Is hypnosis like mind control?

Hypnosis is often perceived as mystical, magical, or downright evil. Books, movies, and TV shows prefer to portray a hypnotist as an all-powerful magician and the subject as an unwilling or vulnerable pawn in some evil scheme. While these portrayals make for interesting storylines, they perpetuate the continued misrepresentation of hypnosis and are downright false.

Please allow me to clear up the most common myths and misconceptions about hypnosis:

Will I lose consciousness? No. Actually, in hypnosis you are alert and aware of everything at all times. It's actually a state of focused concentration, similar to how you feel when you are engrossed in a good book or fascinating movie. You're aware of your surroundings, but you really don't care.

Are you going to make me quack like a duck? If you've seen a stage hypnotism show, you might have that question. In those shows hypnotist gives outrageous suggestions and the volunteers can't seem to help but follow them. Stage hypnotists are performers first. They have to put on an entertaining show. Plus, those people up on the stage are called volunteers for a reason. They typically want to experience the feeling of hypnosis, and are in it for fun. Their subconscious minds are ready to accept and follow the hypnotist's suggestions in order to have a good time. Clinical hypnosis is used for serious purposes and no outrageous suggestions are necessary.

Is hypnosis like mind control? Will I surrender my will to you? Absolutely not! All hypnosis is self-hypnosis. The hypnotist guides and develops the hypnotic state, but the ability to be hypnotized and the suggestions you accept are up to you. You are always in control.

I'm too smart to be hypnotized. Actually, the smarter you are the better the hypnotic subject you'll be. Intelligent people often recognize when they need to make improvements to their lives and this same intelligence will help you understand and accept the benefits of the suggestions. It is nearly impossible to hypnotize people with low intelligence (below 70 IQ), psychotics, or anyone who is unable to differentiate between fantasy and reality.

Will hypnosis cause me to reveal secrets? No. Hypnosis is not a truth serum. You will not reveal any information under hypnosis that you wouldn't be inclined to reveal while in the waking state.

Can you hypnotize me against my will? No. Hypnosis relies on mutual trust and cooperation between the hypnotist and the subject. If you don't want to be hypnotized, or are uncomfortable with the process, then you won't be hypnotized.

Will I do anything I don't want to do under hypnosis? No. If you wouldn't normally do something in the waking state, you can't be forced to do it under hypnosis.

Can I get stuck in hypnosis? No. On of my favorite movies of all time, "Office Space," depicts a hypnotherapist dying of a heart attack while the main character is in a hypnotic trance. The premise is that the character stayed hypnotized the rest of the movie, causing him to change his attitude toward work. In reality, if for some reason the hypnotist not have the opportunity to "awaken" the subject due to death or otherwise, the hypnotized subject would either fall asleep, or emerge himself or herself after a long period of silence. In the case of "Office Space," the commotion caused by the reaction of the other people in the room when the hypnotist died would have brought the main character right out of his trance.