Is hypnosis the same as anaesthesia?
The hypnotised person is aware of sounds, touch, smells, tastes and visual input. Someone can even talk in hypnosis. No one can remain in permanent hypnotic state. All such a person needs to wake up is to make a decision, and once this decision is made, the hypnotised person will wake up. It differs a lot from anaesthesia.
Is a person in hypnosis sleeping?
It is a very interesting question, because for an outsider it might look like sleep. The word hypnosis is derived from the Greek word “Hypnos” (the “god of sleep”). And nothing is further derived from the truth. Hypnosis is anything but sleep. The person in hypnosis is AWARE of him / herself and his / her environment. Although a person may be in a deep state of hypnosis, noises and disturbances in his / her environment are as distant sounds to him / her. The person will not be bothered by it, as long as it is not threatening. When something threatening happens, the person will simply come out of hypnosis to take the necessary steps to keep him / herself safe.
Is hypnosis dangerous?
There is no danger to hypnosis if practiced by an ethical and qualified practitioner. The hypnotic state is not more dangerous than a sleep state. The worst thing that can happen is that nothing can happen! To daydream, to concentrate deeply, to become totally absorbed in things that interest us deeply are all examples of hypnosis.