SC.18: Deep Dive – How Do You Get Hypnotized?

Approximate reading time: 3 minutes

How exactly does a hypnotist bring a participant to a state of hypnosis? While there are variations, there are four parts that appear consistent in bringing people into the state of suggestibility associated with hypnosis (National Research Council, 1994). These components include:

• The participant is guided to focus on one thing, such as the hypnotist’s words or a ticking watch.
• The participant is made comfortable and is directed to be relaxed and sleepy.
• The participant is told to be open to the process of hypnosis, trust the hypnotist and let go.
• The participant is encouraged to use his or her imagination.

These steps are conducive to being open to the heightened suggestibility of hypnosis.

People vary in terms of their ability to be hypnotized, but a review of available research suggests that most people are at least moderately hypnotizable (Kihlstrom, 2013; Elkins, 2021; Santarcangelo, 2018; Spina, Chisari, and Santarcangelo, 2020; Pascalis and Santarcangelo, 2020). Hypnosis in conjunction with other techniques is used for a variety of therapeutic purposes and has shown to be at least somewhat effective for pain management, treatment of depression and anxiety, and smoking cessation (Alladin, 2012; Elkins, Johnson, & Fisher, 2012; Golden, 2012; Montgomery, Schnur, & Kravits, 2012; Ramirez-Carrasco, Butrón-Téllez Girón, Sanchez-Armass, & Pierdant-Pérez, 2017; Malik, Mirza, Ahmad, & Malik, 2021; Sine, Achbani, & Filali, 2021; Truzoli, Renzi, Romanò, Gremizzi, Pirola, & Reed, 2020).