Is hypnosis real, or is it Bull****?

10-10-2015 05:49AM

justchecked wrote: »

It is not bull**** from what I can tell.

Why:

On America's got talent a stage hypnotist hypnotized one of the judges. This judges name was Howie Mandell.
Mr Mandell suffers/suffered chronic obsessive compulsive disorder.

This condition was evidenced well before this performer came into his life, or indeed the show even existed. He'd been treated for it and his family were familiar with it.

It was also mentioned in an interview with fellow judge Howard Stern some time previously.
Stern is about one of the most critical people in public media due to his small penis and I don't believe he would conspire, and put his reputation as a caller of bullsht on the line over something so small and inconsequential.

After being hypnotized Mandell can be seen performing acts his OCD would never have allowed him to such as shaking hands.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dSZNnz9SM4g

A Judge on that fine documentary, America's Got Talent, would never put his reputation for honesty on the line for a few more viewers. Never ever ever. Never. Especially not a Judge who has spoken about his small penis. How much more integrity do you want? All the great people with integrity, from Francis of Assisi up to Gandhi, would go on and on about their penis.

3, 2, 1...you're back on the planet...

Azalea · 10-10-2015 06:09AM

I'm not trying to be a smart-hole but "It's a load of bollocks" on its own isn't very strong stuff! Why is it bollocks? I don't know either way but I do know people who say it worked for them. I'd be interested to know how it works or if it works, and if it doesn't work, what's actually happening for those who reckon it worked for them? Etc.

donegaLroad · 10-10-2015 09:58AM

Now and again I use self hypnosis sessions from Youtube. Some of them have worked really well.. one session in particular I went right under for 30 minutes. I felt great when I came round.

smurgen · 10-10-2015 10:50AM

One of my buddies was on holidays with his girlfriend in Spain and shoved a bottle up his ass pretending to be hypnotised.he got a free bottle of wine for his troubles.

keithclancy · 10-10-2015 10:54AM

I think it only works on people that are wrecked tired and need to go on auto-pilot for a bit.

LDN_Irish · 10-10-2015 11:00AM

My dad was a heavy smoker and gave up with no cravings after a hypnosis session. Went back on them after a few years but it still suggests there's something more than just bollix to it.

GerB40 · 10-10-2015 11:13AM

"The fact is, however, that hypnosis is a genuine psychological phenomenon that has valid uses in clinical practice. Simply put, hypnosis is a state of highly focused attention or concentration, often associated with relaxation, and heightened suggestibility". (Ref psychologytoday.com 2013) I'm a skeptic and I never believed in hypnosis until I spoke to a psychologist who told me he went through it. He thought it was bullshít too so was too happy volunteer. I can't remember all the details but he basically said he closed his eyes and opened them 45 minutes later thinking only a few seconds had passed. Apparently there's an almost drug like feeling of euphoria after it and that is when people are prone to suggestibility...

That's how it's used in a professional manner. Don't ask me about those shady fúckers in Benidorm though.

Edit: By the way, the reference I used is a well respected, peer reviewed site so it is very trustworthy.

Eugene Norman · 10-10-2015 11:31AM

Tarzana2 wrote: »

This sentence hurts my face.

The sentence was wrong but don't let double negatives scare you.

Hatless has a good point. To those who say it's bollocks can you explain your reasoning?

Eugene Norman · 10-10-2015 11:33AM

GerB40 wrote: »

That's how it's used in a professional manner. Don't ask me about those shady fúckers in Benidorm though.

Unless the people in the audience are plants or actors then that must be the same thing as clinical hypnosis

Sam Kade · 10-10-2015 11:40AM

It's real alright just look around you when you're driving and take note of the amount of drivers in a trance. They are physically driving but their minds are elsewhere.

MarkY91 · 10-10-2015 12:43PM

How can people say it's not real?

Everyone knows someone who was hypnotised at a show..i don't like to accept that it's real but i seen it with my own eyes. It didn't work on me but it worked on my brother. He's one who can nod off within minutes and doesn't wake up easily.

