How Does Hypnosis Work?
In order to how does hypnosis work, we need to know about conscious and subconscious mind, because hypnosis is completely related to conscious and subconscious mind. A person will enter into a state between wakefulness and sleep by using intentional relaxation and focusing exercises. Many people believe that this is the method for accessing a person’s subconscious mind.
Conscious and Subconscious Mind
In general, we act in accordance with out conscious mind. This conscious mind is the part of the mind which helps us in thinking and solving problems. In fact, conscious mind and subconscious mind work hand by hand. When we are solving a complex problem, our subconscious mind reaches deep down into our memory and takes out the required information for solving the problem.
Subconscious mind will not only help us in solving problems, but it also helps us in all our automatic daily actions at our workplace, or breathing, or while driving, etc. The subconscious mind is responsible for processing all information signals received by our body.
In general, subconscious mind is always active, but it is overruled by the conscious mind. It is due to subconscious mind that experience a sudden insight sometimes. Subconscious mind is completely active when we are dreaming. At this stage the conscious mind is inactive and unable to filter the messages.
Subconscious mind contains all the past events, which a person might have forgotten consciously. All this is triggered during hypnosis.
Many studies have been conducted to compare the physical state of a person who is hypnotized, and who have not been hypnotized. There is no significant difference found between both of them. Only thing which was noticed was that the heart rate and the breathe rate were lower, but this is consistent with being in a more relaxed state
Depending upon the mental state of the patient, brain produces different brain waves, which are witness by EEG. The brain waves produced during deep sleep are different from the brain waves produced during the person is awake.
For a person under hypnosis, the EEG readings showed a boost in the lower frequency waves, which are actually associated with dreaming or sleeping and showed a drop in the higher frequency waves that are seen in those who are fully awake. This proves that subconscious mind takes over conscious mind under hypnosis.
How Does Hypnosis Work Under Subconscious State
Under hypnosis, a hypnotist can directly access your subconscious mind. At this point, conscious mind becomes inactive, allowing the subconscious mind to take over. Even though, conscious mind is inactive, it is aware of things happening during hypnosis.
Usually, conscious mind acts as a checkpoint for every message, but now that it is inactive, the persons acts in uninhibited abandon. It is your subconscious mind, which regulates the bodily sensations, such as the taste, feel, emotions, etc and you can express these things based solely on suggestion without actually physically experiencing them.
For instance, when a hypnotist tells a person under hypnosis that he is drinking cola, even though the person is drinking water, then the person will feel as if he is really drinking a cola. Your senses only think that you are, thus strong are the powers of suggestion.
In Treating Trauma
Let’s find out how does hypnosis work in treating trauma. As mentioned earlier, your past memories are stored in your subconscious mind. Therefore, hypnotist accesses your subconscious mind, for finding cause of childhood trauma regardless of how old the memory may be.
Hypnotists have been using hypnosis for treating people suffering with trauma. Finding the root cause of the trauma helps the hypnotist to solve their emotional problems. Hypnosis uncovers the painful memories of a person in such a way to expose them without causing any further harm.
Studies on How Does Hypnosis Work
Several studies have been conduction to know how does hypnosis work. Some studies stated that under hypnosis, different parts of the cortex, which is the upper part of brain, get activated. The left side of the brain is considered to be as the more analytical area, which becomes less active when the right side becomes more active.
The right side of the brain is generally more associated with increases imagination and creativity. Under hypnosis, hypnotist will able to access this area and reprogram the deep seated habits and beliefs.
Some critics of hypnosis state that even though when person enters into a state where he or she could become highly suggestible and uninhabited, that person is not actually in such state, but he feels that he or she is in state.
They behave in this way because of the social pressure and expectations, and the influence of the hypnotist to convince them. Thus, you can find several answers for the question how does hypnosis work. But, the actual truth revolves all around conscious and subconscious mind.
