Relaxation and Hypnosis: What are the Differences?

Question: What are the differences between relaxation and hypnosis? How is guided relaxation different from hypnosis?

Answer: I did some research to see what I could find regarding the differences between relaxation and hypnosis, and found that they can be very similar.

First I should clarify that there are different kinds of hypnosis.

Have you ever seen people who are hypnotized to forget their address, or think they won the lottery, or do other things just for the purpose of entertainment? This is stage hypnosis. It probably is not beneficial. People say that this hypnosis is not dangerous, but I would not be confident that it has no harmful effects (I would think it would be unsettling to be confused like that!).

When I use the term hypnosis, I am referring to hypnotherapy - using hypnosis for therapeutic purposes. This is very different from stage hypnosis, and more like relaxation.

Relaxation can be a part of hypnosis (usually relaxation is part of the induction - that is, part of getting into a state of hypnosis).

Relaxation and hypnosis (hypnotherapy) have some similarities:

- relaxing is a type of trance state
- both can be used to calm the mind and relax the body
- both can involve suggestions for relaxation, wellbeing, making positive changes, etc

Relaxation and hypnosis differ in that:

- hypnosis aims specifically to make suggestions to the unconscious mind
- the process of relaxation has an end goal of relaxation and calm
- the process of hypnosis has an end goal of making changes via suggestions

A bit of information on trance states - it is very common to go into a trance state. In fact, we all experience trances every day. Concentrating, reading a book and imagining the story, being engrossed in a TV show, daydreaming... there are many activities in which we experience trance states. Relaxing is one of them.

In hypnosis, the subject enters a deep trance - probably deeper than the trance states involved with relaxation, reading, or the other regular daily experiences people have. While in this deep trance, people are more suggestible (they respond more readily to suggestions). Then the goal of hypnotherapy can then be achieved - the person being hypnotized is given suggestions, and is likely to follow them.

Kinds of suggestions used in relaxation:

- relax the muscles
- feel pleasant and calm
- imagine a peaceful place
- feel safe and comfortable

The suggestions used in relaxation are also used in hypnosis. In addition, there are further suggestions used in hypnotherapy, for example:

- change a habit (like quitting smoking)
- improve self-esteem
- deal with past trauma
- make positive life changes

The research I have done on whether hypnosis allows another person to control your mind suggests that people in hypnotic states remain in control and can choose to come out of the trance state at will. I, myself, would not feel comfortable allowing another person to lead me into a hypnotic state and make suggestions that would alter my behavior (as in the stage hypnosis I described). To me this would feel as if another person had to much control.

A study by Oakley and Gandhi indicates that participants who go through a hypnotic induction "produced a modest increase in suggestibility when it was called ‘relaxation,’ but a very significant increase if it was labelled ‘hypnosis.’" This shows that relaxation and hypnosis are different even in just the way subjects view them. People expecting to be hypnotized are more suggestible than people who are not planning to be hypnotized.

If you want to do relaxation, but want to ensure that you maintain complete control over your mind, here are some things you can do:

- Review the relaxation scripts you plan to use (either by reviewing the written script or listening to the audio without following the directions), and confirm that you are comfortable with the content before you listen to them to follow the instructions for relaxing.

- Record relaxation scripts in your own voice, and listen to those rather than another person.

- If you decide to use hypnotherapy, choose scripts that are for the purpose of relaxation or for another purpose that you are comfortable with. In other words, make sure the content is chosen by you and for purposes you desire.

- Avoid "hypnosis" that is not under the umbrella of hypnotherapy.

- Only use relaxation audio scripts if you have checked out and trust their source. Don't use relaxation scripts that come from a source you're not comfortable with.

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