Is it possible for hypnosis to control the actions of others?
What You Need to Know About Hypnosis
The term “hypnosis” is not unfamiliar to most people. It has been passed around in everyday conversation and frequently appears in movies, comics, and magic shows…
What is Hypnosis?
The word “hypnosis” originates from “Hypnos,” which translates from Greek to Vietnamese as “sleep.” However, the state of hypnosis is not directly related to sleep. In fact, hypnosis is more akin to a state that lies between sleep and wakefulness.
In psychology, hypnosis is defined as a mental state characterized by heightened imagination, concentration, and relaxation. The subject being hypnotized is not a slave to the hypnotist; rather, their will remains completely independent. They do not actually enter a dreamy state—hypnosis is the moment when their concentration peaks.
Some people are more susceptible to hypnosis than others, and studies show that women tend to be more easily hypnotized than men. According to research conducted by a psychologist at Stanford University, 10-15% of adults are very easily hypnotized, while this figure rises to 80-85% for children under 12 (an age when the brain’s processing cycle is not yet fully developed). Conversely, around 20% of adults find it very difficult to be hypnotized.
Hypnosis is often used in medicine or psychology to help individuals with psychological issues regain positive thoughts, eliminate mental obsessions, fears, or trauma, or even recover lost memories.
Hypnosis implies the ability to control the thoughts of others, leading them to act according to one’s wishes. The hypnotized individual seems to lose their ability to self-control, with their brain being entirely influenced by someone else. This misconception is often perpetuated by entertainment programs that provide audiences with basic concepts of hypnosis.
Many people have strange ideas about hypnosis. For instance, they believe that once someone is hypnotized, they cannot awaken or may be compelled to do bad or harmful things.
In reality, there are still many mysteries about hypnosis that many are unaware of. Let’s explore the details in the article below!
The Controlling Ability of Hypnosis
Hypnosis is indeed a strange art due to its ability to control the mind. Those who are hypnotized will completely follow the words of the hypnotist. However, many do not realize that some individuals are more susceptible to hypnosis than others. Scientists have conducted studies showing that the susceptibility to hypnosis varies among individuals. Children under 12 tend to be more easily hypnotized because their brain’s processing is not yet fully developed. Meanwhile, around 20% of adults find it quite challenging to be hypnotized.
Healing Through Hypnosis (Hypnotherapy)
In the realm of science, the primary function of hypnosis is its healing capability, commonly referred to as hypnotherapy. Hypnosis helps patients change many negative behaviors or enables them to forget unpleasant memories… This method aims for an unconscious change in the patient by placing them in a completely controlled state. While many still doubt this therapeutic method, others regard it as a legitimate practice and see it as a potential treatment avenue for the future.
Stage Hypnosis
In reality, there are two types of hypnosis: the therapeutic hypnosis mentioned above and stage hypnosis. This is what we often see in entertainment programs—hypnotists control the minds of the audience and make them perform actions at their command. This is indeed considered a tool for entertainment, as stage hypnotists use various other tricks along with hypnosis and often select participants beforehand. It helps to engage the crowd and makes them feel amazed; however, this method is minimally related to the true nature of hypnosis.
Self-Hypnosis
You may be surprised to know that we can also self-hypnotize without needing a hypnotist; all that is required is the necessary knowledge. There is a method called self-hypnosis, which allows you to use the subconscious to influence your behaviors in ways that consciousness cannot control. This method was discovered by a man named Coué, author of “Self-Mastery Through Conscious”, who detailed how we can place ourselves into a hypnotic state similar to that achieved by professional hypnotists.
Memory
In films or entertainment shows, hypnosis can also cause us to forget certain memories. Scientifically, this is somewhat accurate but only if the hypnotized person genuinely wishes to forget and follows the hypnotist’s instructions. Although these memories can easily resurface when triggered, they may be obstructed by the individual’s subconscious. Hypnosis also has the potential to help recover memories in a completely unconscious state. Many individuals who have been hypnotized report experiences of alien abduction or encounters with monsters… yet there is little to no evidence proving that these recovered memories were real events or merely instances of the subject convincing themselves of these occurrences.
The History of Hypnosis
Hypnosis is believed to have been used in the 1800s as a form of anesthesia, also known as “hypnoanesthesia.” However, history indicates that hypnosis was used much earlier than this. Recent findings suggest that ancient Egyptians and Greeks practiced this method in rituals dating back approximately 3000 years.
Self-Control
The ability to make others act according to your wishes is perhaps one of the greatest mysteries of hypnosis. However, as mentioned earlier, hypnosis is a state influenced by others, and some individuals are more susceptible to influence than others. Becoming a skilled therapist is the first requirement for a hypnotist. Consequently, they build trust by conversing with you and not revealing that they cannot actually control you to do their bidding. Actions taken while in a hypnotic state are entirely voluntary, and they cannot compel you to do unethical things or act against the beliefs you hold.
Is There Awareness While Being Hypnotized?
Many people believe that individuals often sleep while being hypnotized, but this is not entirely true. During hypnosis, you are not only in control of your actions, but according to scientists, you are also very alert. At that moment, you can hear everything the hypnotist says if you truly want to and make an effort to listen. An experienced hypnotist once self-hypnotized to eliminate his own pain response. He attempted this during surgery. It indeed worked very well, and he felt no pain; however, to apply this widely, we still need more evidence. It is hard to believe that he simply put himself in a sleep state while undergoing surgery, as there must have been a significant mental struggle occurring in his mind.
