Hypnosis has a long and fascinating history. Trance states were used for healing in ancient Egypt, Greece, and India thousands of years ago. In the late 1700s, an Austrian physician named Franz Anton Mesmer brought hypnosis-like practices into the European spotlight, and in the 1840s a Scottish surgeon, James Braid, gave us the modern terms "hypnotism" and "hypnosis." Around that same time, a surgeon named James Esdaile documented 345 major operations performed using hypnosis as the only anesthetic, long before the development of chemical anesthetics.
Medical hypnosis has continued to evolve ever since. The British Medical Association formally endorsed it in 1955, followed by both the American Medical Association and the Canadian Medical Association in 1958. Today, hypnosis is used by doctors, dentists, and nurses in hospitals and clinics around the world to help patients manage pain, anxiety, and a range of other concerns.
So why does hypnosis still feel a little mysterious to most people? Largely because of the way it's been portrayed in cartoons, old movies, and stage shows. The image of a swinging pocket watch and someone clucking like a chicken makes for great entertainment — but it has very little to do with what actually happens in a session.
Here's the truth: during hypnosis, you remain fully aware and in complete control. No one can make you do anything that goes against your values. What you'll experience is a deeply relaxed state, somewhere between wakefulness and sleep — a lot like meditation. Most people describe it as one of the most peaceful feelings they've had. The change you came in looking for is the bonus.
