I recently had a question from a potential customer asking about whether or not a hypnotized person is “under my control.” The answer is no. Hypnosis is not about the client giving up control, rather it’s about them taking back control of the parts of their lives that are out of control. During hypnosis your mind is active and alert at all times. You will hear most of what I say and you will also remember what I say in the same way that you would remember parts of a normal conversation. A person in the state of hypnosis can not be made to do anything against their morals or deeply held beliefs. You’re not going to go rob a bank for me or even give me your ATM card and PIN. The critical factor in your mind would be activated and you would leave the state of hypnosis and reject the idea.
It’s why we don’t say that a person is under hypnosis – they are in hypnosis. It’s a normal state, one you experience every day, and you are not under the control or will of another. A trained hypnotist will offer suggestions that will help you achieve your goals and change your life for the better, but it has to be a change you desire. Let’s look at hypnosis to stop smoking. It is extremely effective but the client has to want to stop smoking. If their only reason for coming to the office is because “my husband/wife/kids told me to stop,” there’s a strong chance that you will continue smoking after hypnosis. However, if you want to quit, your subconscious mind will accept the suggestions and you will stop smoking because it’s what you want, not what I command you to do.