The hypnotised only got me to put my arms up but I was aware of it. Its hard to explain...but yeah, my brother was legit hypnotised.

Wibbs · 10-10-2015 01:03PM

Eugene Norman wrote: »

Unless the people in the audience are plants or actors then that must be the same thing as clinical hypnosis

Not necessarily. There would be some overlap with a clinical setting, but some people are naturally extremely suggestible and over eager to please, compliant types. Add in an authority figure and an audience and you can see how that might work with stage mesmerism with the right individuals.

Eugene Norman · 10-10-2015 01:10PM

Wibbs wrote: »

Not necessarily. There would be some overlap with a clinical setting, but some people are naturally extremely suggestible and over eager to please, compliant types. Add in an authority figure and an audience and you can see how that might work with stage mesmerism with the right individuals.

But Hypnotism is all about suggestion and authority. Nobody says it isn't in the mind.

People playing along are clearly suggestible to playing along. However many people go beyond that and if told to chase imaginary chickens actually "see" the imaginary chickens. To others it's probably more like a reversion to child hood, where kids day dream castles and armies when playing knights.

Most people who go on stage ( who are of course selected because they were suggestible) seem to be the former

justchecked · 10-10-2015 01:25PM

Deleted User wrote: »

A Judge on that fine documentary, America's Got Talent, would never put his reputation for honesty on the line for a few more viewers. Never ever ever. Never. Especially not a Judge who has spoken about his small penis. How much more integrity do you want? All the great people with integrity, from Francis of Assisi up to Gandhi, would go on and on about their penis.

3, 2, 1...you're back on the planet...

the guy built a separate house to stay away from germs years prior to the show being commissioned, and is on tape avoiding shaking hands.
Plus they're both minted already.

So I doubt they both conspired for years just to big up some random performer years later.

GerB40 · 10-10-2015 04:39PM

Eugene Norman wrote: »

Unless the people in the audience are plants or actors then that must be the same thing as clinical hypnosis

I wouldn't doubt that there are plants in the audience. It's simple herd mentality, if one or two (paid) people 'go under', others will subconsciously follow. But the dodgy bastards that get women to undress in a group of maybe 150+ is something I don't understand. Firstly, it can't be legal. Secondly, how would these "hypnotists" manage to pick out people so easily influenced that they'll do things they would supposedly never do.

I'm not an expert but from my perspective I see hypnosis in two forms. Psychotherapy and entertainment. And I honestly don't have a clue about the entertainment aspect of it.. I'm reminded of a joke by the hilarious Stewart Francis that goes "My uncle was actually a hypnotist [suddenly enters a robotic trance] WHO NEVER INAPPROPRIATELY TOUCHED ME!].

Avatar MIA · 10-10-2015 04:54PM

As real as WWE

GerB40 · 10-10-2015 04:59PM

Sam Kade wrote: »

It's real alright just look around you when you're driving and take note of the amount of drivers in a trance. They are physically driving but their minds are elsewhere.

That has to do with Freud's "Conscious, Subconscious and Unconscious". A great example is if you're driving home and you have to pass through a village. You could find yourself at home without any recollection of driving through the village but you're perfectly aware you weren't a danger to other road users.

Unconsciously you were always aware of other drivers and pedestrians. Subconsciously you were in full control of your car and you're surroundings. Consciously you notice signs/landmarks and know you're getting closer to home and to your dinner...

You said other drivers minds are elsewhere but our brains are wired in such a way that that shouldn't be much of a problem*.

*With everything and everyone there are exceptions (especially dealing with Freud). Some drivers minds might be elsewhere because of things like bereavement, stress, or they just might be shyte drivers. There's certainly no shortage of fúckers I wouldn't let play with toy cars, let alone real ones.

