Hypnotized by the Grocery Store

Photo courtesy of Microsoft

A trip to the grocery store is just one example of
when you may experience environmental hypnosis.

 

                I have always enjoyed grocery shopping. Perhaps that is because some of my fondest childhood memories revolve around going to the local store with my mother every Saturday to pick up next week’s food and other necessities for the family. I have a “known” association of a familiar routine that’s relaxing and even part adventure for me, and the implied reassurance that I will fulfill a basic need to gather food while enjoying familial comfort during that trip. But more recently, my trips to the grocery store have provided invaluable insights into power of food and other domestic products to induce hyper-suggestibility in shoppers (including myself). This is what I have noticed and some tips to help you resist temptation.

·         Overload of sensory stimuli. When you walk into the store, you will likely be bombarded by a cornucopia of visual, auditory and olfactory stimuli. You will see rows of neatly stacked cans and bottles. Rings from mobile phones will compete with the cacophony of crying children and loud-speaker requests for a “clean-up on aisle six.” Most grocery stores sell fresh-baked bread, cakes and cookies, and even roasted chicken or turkey to save harried shoppers the trouble of having to cook meals at home. This sensory overload, combined with any stress or tension you are already carrying around after a long day at work or negotiating through heavy traffic, can easily push you into the (natural) trance of environmental hypnosis.

·         Free samples. Warehouse stores such as Costco® and Sam’s Club® often offer free food samples to their customers, but many grocery stores do this, too, especially on weekends. Don’t be fooled: this isn’t a gesture of generosity but a marketing ploy to temp you to purchase this item. If you are already stressed out after a long day at work or running errands, the proffered food can seem like a life-raft on a rough sea. Since the item being sampled is often loaded with sugars and carbohydrates, it affects your blood-sugar level, which can increase your suggestibility.

·         Low blood-sugar effect. There is truth to the popular warning about going grocery-shopping on an empty stomach. When we are hungry, the level of glucose (sugar) in our blood drops. A sudden drop in blood sugar can trigger physical symptoms such as shaking, light-headedness and feeling tired. People can also experience psychological symptoms such as depression, paranoia, irritability and memory problems. It can also induce a state of hyper-suggestibility to various factors in the environment, warned Hypnosis Motivation Institute founder John Kappas, Ph.D. In other words, you may become more vulnerable to the in-store advertisements to “buy two, get one free” or to pick up a package of the mesquite-flavored potato chips that you just sampled.

·         Special discounts. Coupons and club-member discounts are other hypnotic stimuli you may encounter when you go shopping. Who doesn’t appreciate a discount, right? But these special discounts don’t necessarily save you a lot of money unless you purchase a lot of products. Furthermore, you may end up buying more of what you don’t want or don’t even need in order to “earn” that discount.

To combat the pitfalls of grocery-shopping-induced hypnosis, make a list of all the items you need and intend to purchase; be sure to bring it with you and follow it to the letter. Eat a meal that includes some protein before you go out, or at least have a snack that includes cheese or nuts (almonds or peanuts). I recommend protein-rich foods because they will lower your level of suggestibility and reduce mood swings that hunger (low blood-sugar level) can induce. Finally, if you start to feel overwhelmed or tempted to buy more than you intended to purchase, you are likely drifting into a light state of trance (environmental hypnosis). Simply say the following to yourself: “One, two, three, four, five, [Say your name]; eyes open, wide awake.” These words will count you back up to a fully alert and aware state.

 

 

 Sara R. Fogan, C.Ht. is a certified hypnotherapist based in Southern California. She graduated with honors from the Hypnosis Motivation Institute in 2005. For more information about Calminsense Hypnotherapy®, please visit http://www.calminsensehypnotherapy.com/.

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