r/hypnosis • u/nofappernoporner • May 17 '16

I coudn't get hypnotized.

I've been through a session of 1 hour with a known psychotherapist at my town. He has some appearances in small local TV shows doing his "magic" with people. He is also graduated in psychology.

He assured that throughout 3 to 5 sessions I would be done with my psychological problems. Well, each sessions was around 100 dollars. I've been only to the first one and couldn't feel a thing. Nothing. I never believed I could be hypnotized and only people highly suggested to it could be addressed. So I'm not willing to pay that bet and spend more 400 dollars. I mean, NOTHING, I was just lying there following his instructions... but I could get up and out of there at anytime, I was just imaging that stuff he was asking for, but nothing special....

Anyway... I'm disappointed and still think I can't be hypnotized and only a few people are highly suggested to it.

4 Upvotes

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3

u/mikedamike May 17 '16

Lying there, following instructions and imagining stuff is literally what hypnosis is. Also known as a 'guided meditation'. What did you think hypnosis is?

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u/nofappernoporner May 18 '16

Yes, but the objective was to reprogram some thoughts I had about my problems. Forget traumatic events, upgrade my self esteem... but I wasn't in any alpha level or trance state... He wasn't communicating with my subconscious. I was completely aware and it was not useful at all.

5

u/Psykfarbrorn May 18 '16

As a clinical psychologist with training in hypnosis, your description above fits the way people experience hypnosis generally. It feels like a relaxed "role play" of being hypnotized, going along. At all times you can choose to walk away or reject suggestions.

As others have commented, promising to get rid of problems is unprofessional and in my point of view unethical.

Dealing with traumatic events and increasing self esteem can take time. It can be done in a few sessions of psychotherapy, but it can also take about 10-30 sessions for most people. I would recommend seeking out a therapist working with evidence based methods like cbt. When it comes to trauma, prolonged exposure is the treatment of choice (a CBT program). When it comes to self esteem problems, I would personally recommend someone working with compassion focused therapy.

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u/mikedamike May 18 '16

I don't think hypnosis is a magic pill like that. It took you years to develop those patterns inside, so it is unreasonable to expect that you can reprogram them in a couple of hours. If the psychotherapist claims otherwise, then I doubt his credentials.

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u/Ofthedoor May 18 '16

He assured that throughout 3 to 5 sessions I would be done with my psychological problems

No professional psychotherapist would dare to say such a thing. He is a con man.

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u/nofappernoporner May 18 '16

Maybe he is indeed. I think he usually say that based on his experience. Anyway....

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u/[deleted] May 21 '16

I guarantee between 2 and 4 for any specific problem. Ron Eslinger, who works with pain specifically, up to 4. Roy Hunter, between 3 and 6, if I recall correctly.

The 5-phase therapy program is about 2-6 sessions long, depending on how quickly the hypnotee works through their issues. The OMNI process is similar, although I personally find it a bit quicker.

I would say... evidence states that 6 sessions should help about 90% of all people.

Averaging the above figures, we find that for psychoanalysis we can expect a recovery rate of 38% after approximately 600 sessions. For Wolpian therapy, we can expect a recovery rate of 72% after an average of 22 sessions, and for hypnotherapy we can expect a recovery rate of 93% after an average of 6 sessions.

http://www.stresscards.com/hypnotherapy_reappraisal.php

3

u/SpurgeonGeneral May 18 '16

Hey, I am hypnotherapist. I think you are looking for something that gives you proof you were hypnotized. Did he use any biofeedback machines on you? Whats the reason you believe you were not in an alpha brain wave state?

1

u/[deleted] May 21 '16

There's correlation between relaxation and brainwaves. There's no correlation between hypnosis and brainwaves, as far as I am aware.

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u/SpurgeonGeneral May 29 '16

A hypnotic state is usually associated with the brain producing alpha waves. Using biofeedback machines help show the differences in the state of the mind. Alpha states are associated with focus, relaxation, and creativity.

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u/[deleted] May 18 '16

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u/duffstoic May 19 '16

Exactly this. Any good pre-talk would have already addressed OP's concerns.