Hypnosis and brain wave activity: A scientific point of view

So you've visited my site and you're curious about hypnotherapy but skeptical to how it works. Questions you may be asking yourself could include: 'Is it a pseudoscience? A bunch of quackery? Or is it mind control where essentially I take over your thoughts in order to make you believe or do anything I want?'

The answer to all of these questions is 'NO.' Whilst hypnosis has been around for a very long time, there is emerging scientific evidence on the brain wave activity that occurs whilst in a hypnotic trance. You only have to google scientific research papers on this to find studies on this to see for yourself. More and more Clinical Psychologists are using hypnosis as a basis for their work, as they are able to access individual's memories and subconscious to help them to heal.

Hypnosis does not involve the hypnotist taking over the other person's mind. It is actually the complete opposite. The individual undergoing the transformation is completely in control the entire time. All hypnosis is SELF-HYPNOSIS. You create the new links and suggestions you want in order to achieve your goals. If the hypnotist were to try to put in suggestions that at the core the person does not believe in or is not part of their value system, the mind will automatically reject the idea.

Now let's go into a bit of the science behind the brain waves that occur during a hypnotic state.

During hypnosis, the hypnotherapist will help guide you into what is called a trance. For some people this may be like a daydream, or a light state of relaxation. They may be aware of everything that is going on around them and remember everything that is said during the session. Other people may only hear some words fading in and out. This is all to do with suggestibility and the individual's willingness to just 'let go' and allow themselves to fall into the hypnotic state. It's about trusting the process. Either way, the changes brain waves that occur during a hypnotic state whether fully aware or only slightly aware will still allow the new changes to take place.

Let me explain this further with the different brain waves involved.

Beta waves: Beta waves are involved in waking consciousness. It is the state you are whilst reading this blog for example. In a beta wave state you are fully aware of your surroundings. Logic is involved and critical reasoning. Stress, fear and anxiety may also be present.

Alpha waves: Alpha waves occur when you are deeply relaxed. When you are in a state of daydreaming for example, your brain is operating in the alpha wave state. This is also a state of light hypnosis and meditation.

Theta waves: Theta waves occur when you enter a state of deep hypnosis or even light sleep. It is during the theta wave state that you may fade in and out of consciousness, only partly hearing words the hypnotist is saying to you.

Delta waves: This occurs in a state of deep sleep, where healing and regeneration occurs.

So does it matter whether you are in a state of alpha or theta waves in order for the suggestions in hypnosis to work? The answer is no. In both alpha and theta states it has been shown that there is a change to what is called the cerebral cortex. The left hemisphere of your brain which is associated with logic and reasoning decreases in activity. Whilst the activity in the right hemisphere, associated with imagination and creativity increases.

This supports the theory that the creative, impulsive subconscious mind takes the reigns during a hypnotic state.

To read more about this visit the article below.

Tom Harris "How Hypnosis Works" 7 August 2001.

HowStuffWorks.com. <https://science.howstuffworks.com/science-vs-myth/extrasensory-perceptions/hypnosis.htm> 28 July 2021