Many people wonder: is hypnosis real, or is it just mind control?
Many believe hypnosis to be a form of mind control or a strange trance where someone becomes zombie-like, at the whim of the hypnotist, and then wakes up with no memory of what happened.
And this is exactly what a stage hypnotist would want you to believe.
You Experience Hypnosis Every Day
The truth, though, is that you go in and out of a hypnotic state many times during your day without even knowing it. The “mind control” being referred to is actually your unconscious mind taking the reins while your conscious mind is preoccupied with something else.
It’s important to realise that your conscious mind is still operating, just less influential in the overall decision-making process. Your actions become more automatic rather than deliberate.
A common example used to explain this is driving a familiar route in your car while your mind is preoccupied with something else. Suddenly, you arrive home and don’t remember driving the last few blocks.
How the Unconscious Mind Works
It’s surprising how much the unconscious mind does without your awareness.
Likewise, you might scratch your hand and only realise afterwards that it was itching.
Similarly, you’re able to show remarkable dexterity as you push a door open with your foot, while eating a piece of toast, catching a laptop as it slips from your shoulder, all while carrying one of your kids on your hip.
These automatic abilities are all driven by your unconscious mind, without your conscious awareness. You didn’t have to think about each step or mentally rehearse them. The mind simply did what was needed in the moment.
They’re instinctual abilities, ready and waiting to take over at a moment’s notice. All in the name of dexterity and self-preservation, allowing you to move through your environment with ease.
These are all examples of the incredible power of the unconscious mind. When your 5% conscious mind is focused elsewhere, the 95% unconscious mind is more than capable of handling everything else.
This is also how a stage hypnotist gets people to follow their instructions. The bright lights, an eager crowd, and a rapid series of questions create a heightened, slightly overwhelmed state. In that moment, the unconscious mind becomes more responsive, and people tend to follow suggestions more readily.
How Hypnotherapy Works
A similar principle applies when working with a hypnotherapist. They guide your attention, usually to your breathing or the feeling of the chair beneath you, which naturally reduces the influence of the analytical mind. By using the tone of voice, pacing, and carefully chosen words, they introduce suggestions or metaphors while your focus is relaxed and less critical.
There is also scientific evidence that helps explain this state.
One of the most well-known studies was conducted at Stanford University in 2016. Using functional MRI scans, researchers compared brain activity while participants were at rest, recalling memories, and under hypnosis.
The paper reported the following three key changes in brain activity while under hypnosis:
- “Reduced activity in the dorsal anterior cingulate cortex” – A region involved in conflict monitoring and self-regulation, suggesting reduced internal evaluation and less critical filtering of new information.
- “Increased connectivity between the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex and the insula” – Indicating stronger integration between executive control and bodily/emotional awareness. In simple terms, a heightened internal connection to the body and its emotional state.
- “Reduced connectivity between executive control and the default mode network” – Associated with decreased self-referential thinking, consistent with the increased focus and acceptance often reported under hypnosis.
Jiang et al. (2017) — “Brain Activity and Functional Connectivity Associated with Hypnosis” (published in Cerebral Cortex)
These findings demonstrate the brain entering a less critical, more focused, and more responsive state.
Another compelling example is the use of hypnosis in pain management. Hypnotic analgesia has been used during medical procedures, where patients report significantly reduced pain, alongside measurable changes in brain regions associated with pain processing. This is difficult to dismiss as a mere placebo.
So, Is Hypnosis Mind Control?
So rather than being a form of mysterious “mind control”, hypnosis is a natural state of mind that all humans experience every day. The difference is that, in a therapeutic setting, this state is used intentionally to help you change habits or behaviour patterns that no longer serve you.
The real power of hypnosis isn’t about being controlled. It’s about allowing that part of your mind to take in some new information for a change. It’s important to realise that it’s still your mind and you still get to choose what you take in and what you don’t.
