Frequently Asked Questions

This section is provided to answer the most common questions you may have concerning Alternative Health Solutions MD, alternative medicines, and definitions to certain related terms found in this topic. As this list grows we will develop an easy-to-maneuver system with questions appearing at the top of this page anchor-linked to corresponding answers below. As of yet this page is under development. Any references to the terms or questions as they occur throughout the website will be linked to this page.

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Q: What is hypnosis?

A: A trance-like condition usually induced by another person wherein the subject responds to the suggestions made by that person. A trance is a state of altered conscious resembling sleep as hypnosis. Hypnosis and hypnotherapy have distinct definitions, not be confused.

Q: What is hypnotherapy?

A: The clinical usage of hypnosis for solutions to health and life's problems. Hypnosis is a general definition for this induced condition which can include hypnosis done purely for entertainment purposes. Hypnotherapy is induced by certified therapists in a clinical setting as apposed to amateur hypnotists.

Q: What is a trance?

A: The sleep-like condition brought on by anything or anyone who causes the subject to focus on a single thing even to the point of semi- or unconsciousness. Under this state coupled with relaxation the subject has entered into the right conditions for hypnosis and is when he is most vulnerable to suggestion on the subconscious level. Daydreaming is said to be a low-level trance.

Q: Who can be hypnotized?

A: Anybody can be hypnotized with or without his knowledge. However. A subject cannot be hypnotized when he knows this is being done and can resist it. Furthermore the subject can snap out of hypnosis anytime he chooses to do so.

Q: Why hypnosis?

A: Hypnosis has been known for centuries as the gateway to the subconscious. Under the right conditions the subconscious can be manipulated in bringing out desired results that rival and even out-do conventional medical proceedures. It is highly effective in virtually anything prescribed drugs can do yet without the side effects.

Q: When should I seek hypnotherapy?

A: Hypnotherapy is a medically-recognized alternative for most health needs. In the clinical setting, it is very safe and can be low-cost, highly effective releif from many ailments. However, you should consult your physician and be advised as to whether your condition is best treated medically. Hypnotherapy can and often is used in conjunction with medical practice.

Q: Can I get "stuck" in a trance?

A: Getting "stuck" in a hypnotic trance may have been known to occur in extremely limited and acutely unusual circumstances. It is virtually unheard of. A hypnotic trance is a natural occurrance in all people. The diffrence between the naturally occuring (as in focusing on something intently) and in hypnotherapy is that it is induced clinically for specific health benfits. The only way a person can get "stuck" is when sleep occurs during the session. This occasionally happens and the client simply wakes up normally, often when the client is counted up out of the trance.

Q: Can a hypnotist make me quack like a duck or cluck like a chicken?

A: Generally, no. There are instances however in stage hypnosis (hypnosis performed for entertainment) where volunteers have been so hypnotized as to be made to do foolish things. The person must be absolutely willing to actually yield to such suggestions. Participants in this case are very carefully chosen for the act and play along with the stage hypnotist. There is no question that hypnosis actually occurs though clients have ultimate control over what they do in such settings.

Q: Are there dangers in being hypnotized?

A: If any dangers do exist, they are slight and the trained hypnotherapist knows what to do should they arise. Physically, hypnosis can be a very effective tool for minimizing pain sensations. Therefore clients with serious health issues should obtain prior medical consultation before seeking the services of a hypnotherapist. Often a state of fatigue or disorientation occurs in some clients following a session. This is normal and dissapates readily.

Q: What does hypnosis feel like?

A: Hypnosis usually involves the intentional or circumstantial induction of relaxation. In hypnotherapy relaxation is induced through careful environmental controls. The client reclines in a temperature-controlled, environment free from outside distractions. He is encouraged do what is necessary to avoid any distraction, such as turning off cell phones, using the restroom, etc prior to the session. Ambient or otherwise soft music often accompanies the hypnotic session. In this environment the client generally feels euphoric relaxation, almost as if "floating on a cloud" type sensation.

Q: What is self-hypnosis?

A: As the term implies, it is self-induced hypnosis. Though hypnosis can occur naturally, and generally does in everybody, self-hypnosis must be mastered. It is not hard to learn nor is it an involved process. Usually self-hypnosis involves the use of recorded sessions which instruct and guide the listener through a hypnosis session.

Q: What is the conscious mind?

A: This is the mind we use during our conscious awareness. We use it to analyze, reason and make judgements in life. We respond to our surroundings with this mind and we use it to create and figure with. It is the effective gateway to our subconscious mind.

Q: What is the subconscious

A: The subconscious mind is that part of our mental facility where the memory resides. It is the huge database of our minds and we use it to draw upon past events to help form how we respond to experiences and knowledge base. Our core belief systems originate from here as well. At night when we are asleep, the subconscious mind is alive and active, producing the phenomenon we all know as dreams. mind?

Q: Can I be hypnotized against my will?

A: No. If a person has knowledge that he is being hypnotized and does not consent to it, he cannot be hypnotized. The only way a person can be hypnotized against his will is that first he be hypnotized without his knowledge. However, in this case, the will is not involved since it has not been alerted to such practice. When a person detects he is being hypnotized, he immediately controls whether to submit to it or not.

Q: Can I be hypnotized without my knowledge?

A: Yes. It is possible to be hypnotized without one's knowledge. This is called "covert hypnosis" and involves the artful use of verbal and body communication intentionally used to interrupt normal thinking in the person it's being used on. It often involves the use of NLP (neuro-linquistic programming) and suggestions hidden in what seems to be normal conversation. A good example of covert hypnosis is commercial advertising. Such advertisers often resort to this type of hypnosis though it is regulated by laws designed to protect the consumer.