A all to common question I here from my subjects as well as other people is "Well, just how does it work?"
The fallowing is the best answers I could find on the web, however I did add things into them:
***Hypnosis works by bringing a subject into a peculiar state of consciousness with reduced peripheral awareness accompanied by strictly focused attention. James Braid coined the word hypnosis, meaning “nervous sleep,” from the Greek word hypnos, which means sleep. In actuality, hypnosis is not sleep. Clinically speaking, hypnosis differs from sleep in the level of alpha brain waves. Alpha brain waves are measured low during sleep, but high during hypnosis. In addition, a hypnotized person can hear; the sleeping person cannot.
Hypnosis should not be confused with sleep, meditation or relaxation, though it may appear to mimic these other states of consciousness. Meditation emphasizes an inward focus, within oneself; hypnosis works by having the subject focus on something outside of oneself. Subjects who are hypnotizable score high in imaginative activities. And contrary to common perception, the “best subjects” are those who are highly independent, intelligent and creative, not those who are malleable and submissive. [1]***
***Most people think of the evil hypnotist waving the gold watch or pendulum in front of a person who is then under the complete control of the hypnotist. Nothing could be more ridiculous or further from the truth of how does hypnosis work!
False Fear and Hypnosis Misconception #1: Hypnosis is sleep or loss of consciousness.
How does Hypnosis Work? Truth: Hypnosis is not sleep. Many people think that while doing hypnosis, they will go into in a state of sleep like when they go to bed. Not true. Hypnosis is merely a state of physical relaxation and actually heightened mental alertness.
False Fear and Hypnosis Misconception #2: A person won’t hear anything but the hypnotist’s voice because they’ll be in some weird altered state with swirling colors, etc.
How does Hypnosis Work? Truth: Hypnosis is not some crazy, psychedelic state. The subject is able to hear everything that is going on in the room, and outside of the room. There is no selective hearing in hypnosis. [2]
But I would like to add that the subject will be able to change their perception of the things they sense witch could be just how this misconception came about in the first place.
***False Fear and Misconception #3: A person doesn’t remember what the hypnotist tells them.
How does Hypnosis Work? Truth: Absolutely false. A person remembers everything that is said to them during hypnosis. [2]
Again, it is possible for a subject to “block out” the memory of the session -the memory is still there- they just don’t log it in their memory as it would normally would. So this might be where this misconception was born from.
False Fear and Misconception #4: When doing hypnosis, you are under the complete control of the hypnotist.
How does Hypnosis Work? Truth: In reality, hypnosis allows the subject to be more in control. The people who you see in the stage hypnosis shows are exercising their control by volunteering to go up on stage. They know it is an acceptable context in which they can let their inhibitions down.
In a therapeutic context, any suggestion that is out of context of self-improvement will be automatically rejected by both the subconscious and conscious minds. This is one of the laws of the mind.
False Fear and Misconception #5: Not everyone can be hypnotized, only the weak-minded and the gullible.
How does Hypnosis Work? Truth: EVERYONE who is of normal functioning intelligence, is willing to be hypnotized, and is willing to follow instructions within a context of self-improvement, CAN in fact be hypnotized. [2]
I would just say yes, while some people do take more work than others to the same results, be it trance or taking the suggestions. The only people that would not be able to be hypnotized would be people with some kind of mental impairment, be it from an injury, illness, birth defect, drugs or alcohol.
***False Fear and Misconception #6: Hypnosis is about putting things into your mind and mind control.
How does Hypnosis Work? Truth: Hypnosis is NEVER about putting things into your mind" and mind control."
The fact is that people have within themselves the beliefs, attitudes, and resources to accomplish their goals. But because of their past, or their environment, or constant negative conditioning, those beliefs, attitudes, and resources have been suppressed.
To answer the question, how does hypnosis work, what hypnosis does is merely reinforce the positive beliefs, attitudes, and resources a person has to help them accomplish their goals.
It is similar to going to the gym. Exercise helps condition and build a person’s physical muscles, while hypnosis helps a person develop and condition their "mental muscles" to help them accomplish their goals.
So when asked, "Does hypnosis work for weight loss," The answer is an emphatic yes!
False Fear and Misconception #7: What if I can’t be "de-hypnotized"
How does Hypnosis Work? Truth: There has not been one case of a person ever not "coming out of hypnosis," and for good reason. Because hypnosis is basically the state right before a person falls asleep.
So if for some strange reason, the hypnotist were to leave the room, or in an extreme case, die, the subject would merely drift asleep, naturally wake up, and end up with an expensive nap!
False Fears and Hypnosis Misconception #8: Hypnosis causes people to reveal their deep, dark, hidden secrets.
How does Hypnosis Work? Truth: Absolutely false. A person always has control of what they say and do during hypnosis. Remember, any suggestion that is out of context, or violates one’s morals, ethics, and values will automatically be rejected.
False Fears and Hypnosis Misconceptions #9: Hypnosis is harmful.
How does Hypnosis Work? Truth: There has NEVER been a documented case of anyone suffering harm from the use of hypnosis. [2]
Again this is not 100% true, there are some cases I have found, however they are all self hypnosis.
***False Fears and Hypnosis Misconceptions #10: Hypnosis is satanic, or devilish, or supernatural in some way.
How does Hypnosis Work? Truth: Hypnosis is merely a state of relaxation and heightened mental alertness that helps people easily achieve their amazing goals.[2] ***
***With hypnosis we are working with the subconscious mind and this mind is located in the right side of the brain. The conscious mind is located in the left side of the brain. This is an obvious simplification of a complex system but for a simple over-view it will suffice. So let's consider the properties of these two hemispheres.
The conscious mind, the part we use during our waking day functions in a critical and logical way with the information that it processes. It does not accept information without first assessing it to decide if it is logically verifiable or 'true'. The subconscious functions in ways that seem almost the opposite of this. This mind accepts all the information it receives without unquestioningly. For the subconscious mind everything seems true.
It is this characteristic of uncritical acceptance which we can exploit in hypnotherapy to bring about changes in behavior, banish fears or change habits.
It's important to know that the subconscious mind controls all our habits, emotion and feelings, and if we can access the subconscious and give new suggestions and ideas we can bring about the needed changes.
The hypnotist plans to 'plant' ideas in the subconscious and give suggestions that enable the desired changes. For instance one could hypnotically condition the smoker that he is now a non-smoker and that cigarettes are revolting and dangerous. One could hypnotically persuade the overweight person that they no longer enjoy bread, potatoes, rice, sweet foods etc. These new ideas can become embedded in the subconscious and lead to the desired changes. *** [3]
[1] Taken from http://www.allaboutlifechallenges.org/how-does-hypnosis-work-faq.htm
[2] Taken from http://gawain.membrane.com/hypnosis/how_does_hypnosis_work.html
[3] Taken from http://www.hypnosis-online.co.uk/thefeelofhypnosis.htm