Last night I saw a professional hypnotist. I thought he was more of an entertainer, but he did do some very interesting things.
Is it more of an act? Is that kind of hypnosis (one guy in front of a paying crowd) real? Or do the subjects just want to be agreeable with the hypnotist?
With all due respect, this has come up a number of times in GQ. Just do a search.
The bottom line, according to skepdic.com is that the effectiveness is related to whether or not the person “believes” in hypnosis. Someone like me, who thinks it’s all a load of *horse hockey, would not be affected–although I would still probably play along for the entertainment aspect of it.
*With the exception that in my time, I have had much experience with very real loads of horse hockey.
Earl, what about hypnosis do you find unbelievable?
I have been hypnotized and performed hypnosis on several occassions. I can assure you hypnosis is not a load of horse hockey. However, it works quite a bit differently than the commonly held (mis)-beliefs.
I am getting (yawn) very, s le e p. y
Did someone say the word “sleepy?”
starts clucking like a chicken
I’ve seen a professional hypnotist perform to crowds. There were a few times that a chosen volunteer would not play along. The hypnotist would catch onto the volunteer’s disagreeable disposition, shoo him off the stage quickly under a pretext (making it seem like a part of the act) and then would get a more gullible / playful volunteer.
I’m inclined to think that hypnosis either works sporadically, or it doesn’t work at all but people just play along for kicks anyways.
I agree. I was one of those volunteers one time, and I was literally directed to act as if I were in a trance when I showed no signs of playing along. I was also pushed to the rear so that I wouldn’t be too evident.
I recommend this site: http://www.skepdic.com/hypnosis.html for a good discussion on the topic.
The Skepdic entry for hypnosis seems to think the only people who believe in hypnosis are those who use it for past life regression, “repressed” memories of Satanic ritual abuse, or alien abduction cases. They also sneer at calling hypnosis an “altered state” by saying that it would mean daydreaming is an altered state. Problem is, most people who study hypnosis would agree that daydreaming and hypnosis are closely related. It’s true that there are a lot of quacks around who call themselves “hypnotherapists” after buying a $19.95 online course, but it’s also true that a number of licensed psychologists and psychiatrists use it for therapy. Check out the American Psychotherapy and Medical Hypnosis Association for information about hypnosis as it’s performed by actual doctors. Of course, having an M.D. doesn’t prove them right, but then again, there are “skeptics” who go so far as to claim that psychology itself is a pseudoscience. Needless to say, it is they who are on the fringe, not the doctors.
There’s nothing “fake” about hypnosis - yes, its an act (stage hypnosis, anyway). No, it is not some mysterious altered state that allows another human being to control your mind. The skepticism arises when you look at hypnosis with its usual associations - in THAT case, yes, its fake.
OK. So enlighten us.
It is fairly well established that a hypnotist can not hypnotize a subject that is unwilling. A string of degrees after our name may impress a potential subject with your prowess and ability.
Subject’s cooperation is the name of the game.
Recovered memories are more and more being considered a product of the power of suggestion and the gullibility or wishful thinking of the subject.
I have a hypno sleep tape that works wonderfully when I want to go to sleep and isn’t worth a flip when I have something more interesting or important to do.
As a class psychiatrists are like Freud … Frauds.
I was hypnotized to quit smoking and I haven’t touched one since !! It worked for me all the suggestions he made are there It’s a miracle!! I was a fiend !!
I didn’t know that Wonder Woman was a smoker. You’d think the world’s greatest Amazon wouldn’t have such habits…
I’ve had the opportunity to see hypnotism done to classmates when I was in high school. I totally believe in it. Simply put, it’s a method for taking advantage of the highly suggestible state someone is in when they are only barely asleep. Have you ever talked to someone that’s sleeping, just to see the crazy stuff they say? Well, it’s close to that, except during hypnotism the subject is much more awake than asleep, and therefore is still coherent and able to communicate and perform.
Believe it, it’s real.
Pshaw! There is no such thing as hypnosis.
Is … no … such … thing …
In fact,
You’ve … never … heard … of … hypnosis …
So, Wonder Woman, were you tied up by a glowing magic lasso while being hypnotized? Are you still tied up right now? What are you wearing? Inquiring minds wanna know.
[hijaak]
The bondage/S & M origins of Wonder Woman (scroll to 3/4 down)
and noone understood why I switched to this from spiderman at 12
[/hijaak]
If I only I could remember who said this -
Questioner: I is it true that you can’t make a person under hypnosis do anything they wouldn’t do normally?
Hypnotist: Yes, but the problem is everybody wants to do everything.
Thanks for the posts. Yes even though I am super human I did have some nasty little habits Well I am almost perfect I am wearing my pretty bracelets
I’ve taught psychology classes where hypnosis was discussed and demonstrated, so I speak from experience. I encourage anyone who wants to learn about hypnosis do a search for the many previous threads on the subject.
In short,
Audreyk Then why did it work for me ? I tried so many times before and failed