"I've heard many conflicting things about hypnosis."
Many people wonder if hypnosis is dangerous, faked or perhaps even a scam perpetrated upon hapless, unsuspecting victims. Others wonder what the difference is between a hypnotist and a hypnotherapist.
I hope the following brief explanation helps to de-mystify hypnosis and opens the door to the possibility that hypnotherapy can actually help you.
"Is it real or staged?"
Hypnosis as used by street hypnotists and stage hypnotists is 100% real if done by a talented, ethical and honest hypnotist. It is usually only done for entertainment purposes.
Hypnotherapy on the other hand, involves undergoing hundreds of hours of highly-specialized training and internship in order to learn how to successfully treat one's clients in a quiet, calm and private setting with (hopefully) no disturbances.
Hypnotherapy is for vocational and avocational self-improvement and is used to treat any number of issues like fear of flying, stage fright, improving one's confidence or self-esteem, eliminating procrastination, quitting smoking and about 143 other issues.
"Can I get stuck in hypnosis?"
No one can get lost in hypnosis (you would simply fall asleep and wake up later as normal) and no one can make you act against your ethics or morals to do something you do not want to do. Hypnosis is NOT mind control.
What hypnosis is: Hypnosis is a focused, state of awareness that relaxes you and allows the hypnotherapist to work on a subconscious level to help you make positive improvements in your life. A certified hypnotherapist is a highly qualified behavior modification specialist or counselor.
"Will I remember?"
Hypnotherapy is "guided, self-improvement behavior modification." About 95% of the time you are most definitely AWARE of what is happening during hypnosis and you can open your eyes at any time if you wanted to.
Sometimes (maybe 5% of the time) for a specific purpose, you can be taken to the deepest somnambulistic level of hypnosis where you don't remember upon awakening what transpired. Most of the time this is not necessary.
In hypnotherapy you will NOT blurt out anything about any skeletons in your closet or any embarrassing details. Hypnotherapy does not inject some kind of truth serum into your psyche!
"Isn't hypnosis some form of mind control?"
The type of CONTROL gained over another person that can happen through hypnosis can ONLY be achieved with the use of other coordinated efforts and tactics: Sleep deprivation, drugs, hallucinogens, electo-shock and other highly invasive, antagonistic procedures.
Mind control or creating "sleepers" can only be achieved using these other strategies in tandem with hypnosis. Hypnotherapists are not covert government "black-ops" specialists out to get you.
I hope this helps to "de-mystify" some of the misunderstandings surrounding hypnosis. We all go through hypnosis daily as we drift off to sleep and as we wake up in the morning. Hypnosis is a "suggestible" state of mind and is quite natural.
If this short article has proven to be of some value to you...
then I hope you will share this with others by giving them the "Article Source" website at the end of this article. Just click on that link below to be taken to where it's posted online at EzineArticles.com. I truly believe that hypnotherapy is the most effective way to quickly and naturally help others and bring relief to anyone suffering from limitations, fears, phobias or doubts.
The effects of hypnotherapy can be long-lasting as well as quite liberating and empowering!
Steven Graham, C.Ht, is a certified, clinical hypnotherapist who graduated with honors from the "Harvard of Hypnosis"... the Hypnosis Motivation Institute in Tarzana, CA in the Los Angeles, California area.
To watch videos or ask Steven questions, you may contact him at his website at http://www.HypnoLux.com or email him at Steven@HypnoLux.com
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Steven_W_Graham