difficult for him, but because his subconscious is convinced that it is difficult for him.
In Stage Hypnosis, the hypnotist after doing several tests, after making a volunteer enter and exit several times of hypnosis, he makes the suggestion to the volunteer that he will not be able to remember a number, let’s say number 6 and make him count and he will forget the number 6
Why?
Because at that moment your subconscious is convinced that you cannot remember the number 6.
When I have done these experiments with clients, I ask them … What happened? What did you feel?
Many say, I knew number 6, I had it on the tip of my tongue, but I could not say it.
Have you ever happened to you that you have something “on the tip of your tongue”, but cannot remember what it was?
Sometimes I even ask them to write the number and they cannot do it.
It is simple and complex at the same time … the subconscious mind is convinced that the number 6 has been forgotten. Let us state that it is a temporary phenomenon.
And an interesting fact is that if a hypnotist does this test with someone whose life depends on numbers, say an Accountant, it will be more difficult, not impossible, to achieve this hypnotic phenomenon and sometimes it will not.
In theory, every person can be hypnotized with some exceptions. Because we can all concentrate. Of course there are people who for medical, physical or psychological reasons cannot or will not concentrate and therefore it would be more difficult for them to enter into hypnosis.
On the other hand it is not advisable to use hypnosis, without the full assistance of a medical expert, in people with mental problems, people with heart problems or with epilepsy.
And watch out … do not “play hypnosis” with children under 7 years old. It is said that at that age children accept suggestions very easily and therefore you can cause a lot of harm. Of course if you are a health care professional with experience in hypnosis or a professional hypnotist with experience in how to treat children is another story.
Among hypnotists we say that the best hypnotists in the world are parents because they have a lot of influence on the child’s subconscious mind.
Some hypnotists use … the more intelligent, the easier to hypnotize, but in reality there is no scientific proof that this is valid.
Similarly those who are against hypnosis, say … only the weak mind, ignorant people or easy to control and manipulate easily enter into hypnosis. There is also no scientific proof that this is valid.
There is no evidence that the smarter, the easier it is to enter hypnosis. Nor that only the ignorant, weak-minded or easy to manipulate or control then be hypnotized.
When someone asks me … How can I protect myself from someone who wants to hypnotize me, or control my mind and manipulate me?
For starters, hypnosis is not mind control. No one can force you to do something against your moral principles when you are in hypnosis or during the hypnotic state.
How to protect you against hypnosis?
Learn hypnosis.
When you learn hypnosis, you realize that hypnosis is not magic, that hypnosis is not a special power, that hypnosis is not enchantments, that hypnosis is not witchcraft.
When learning hypnosis, you understand that it is false that a hypnotist seeing you in the eyes can control you. This point is very interesting. I found many times that during a conversation someone asks me what do you for living, and if I answer “I am a hypnotist” … they immediately change the direction of their gaze, avoiding eye contact.
By learning hypnosis, you learn a little more (there is still much to learn) how your mind works, how suggestion works, how words, gestures and actions of others can influence your decisions.
For example, when I see a TV ad … I can better see who the ad is for and how the message goes to your mind and emotions.
Have you seen ads that you do not like, that you hate them? … I bet you remember what brand or company they were.
Have you seen ads that you liked a lot … do you wonder what emotions the ad creates on you?
Have you seen ads that have no influence on you … neither liked it nor hate it, were you indifferent? … Most likely you will not even remember who they were (these are the least effective in advertising).
Why do I mention ads when we are talking about hypnosis?
Because when learning hypnosis and how hypnosis really works you learn to see how your mind works and how others, whether for commercial, political, social or religious purposes, use principles related to the mind to influence you.
I always say … see and pay attention on YouTube to a video of Stage Hypnosis … then observe and pay attention to one of preaching – and especially healing – done by a religious leader.
You will find many similarities.
Blessings and Peace Profound,
Olivier Hidalgo
NLP Hypnosis Centre.
London, Ontario. Canada.