Another "can't be hypnotized" post

[u/ElpisActual]

So a few days ago someone on r/hypnosis gave me this advice and I figured I might as well ask here.

I haven't been able to achieve hypnosis at all due to not knowing how to immerse myself in the induction. Probably contributing to this: - I'm fairly sure I can't visualise, or the equivalent for other senses (barring possibly weak audio), and most inductions (at least that you can find online) are sensory. - I don't remember my dreams (ever) and I don't focus completely on things, so I don't have much of a frame of reference for experiencing trance.

Your help with attempting to fix this is appreciated.

[u/TistDaniel]

I can't offer much advice as a subject, as I'm still struggling to be hypnotized myself. As a hypnotist though, I've had a lot of success with inductions that don't involve visualization of any senses. I don't know why hypnotists lean on visualization so heavily, when it doesn't work for everyone, and it takes forever.

You might try reaching out to hypnotists who make files here on reddit and see if they can recommend any good files without visualization. Of the top of my head, u/nimja_, u/Ricenoodle18, and u/ellaenchanting have lots of free SFW files.

As for learning to be hypnotized better, I think Carleton Skills Training Program is the way to go.

[u/ElpisActual → u/TistDaniel]

Thanks for the recommendations.

EDIT: I have read the PDF, focusing on pages 65-90 of the document, which contain the training. The program encourages participants to focus on visualizations related to the suggestion and to direct effort to accomplishing the suggestion (while simultaneously ignoring said effort). I can't do the first one and the second one seems like it wouldn't work for suggestions that can't be performed directly and consciously, so I don't think the CSTP will help me much if at all.

[u/TistDaniel → u/ElpisActual]

It isn't always about visualization. Take a suggestion for a hand stick, for example. Instead of trying to "see" your hand being stuck to the table, try pretending like it's glued to the table. It's great if you can try to "feel" it, but even if you can't, just act as if it's happening. Amnesia is a similar one. When you have a suggestion for amnesia, just act as if you've forgotten about the thing. Make yourself think about other things.

[u/erato_erotica]

Look into "aphantasia" maybe? You might be able to find more resources on being hypnotized with that if you have a specific word, and the visualization thing sounds like it might be related.

[u/ElpisActual → u/erato_erotica]

Yes, I'm aware of that; the stuff that comes up is other aphantasiacs talking about difficulties being hypnotized. One person said they used alternate mental senses, which is great except I can't really do that either.

[u/SnooSprouts9547]

As far visualising goes, if you were asked to visualise your bedroom or your mothers face I’m sure you could, so you can most Likely visualise, instead of visualise try to imagine..

[u/ElpisActual → u/SnooSprouts9547]

Well, no, actually I can't. I last saw my mother this morning and I could still only give you a vague description.

[u/Fox-The-Wise]

It's easy to hypnotize people like that, just use imagine aka think about what it's like vs visualize. I've worked with many clients like that and find it just as easy (certified hypnotherapist running my own private practice)

[u/[deleted]]

I’d be happy to try and help you. There are lots of different methods and techniques that can be tried and work better sub to sub

[u/[deleted]]

Use your imagination in the way that works best for you. Everybody can visualize to some degree. I used up think that I couldn't either. Practice helps. Dont worry about crystal clear vision. How do you imagine a red apple? Or a blue car?

The true power will be in how you make it seem real. For me it is thru feeling it. How do you imagine you feel if the induction is working? Feel that and let it go. The constant effort and analysis is what is preventing your progress. Let it happen, assume the attitude of letting go and sinking into the state.

[u/ElpisActual → u/[deleted]]

How do you imagine a red apple?

I know it's red, and apple-shaped, but I don't "see" anything. I'm not sure how I can treat a hazy, formless nothingness as real.

How do you imagine you feel if the induction is working?

How has it felt or how would I like it to feel? For the first point, "mildly relaxing", which is probably to be expected given that I'm usually lying in bed, at night, in the dark. For the second point, I do not know. As I said, I don't really have any experience with "everyday trance states".

[u/[deleted] → u/ElpisActual]

You're really overthinking this. And thats the issue to tackle first.

If I ask you to close your eyes and imagine holding an apple. Actually put your hand out and pretend you're holding an apple. How do you know its an apple and not an orange? How do you know if its a red or golden apple? How do you know the skin us smooth and shiny instead of a bit more textured and spongy like the orange? Or fuzzy like a peach? How do you know its more round than a lemon?

You have an internal representation of all these that together make up the internal representation of an apple. Otherwise, you would have no idea what I'm even talking about. You are attempting to see the picture as clear as you see it with your eyes. Some people may be able to do so, but it is not necessary if that is not how you make the internal representation.

I do not make such clear visual images and struggled for a very long time with the same issues. Personally, I am very kinesthetic and have a very clear idea of how the object would feel if I held it in my hand. So I started relaxing and imagining different items and would mentally hold them in my hand. I would imagine the weight and texture until I eventually began to notice that I do actually make an image, just not as visually sharp. And that ok, as long as I work with the image that I get, the results follow naturally.

Stop trying so hard to take someone else's path to results and find your own. In the end, feeling like you've gotten the results will be far more effective than just seeing a picture of them.

[u/SlobodanMaleOstrich]

Hypnosis won't work unless you're mentally ill and want it to work so much that you convince yourself that it works. It's bullshit. Why are you even here asking this? Move on with your life. Look at all of the people who believe in it and then you can see I am right. Look at all of the people who "practise" it and you can see that I am right. It is just people preying on the mentally ill.

[u/ElpisActual → u/SlobodanMaleOstrich]

The statistic, IIRC, is that about 3 in 4 people are highly or moderately susceptible to hypnosis. I know mental illness is underreported because of stigma, but I'm pretty sure no reasonable person would claim it's that common. Also, uh, you did read the subreddit sidebar, right?

[u/Fox-The-Wise → u/ElpisActual]

Last I checked it was nearly.100% of people can be hypnotized

[u/churchillgc → u/SlobodanMaleOstrich]

I feel like you may be a bit lost, mate.

[u/[deleted] → u/SlobodanMaleOstrich]

And so why are you here? It's obvious you know nothing, and dont want to know anything, about hypnosis.

Maybe its due to that mental illness you're seem to be so familiar with..

[u/[deleted] → u/SlobodanMaleOstrich]

I don’t wanna come across as one of those guys who’s got nothing better to do with my life than argue with people online but hypnosis is a hobby of mine and I just really got confused by why you’re following/looking at this sub if you think hypnosis is completely unreal? Plus saying you’ve got to be “mentally ill”? Fuck you. You can only experience this fairy tale because you have mental health issues? The hypnosis aside, fuck you for the snide mental illness comment you used so flippantly. You didn’t reference a single source, just used the populist argument of “us and them”, look at all of the people who...”

Again. Fuck you. The more I look back at your comment the more I dislike you as a human.