| Many people believe that they cannot be hypnotized. | | | | when they are between the waking and sleep states. |
| This is partly due to the over blown portrayal of | | | | People who have a severe mental disability cannot be |
| hypnosis within the popular media. Hypnosis has been | | | | induced into a hypnotic state because they are not |
| portrayed as something magical and mystical and | | | | able to understand and apply the suggestions that are |
| sometimes as a form of thought control. | | | | given. |
| However, this is not actually true - most people can be | | | | As ever, there always exceptions to a rule - as long |
| hypnotized - the key factors that required being belief | | | | as they are able to follow your instructions and have a |
| and expectation. | | | | degree of understanding they can utilise hypnosis. |
| So what else is required to ensure a successful | | | | Those who have a resistance to achieving a trance |
| hypnotic state? | | | | state will not be able to be "placed under". You cannot |
| * A Reasonable Level Of Intelligence | | | | be placed under a hypnotic state against your will - |
| Any person with a reasonable intelligence level can be | | | | you are under your own control and able to choose to |
| hypnotized. By this we mean anyone who can follow | | | | co-operate or not. |
| simple instructions. | | | | It is you that decides not the hypnotist contrary to the |
| * A level of Belief and expectation | | | | message given in much modern media reporting on |
| That is, that if a person has the belief that she/she can | | | | this technique. |
| be hypnotized and the expectation that he/she will be - | | | | If you are given a suggestion that you do not like or |
| then that person will indeed achieve this every time. | | | | one that is against your beliefs you will not follow it. |
| - Who can & cannot be hypnotized? | | | | Indeed no matter what the suggestion is or how deep |
| Basically, if you can follow the particular language in | | | | you may be in a hypnotic state, you will always have |
| which the suggestions are given, then you can enter a | | | | the ability to resist. |
| trance state. Extremely young children sometimes | | | | It is important to research this topic thoroughly so as to |
| cannot be hypnotized because they cannot follow | | | | allay any fears you may have about hypnosis. |
| simple instructions or sit still long enough whilst being | | | | It is a natural state and one in which so much good |
| given instructions. | | | | can be achieved. This article can only begin to scratch |
| A technique sometimes used with young children is to | | | | the surface, so do research further and discover the |
| utilise sleep hypnosis, where they are given instructions | | | | power of this wonderful therapeutic tool. |