Greenmachine · 10-10-2015 05:08PM

Nothing like what people think it is. All smoke and mirrors. Went on stage years ago. I played along with the act for a while. He had me pretend to be a boxer. When you weren't "under" you were seating towards the back of the stage. I got bored and wanted a pint so got up part way through his act and walk off the stage. He didn't notice I was gone till about 10 minutes later. I'm convinced that everyone who goes on stage is just playing along, but just doesn't want to admit to it, somewhere along the line of someone blaming their action on drink or drugs. "It was completely out, of character, your honor, I was out of mind on drink and drugs" said the defendant on his 20th charge.

j80ezgvc3p92xu · 10-10-2015 10:25PM

Hypnosis, from what I gather, is an occult practice that does not come from God. Heard some distrubing stories about people under hypnosis that I will not share with you on account of the hour. Bottom line: stay away.

Avatar MIA · 10-10-2015 10:29PM

Leo Calm Hazelnut wrote: »

I will not share with you on account of the hour.

When is it a good hour for such a thing?

Eugene Norman · 11-10-2015 03:06AM

Greenmachine wrote: »

Nothing like what people think it is. All smoke and mirrors. Went on stage years ago. I played along with the act for a while. He had me pretend to be a boxer. When you weren't "under" you were seating towards the back of the stage. I got bored and wanted a pint so got up part way through his act and walk off the stage. He didn't notice I was gone till about 10 minutes later. I'm convinced that everyone who goes on stage is just playing along, but just doesn't want to admit to it, somewhere along the line of someone blaming their action on drink or drugs. "It was completely out, of character, your honor, I was out of mind on drink and drugs" said the defendant on his 20th charge.

That's not what everybody says although "playing along" is also a form of suggestiblity.

My friend who went on stage believed what the hypnotist made him see.

Avatar MIA · 11-10-2015 05:47AM

Eugene Norman wrote: »

My friend who went on stage said he believed what the hypnotist made him see.

FYP

Eugene Norman · 12-10-2015 04:12PM

Avatar MIA wrote: »

FYP

Why would he lie. That would be suggestibility anyway, which is all that's being claimed here. And read what Derren brown said about his friend thinking him invisible.

I know people think that's it pro-science to not believe in what seems like voodoo and most times you are right. But it's really pro-science to accept empirical evidence. Unless it's debunked I don't see that everybody who gets success at hypnotherapy and who goes on stage and is hypnotised is lying. And yes, it's all in the mind. Who's denying that.

Earthhorse · 12-10-2015 05:20PM

Hypnosis is real. You only have to read up on it a little and with an open mind to know that. This dentist in Scotland performs tooth extractions using hypnosis to manage the pain.

The problem is it's association with stage hypnosis which I honestly have no idea about and which probably does rely on a mixture of co-operation, plants and selecting suggestible people.

I appreciate being sceptical but it amazes me how close minded some people can be even when presented with evidence that should dispel their doubts.

gormdubhgorm · 12-10-2015 05:34PM

All I think of is this when Steve Collins let on he was hypnotised before fighting Chris Eubanks. See 3.23 on Tony Quinn in his corner.

Sofiztikated · 12-10-2015 05:43PM

Earthhorse wrote: »

I appreciate being sceptical but it amazes me how close minded some people can be even when presented with evidence that should dispel their doubts.

Evidence such as?

Earthhorse · 12-10-2015 05:49PM

Sofiztikated wrote: »

Evidence such as?

Just read the wiki article on it for yourself. Plenty of citations there.

RoadhouseBlues · 12-10-2015 05:51PM

When I was abroad, we went to a show and about 10 of our group volunteered to go on stage. It didn't work for 6 of them but it worked on the last 4. It was just silly stuff they were doing, and nothing embarrassing or anything, but it definitely worked. The strange thing was though, when they came out of it and came down off the stage, they were like different people. For the next 2 hours their personality was completely different. They refused to talk to anyone or each other and just sat down and sulked. I swear it was like they were drugged.

golfball37 · 12-10-2015 05:57PM

If your open to letting someone or some program communicate with your unconsious mind then the results or possibilities are endless.
I've found NLP very useful, its like a self hypnosis.

Its very real but it doesn't work on everyone.

Is hypnosis real, or is it Bull****?

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