What is a hypnotic trance?

Answer 1

An hypnotic trance is a "monoideistic" dissociated state of mind: attention is fixed on a single stimuli (eg a particular point - maybe a dot or spiral, or candle flame, or pendulum, or perhaps a sound or voice); there's usually bodily immobility/ relaxation, and general awareness is very reduced. Someone in an hypnotic trance remains aware, but awareness is extremely focused (usually on the hypnotist's voice), and it's not unusual for someone who has been hypnotized to have only vague recollections of the specific details of what happened when they were in trance. This, however, varies considerably, and many people remember every detail of their trance experiences.

This state may (and frequently does) occur spontaneously (eg when absorbed in reading a book or watching a movie, or performing a tedious and repetitive task, or when "daydreaming"), but in the generally understood sense comes about when one person deliberately induces it in another. It is perfectly "normal"; totally natural, and quite safe - although caution should be exercised in trying to hypnotize victims of severe trauma. Someone in hypnosis is not "under" another person's "control", and although hypnotized people are generally more responsive to suggestions, they can not be made to do/ say anything they don't want to.

No-one can become "stuck" in hypnosis (although some people with severe mental illnesses, certain personality disorders, and severe trauma victims, may enter long-term dissociative states bearing, to the uninformed, some similarities to hypnotic trances: such are signs/ symptoms of their severe psychological problems/ illnesses, not hypnotic trances!), and a hypnotized person left unattended will either emerge spontaneously from trance after a short time (usually 15 minutes at most), or simply fall into a natural sleep to awaken a few hours later. Similarly, a hypnotized person told to act in any way that is fundamentally offensive to him/ her will either remain unresponsive, or - more probably - exit the hypnotic state instantly, and probably react angrily.

There are numerous theories (some more credible than others!) about the precise nature of the hypnotic trance. Some assert that trance induction has the effect of switching the brain into a state where Right Hemisphere Functions (ie those to do with imagination, emotion, intuition) predominate over the more logical/ analytical Left Hemisphere Functions enabling people to respond less critically/ analytically and more imaginatively and spontaneously than would normally be the case. Another theory is that hypnotism is the deliberate activation of the REM State (when limb paralysis, dreaming, and information processing occur during sleep) in a conscious person enabling him/ her to enter a dream like state of intuitive playfulness. A third view is that the hypnotic trance is an elaborate form of role play largely brought about by the expectations and beliefs of the person being hypnotized. This is not to deny its reality - anything but... rather it's an assertion that someone in an hypnotic trance has become completely absorbed in his/ her own mind/ mental processes to the exclusion of all else.

Probably, in truth, it's a bit of a mixture of all of these. Certainly, deeply hypnotized people typically show signs of much outlined above - eg critical/ analytical faculties tend to be reduced considerably; willingness to engage in fantasy/ general suggestibility are amplified; Rapid Eye Movement (and eye inversion) are common, as is an unusual degree of physical immobility (and partial and total paralysis of limbs, eyelids etc are often readily induced), and there is a greater willingness than usual to consider/ engage with "imagined realities", play etc..

Some people enter hypnotic trances far more readily than others - most notably those who already have strong fantasizing tendencies (eg creative "artistic" types; those who had imaginary friends in childhood; those who read a lot of fantasy, Sci-Fi type books, and/ or who greatly enjoy film and drama; actors/ perfomance artists etc.), and those who are "natural dissociators" (eg regular "daydreamers"; victims of severe trauma etc) - but most normal people can be hypnotized to some degree if they are willing and cooperative.

Anyone willing and able to concentrate and follow instructions can be hypnotized if they want to be, but it helps considerably if they are also interested in the mind, and willing to "let go" and explore/ experiment - an open mind is a great asset here! Contrary to what many believe, the most responsive people tend to be psychologically stable, broad minded, extroverts of higher than average intelligence. Personally insecure, neurotic, highly controlling types do not generally find it easy to enter hypnotic trances.

Answer 2

A hypnotic trance is a state of focused attention and relaxation induced by a hypnotist. In this state, the individual is more open to suggestions and may experience heightened suggestibility, concentration, and altered perceptions.

Answer 3

A hypnotist is someone who facilitates the production of an hypnotic trance in another person. Trances are naturally occurring phenomena - most people enter them regularly, for example when "daydreaming" or when completely absorbed in reading a book or watching a movie. Being "hypnotized" is simply allowing oneself to be guided into a dissociated state of mind where awareness is very focused only on the suggestions made by the hypnotist. Most normal people can be hypnotized if they want to be, and it's not hard to hypnotize a willing person: all that's usually required is a suitable means of focusing their thoughts on single ideas whilst encouraging progressive relaxation.

Methods of inducing hypnosis vary considerably; much depends on the people involved; the context (public or private?) and purpose of the hypnotism (eg for entertainment, or relaxation, or therapy etc), and many other variables. Hypnotists may be very "authoritarian" (eg give commands etc) or adopt a more consensual, "conversational" approach. Gadgets may be used, usually to "fix" the person's attention and/ or induce eye fatigue (eg swinging watches, pendulums, flashing lights, revolving spirals etc), but more typically, especially in therapeutic contexts, the process involves guided relaxation and visualization leading the person into a state of highly relaxed hyperattentiveness in which all they care about is the hypnotist's voice.

There are numerous training courses in hypnosis, but it really isn't complicated - anyone of reasonable intelligence who is interested in people, and has good empathetic reasoning and interpersonal communication skills, can become a pretty effective practitioner.

I read a few books; watched hypnosis being done (initially a college class in aspects of interpersonal communication given by a professional hypnotherapist, and later in other contexts - eg stage shows etc); experienced being hypnotized a number of times (eg initially by a psychology grad student as a volunteer in a research project; later by a hypnotherapist - just to experience it again, and then later still in psychotherapy), and then started to practice hypnotizing others - willing friends.

Generally, anyone who wants to be hypnotized can be - obvious really because hypnosis is, in truth, no more than a highly focused form of interpersonal communication utilizing the natural tendencies of humans to enter dissociated mental states. Without doubt, however, the most responsive people (the 10% or so who readily attain profound trance states in which hallucinations can be easily experienced, and who can walk around with eyes open whilst hypnotized etc) are of above average intelligence with good powers of concentration, imagination and creativity, and score highly on measures of willingness to trust and "let go".

I have also noticed that nurses tend to be extremely responsive, probably because they're by nature "people centred" and routinely follow instructions and set procedures. In my experience, contrary to what some assert, military personnel are not very responsive: the theory is that because they routinely follow orders, procedures etc they will be, but IMHO this is usually countered by their rigid mentality, contempt for introspection, and untrusting - at times verging on paranoid!- view of others. Soldiers may regularly enter trance states (eg in combat; when marching to a drum, cadences etc), but they are not particularly good at "letting go", trusting others, or looking "inwards", and, therefore, do not respond positively to one to one interactions with people who are not part of their own "in group".