But, I Am Afraid I Will Lose Control....

 by Christian Flint,  Master Clinical Hypnotist

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As a Clinical Hypnotist, I am amazed sometimes by the comments or questions I receive when I talk about hypnosis with others.  And, when I begin explaining hypnosis to others and ask why they have not tried hypnosis before, I surprisingly get the same few answers often.


One of the most common responses to my question, "Have you ever tried hypnosis before?  And, if not, why not?"  I hear most always in the Top 3 most common responses: "Well, I am afraid of giving up control to someone else."  Or, "I am afraid of what I might do or say while under hypnosis."  Or, "I am afraid of losing control."  (You get the idea.)


It's been more than 3 decades now since I first began using hypnosis for myself.  And, my experiences with hypnosis (Self-Hypnosis and otherwise) have always been pleasurable.  So, I do not even remember feeling apprehensive about hypnosis personally. 


Yet, I have heard this response (its variations) above more than a thousand times in the course of my professional career.  And, I have always wondered about the "fears" and concerns of others, regarding hypnosis.  Technically, I also realize it is mostly the "fear of the unknown".  People can often be fearful of things they do not understand. 

Many people are swimmers, for instance.  Some swimmers do not even remember the first time they swam or stuck their head under water.  For others, who took awhile to learn to swim, they might have been very apprehensive about learning to swim simply out of fear of having their head under water for any period of time.  That fear that it might be their "last breathe of air" can become so scary, that some never learn to swim at all.  The fear of actually "drowning", when someone has never even been able to hold their breathe and stick their head under water, can become very real and often intensifies with age.

I remember when I learned to swim.  Fortunately, my experiences with hypnosis (especially my first few experiences) were so pleasurable, I only looked forward to further hypnosis.  Yet, learning to swim became traumatic for me early on. It took me a couple of years to desensitize myself to put my head under water and hold my breathe for even up to 10 seconds.  The utter "fear" of drowning kept me from the literal enjoyment of swimming with my friends, for more than 2 or 3 years.  But, once I got past my fears, I loved swimming. I cannot now imagine why I had such intense fears initially of holding my breathe under water, which kept me from learning to swim properly. 

Hypnosis is much the same.  I reimagine now, when people tell me about their "fears" and concerns with hypnosis, my personal fears and experiences initially that kept me from learning to swim.  And, I have learned to take their fears and concerns very seriously, as "fear" (not dealt with properly) can sometimes have a reverse effect.  Simply talking about and focusing on your "fear" may not desensitize you, but actually more-so promote and intensify your fears, we know now.

However, proper desensitization and practice and trust-building, is the key.  Most certainly, anyone who has an enormous fear of drowning usually never goes near the water, such as a swimming pool, deep river or lake.  And, even when they are safely on land, and are watching dozens of swimmers all around them, playing and swimming safely, their "fears" of drowning still can be very real and intense, even though they are not even in the water.   

If you do have a fear of hypnosis, I have a recommendation for you that can help you over come your fear of hypnosis and "giving up control" to someone else.  I recommend buying a Guided Imagery recording or a hypnosis recording (hat you have heard a sample and that you feel comfortable with in the beginning. 

1.  Lay down or recline for a little while without it playing.  Get yourself as relaxed as possible without going to sleep.  However, keep your eyes open (if you wish) and press "play".  Play only a few seconds of the recording, then turn it off.  (After pressing "play", immediately put your finger on the "stop" button to prepare to turn it off.)

2.  You can do this as many times as you wish, playing for only a few seconds or a little longer.  Think LESS about what the facilitator or hypnotist is saying or asking you to do (in the beginning stages) and focus more on YOUR CONTROL of starting and stopping the audio recording. 

3.  This may go for very short amounts of time initially.  That is ok.  It may be hours, even days or weeks initially, even before you complete the whole recording, depending on how often you want to stop and start it.  As your first attempts may total only 1 - 2 minutes of the recording (turning off and on the recording) before putting it aside until next time.  You may do this before you go to bed at night (the best time). 

4.  As you learn to have "control" over the recording, realize how quickly and easily it is for you (initially) to turn on and off the hypnotist's' voice.  As time goes on, and you are more comfortable, begin to listen and follow the instructions and affirmations of the facilitator / hypnotist.  Over time you become more and more comfortable, knowing you have the ability at any time to turn off the recording. 

5.  Within a few days (on average) you will get through the whole recording, probably once or twice, at least.  Each time you listen (to the same audio recording, or multiple ones, if you so choose) you will notice that you can relax a little more, while maintaining control over the recording, as well as in how you are responding to it.  Remember, YOU are in control, ALWAYS and completely. 

Within a few weeks, I believe you will find listening to hypnosis and / or guided imagery recordings will become easier and more pleasurable for you.  The added benefits are the RESULTS that come from using hypnosis and guided imagery. 

With more time of listening to recordings (that you have chosen and enjoy), you may then want to experience hypnosis directly with a Hypnotist or Guided Imagery Facilitator (one that is able to design a session specifically for your needs). 

I am most confident, that with time and some commitment, Hypnosis and Guided Imagery will become very pleasant, fulfilling and rewarding to you. 

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Instructor's Note:

I have recommended this technique to hundreds of people over the years.  Many people use this technique to move past their fears and misunderstandings of hypnosis and guided imagery.  It is very effective.  For the patient, having the ability and feelings of control with no pressure of the hypnotists or facilitators actual "presence" makes a unique difference and has its advantages.  Many of my patients have taken this advice before calling me for sessions or even to create for them, personalized recordings.