Hypnosis - Why People With Phobias Often Make the Best Hypnotic Subjects, and the Question of Focus

The hypnotic state is most accurately described as 'parallel awareness.' While the hypnotized person knows exactly where and who they are, their focus is still strongly riveted on sensations, imaginations, memories and internal realities. Once again, we see the similarities to dreams.

You know how sometimes you awake, know you've had a dream, but for the life of you you're unable to recall it. Sometimes after trance, exactly the same thing may happen. The patient knows that they've been in a trance, but they can't remember a thing about what happened while they were 'under.'

On the other hand, while under hypnosis, you may be surprised by a lovely memory, or a response such as hand levitation.

One thing to bear in mind is that the unconscious requires a crystal clear message of what you want. Really, this is at the centre of all hypnosis. Through an understanding of this, you'll gain comprehension of virtually all self-help approaches. Now, the following are all trance states, and they may surprise you.

. Depression.

. Anger.

. Anxiety or Panic.

. Compulsive or Obsessive Behaviour.

. Addiction.

Why is this? Let's take an alcoholic as a good example. Bluntly, the alcoholics world is focused solely on where the next drink's coming from. Provided he or she has a full bottle of gin beside them and a full glass in their hand, then of course their focus broadens and as long as they're not too far gone, they can carry on a perfectly intelligent conversation.

Not so when the bottle's empty, though. Then only one thing occupies their thoughts. You can understand, then, how anger may be considered a trance state. You leave work one evening, only to find that some vandal has 'keyed' your brand new car.

Naturally, you feel the anger building and bubbling inside you and for a while that horrible mark is all you can think of. Your focus has narrowed and is now aimed purely at that mark - and the wretched individual who caused it. After a while, your anger lifts to a degree where your focus broadens and the trance-like state lifts.

People with phobias so often make the best subjects for hypnosis. Why? Because they maintain a dread of mice, or perhaps it's one stretch of road over which they have to drive on their way to work. They're able to return another way, but they have to cover this stretch once a day and they hate it.

So they obsess about it, focus in on it.

Please don't do this, but if you narrow your focus onto something that frightens you or perhaps depresses you for any length of time, you'll end up feeling pretty miserable.

As the spider says; "When you see me, your anxiety will know no bounds!"

Mike Bond, explaining the matter of focus in relation to hypnosis. His Website, The Hypnosis Attraction is a mine of knowledge on the subject. We're sure you'd like to experience the fascination of self-hypnosis. All you have to do is to click on The Hypnosis Attraction to be taken straight to the page you want.