Facts about hypnosis

<body topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0> <table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0 height="100%"><tr> <td valign="top" width=160 BGCOLOR="#333333" TEXT="#F7F7FF" background="03cdedc2ddualp.png"> <div> <A HREF="index.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Dr. Wade Silverman, Ph.D"><U><B>Dr. Wade Silverman, Ph.D</B></U></A></div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="id8.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Contact Us"><U><B>Contact Us</B></U></A></div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="id147.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="FAQs"><U><B>FAQs</B></U></A></div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="id16.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="About Dr. Silverman"><U><B>About Dr. Silverman</B></U></A></div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="id146.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Great links"><U><B>Great links</B></U></A></div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="id3.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="The Mind Reader© archive"><U><B>The Mind Reader© archive</B></U></A></div> </td> <td valign="top" BGCOLOR="#FFFFFF" TEXT="#080000" background="03d64643.png"> <div> <FONT SIZE="5" COLOR="#666633" FACE="Times New Roman" ><B>Dr. Wade Silverman, Ph.D</B></FONT>    |     <FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#0000BF" FACE="Times New Roman" ><A HREF="index.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Dr. Wade Silverman, Ph.D"><U>home</U></A></FONT></div> <div>                                                   </div> <div> Facts about hypnosis</div> <div> <B>The Facts about Hypnosis</B></div> <div> <U>By Wade H. Silverman, Ph.D.</U></div> <div> <B>     </B>There are many myths about hypnosis.  These myths stem mostly from movie portrayals of characters under the spell of an evil hypnotist.  The Manchurian Candidate depicts a man hypnotized to assassinate.  In the movie, Dracula, the bride is hypnotized into becoming a willing victim.</div> <div>      The truth is that hypnosis is a natural state and the hypnotized subject has complete and total control over his/her actions.  As an example, the people who act silly for the stage hypnotist know exactly where they are and what they are doing.  Scientists cannot measure the hypnotic state with current technology, yet it is something we experience every day.  The best way to describe it is that hypnosis is a state of hyper-alertness <I>and</I> deep relaxation at the same time.  </div> <bR> <div>      People go in and out of trance-like states every day.  An example is when you may be concentrating on a very good book while someone is talking to you.  You are aware that he/she is speaking and know what he/she is saying.  Yet you choose to concentrate on your book.       Hypnosis is a particularly useful tool to control pain, to reduce stress, and to focus on tasks that may require precision, such as putting a golf ball.  Other applications have been in smoking cessation and weight loss management.  As a stress reducer, hypnosis can be more useful than medication. </div> <div>      Some people are afraid to be hypnotized.  Yet hypnosis, produced by a professional has no side effects.  A common myth is that only weak-willed people can be hypnotized.  Actually hypnotizability is associated with bright, imaginative people.  One of the more frequent correlates of an individual's ability to be hypnotized is whether he/she had an imaginary friend as a child.  It is also thought that a willingness to suspend belief is related to hypnotizability.  This is why children tend to be excellent subjects.</div> <div>    </div> <bR> </td> </tr></table></body>