Hypnosis, Mind Control and The Vampire Diaries

 

 

                One of the most prevalent myths and misconceptions about hypnosis is that it is a form of mind control. This notion is so widespread that several popular books, films and television series have included storylines wherein a character is hypnotized to do something dangerous, illegal and likely detrimental to his or her survival. Cases in point: the use of “compulsion” in L.J. Smith’s young-adult novels and popular CW television series, The Vampire Diaries.

                First, let me reassure you that you cannot be made to say or do anything in hypnosis that you would not say or do when you are in a wide-awake, alert state. If your subconscious mind does not “agree” with the hypnotic suggestion, you simply would not do it. Furthermore, as a certified hypnotherapist I would not ask you to do anything that goes against your moral and ethical standards. Needless to say, it would also be unethical for me to ask you to do so.

Having said that… I find the concept of compulsion in the context of The Vampire Diaries absolutely fascinating. In my January 16, 2014 blog titled Gullibility, Suggestibility, Hypnosis I describe how a person can induce a trance state in another person and induce him or her to behave in a certain way. The process by which the vampires get their victims to act in a certain way—usually, to stay still and “don’t scream” before an attack—is practically a textbook example of how this kind of hypnotic induction works. This is why:

·         They have authority. If you are familiar with the series, you know that in addition to their myriad supernatural abilities, Stefan and Damon Salvatore and other vampires in question are charismatic, charming and, of course, very good looking. They literally command an audience when they enter a room. If you are (un)lucky enough to make direct eye contact with one of them and you do not know their true identity, you will be suggestible to their confidence, charisma and physical attractiveness. If you do know that they are vampires, your natural fear about how the encounter might end will induce its own kind of trance. Either way, you will not only will you be told what to do and when to do it, you will be helpless to resist the command.

 

·         They have a message. That message can be about almost anything, although it is usually an instruction to the unwitting victim that he or she must perform a specific task that will help conceal the vampire’s true identity in the community. Of course, the content of that message is inconsequential for the above reason(s).

 

·         They overload the person’s subconscious mind to accept the message without question. In this case, the vampire locks eyes with the intended victim and gives the instruction (compulsion) in a whisper or hushed voice. By this point, the person’s subconscious mind truly is overwhelmed by the monster’s charm, strength and powers of persuasion that the individual is willing to do as he or she has been instructed.

Whenever I watch The Vampire Diaries I must suspend my disbelief about how the characters use hypnosis—as well as my own experience of how hypnosis really works—so I can just enjoy the “fantastic” elements of the story. Remember, you would not behave that way because someone else told you to while you are hypnotized unless you would do these things or hold a specific belief when you are in an alert and aware state. Having said that, the next time a barista overwhelms you with so many options about beverage-cup sizes and pastries to accompany your quadruple latte that you actually purchase a croissant you never planned on buying, you were probably hypnotized.

 

 

 

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® and to set up an appointment, please visit http://www.calminsensehypnotherapy.com/.

© 2014

Medical Crisis Overload

 

I spend a lot of time observing human behavior in the context of how my hypnotherapy clients behave and interact with others and deal with crises that occur in their environment. Recently, concern about contracting a devastating illness such as Ebola or Human Enterovirus-68 has been distracting and distressing a lot of people. It is interesting to me that while the likelihood of contracting Human Enterovirus-68 is a more immediate “threat” for citizens in the United States, there is greater concern about Ebola.

Indeed, the recent news that a Liberian man who was visiting his fiancée in Texas had to be admitted into a Texas hospital with this diagnosis has overwhelmed and terrified a lot of people. It was one thing when several American aid workers contracted the disease overseas and were brought home for treatment. But the idea that someone could and actually did bring a deadly and contagious disease into the United States, well, that dose of reality has been hard to process. Meanwhile, as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention outline strategies to contain the disease and manage/treat it, questions and anxiety-levels remain high. So, too, is the potential for heightened suggestibility that could induce a trance-like state and possibly hinder our ability to identify and respond to an actual (versus a perceived) health threat.

According to John Kappas, Ph.D., hypnosis occurs when message units overwhelm and disorganize our critical mind, which trigger the fight-flight response and triggers a hyper-suggestible state that provides access to the subconscious mind. For example, constant bombardment of information about the lethal nature and symptoms of this disease, plus statistics about how it can (and cannot) be transmitted, increases our anxiety and intensifies our suggestible state. The fact that contraction of Ebola is “unknown” in America and few people here have a subconscious mental script for dealing with it makes the disease seem all the more frightening. Meanwhile, Enterovirus-68 can and has been lethal in several cases but people seem better able to deal with and even accept those symptoms. Perhaps people’s comparative acceptance of that virus stems from the fact that it manifests like a common chest infection—a subconscious known which most people survive—and isn’t accompanied by excessive bleeding, the disturbing symptom for which Ebola is known.

According to the CDC, you must have direct contact with bodily fluids of someone who has the disease to get sick. If you believe that you have had such contact and are experiencing symptoms of the disease, seek medical help immediately to verify and treat the illness or rule it out as a diagnosis. If you continue to feel overwhelmed with anxiety about your likelihood of contracting it, follow CDC recommendations and advice about how to protect yourself from Ebola. I also recommend that you “count yourself out” of the hyper-suggestible state of anxiety whenever you notice that you are or have become preoccupied about becoming ill. To do this, say to yourself: “One, two, three, four, five, eyes open [say your name], wide awake and no longer in a suggestible state.”

As a certified hypnotherapist, it is out of my scope of expertise to diagnose an illness or to recognize/identify specific symptoms that have a psychological or physiological basis. Therefore, I do and will refer clients to an appropriate licensed medical or psychology professional to determine the cause and/or treat that specific physical symptom that. However, once this other expert has ruled out a medical etiology of your symptom, with a follow-up referral from that licensed professional, I can continue to work with you in hypnotherapy, which can provide complementary therapeutic benefits and help to alleviate and/or control these symptoms and help you to pursue and achieve your vocational and avocational self-improvement goals.

 

 

 

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® and to set up an appointment, please visit http://www.calminsensehypnotherapy.com/.

© 2014