Writing a fiction - need to know a few things about hypnosis.

[Lantis]

Hi,

I am about to write a novel that includes hypnosis. The main character of this book will be a young woman (21), who survived an airplane crash. Here are a few questions that I need to know.

1. Is it possible for a human not to be able to be hypnotised?
2. Is it possible to resist drug enforced hypnosis? (I know there are some drugs that can be used to hypnotise, but is there a possibility that a human organism could refuse to be hypnotised, like some kind of a block?)
3. Can a stresful event like plane crash block the possibility to be hypnotised?
4. Can you fake hypnosis? (I mean if someone is trying to hypnotise you, is there a way he can find out you are faking being hypnotised?).
5. Can you hypnotise yourself in any way?

Thank you very much!

[Don]

1) A person with an extremely low IQ--what is technically a "moron" and not an insult--may not be hypnotizable. Other than that, everyone is hypnotizable, however not every hypnotist will be able to hypnotize every person. Hypnosis is a cooperative effort.
2) Although certain drugs are called "hypnotics," their purpose is to induce sleep, not hypnosis.
3) No.
4) A good hypnotist will know if a person is faking or actually in trance by observation of physiological signs.
5) I'm not sure what you mean by " any way." The process of hypnotizing oneself is known as "self-hypnosis" and is very common.

[Connie]

Hypnosis is a powerful force for good in the world. I hope you're putting it in that light, and not some "Hollywood" version of mind control. The fact that you're HERE, asking questions of professionals, gives me hope for the former. :) Good luck on the book, sounds exciting.

[Poodle]

Congratulations on wanting to get facts straight!! Don answered your questions. Would you read Merlin's FAQ on hypnosis to gain more knowledge. Find Merlin's name in the Members List or find a post she has written or replied to and click on the bottom of it where it says FAQ.

Wishing you the best with your novel. You could write how the crash traumatized the poor lady and how much the friendly hypnotherapist helped saving her years of therapy or you could change it that there was also a friendly hypnotherapist aboard that helped your character at the scene by alleviating all pain from broken bones, etc. and stopped the flow of blood from the wounds until proper help arrived.

Again, thank you so much for seeking the facts instead of the old myths!!

Do well,
Pood :)

[Terry]

Even a skilled writer of fiction spends more time and effort than you have. A writer who wishes to be recognised for something better than pulp fiction, ie those who turn out a novel a day, will take years to prepare and get to know the subject they write about before starting.
The pulp fiction writer knows were to get information quickly, and what to look for in order to write with some sort of authority.
Instant gratification is not possible. Learn the subject before writing about it or leave yourself open to ridicule and rejection. Some of your questions have no bearing on fiction, or would be required knowledge for a writer.

[Jack]

When you write your novel, be kind. There are so many novelists
who write the cliched, hackneyed viewpoint of hypnosis based on
19th century mythology rather than fact, that a novel in which
hypnosis and its therapeutic uses is shown as the powerful means
of achieving beneficial change it is would be a welcome, and 'novel'
selling point.

Or you can run with the herd.

Jack

[Apsinthion]

1. Is it possible for a human not to be able to be hypnotised?

Sure, anything is possible! Either the person is unable to cooperate in the process (due to some disability, either mental or physiological), or they are simply psychotic. Perhaps, even, they have undergone a previous state of hypnosis and received a 'hypnotic seal,' that is, a post-hypnotic suggestion from another hypnotist that the subject will not be able to be hypnotized by anyone else, excluding certain conditions.

I think it's safe to assume, however, that by virtue of being human, we are under a trance of one sort or another most all of the time, and it falls into the hands of the hypnotist to UTILIZE that trance in order to effect positive change. I'm still only in a theoretical stage of my development, so I'd be interested to hear comments on this from other more experienced members.

2. Is it possible to resist drug enforced hypnosis? (I know there are some drugs that can be used to hypnotise, but is there a possibility that a human organism could refuse to be hypnotised, like some kind of a block?)

Again, anything is possible. Many drugs have been investigated in regards to their effectiveness in producing hypersuggestible states, such as alcohol, ether, chloroform, scopolamine and chlorpromazine. However, two barbituates stood out from such research as being the most effective, namely, sodium pentathol (a.k.a. sodium thiopental, the "truth serum") and sodium amytal (a.k.a. amobarbital, formerly known as amylobarbitone).

By the effect of these drugs on the GABA receptors in the brain, higher cognitive function (consciousness) is decreased, and as such, so is resistance to suggestion (it is also believed that lying is more difficult and requires higher thought processes then telling the truth, which is why many governmental and covert agencies have found this to be a useful method of inducing somnambulistic states).

It is impossible to resist the chemical effects of the drug. It is possible, however, to resist hypnosis. Albeit, the chemical effects of these drugs make it much more difficult.

3. Can a stresful event like plane crash block the possibility to be hypnotised?

Sure, I guess anything is possible. Perhaps the person received brain trauma, or lost their hearing. I suppose it's feasible that the person may have received some other kind of trauma which makes their unconscious wish to protect their consciousness, and so resists the uncovering of suppressed information. Again, if anyone here has more on that, please fill us in!

4. Can you fake hypnosis? (I mean if someone is trying to hypnotise you, is there a way he can find out you are faking being hypnotised?).

Can you make counterfeit bills? Of course. Are there ways to determine the authenticity of that money? Of course.

5. Can you hypnotise yourself in any way?

It's called self-hypnosis. Some would argue that "all hypnosis is self-hypnosis."