About Movie

Is it possible to hypnotize yourself to beat addiction? The answer is yes...and no! Before this statement is explained further, we must examine the idea of hypnosis and addiction.

One of the most enduring legends about hypnosis comes from Hollywood. To this day, I can name you any number of movies with an individual made to stare at a chain or pendant swinging slowly back and forth. You see the eyes becoming glazed and the subject beset by extreme stupor. On and don't forget, they then do anything the puppet master who holds the chain tells them to say, think or do. You may wonder: is this a myth?

Well strictly speaking, you can do away with the pendulum. The simplest definition of hypnosis is focused attention accompanied by physical relaxation that may be induced by another or by the self. This brings about a type of calm, hyper-alertness where suggestions may be introduced to a person.

The whole notion of being able to hypnotize yourself to beat addiction stems from this suggestibility. Imagine a condition where repeated mantras such as "I will eat healthily for my well-being"; or "I will start today by throwing away my pack of cigarettes" can aid someone wanting to lose weight or stop smoking. Using this heightened state can teach you how to beat any addiction.

WARNING: trying to hypnotize yourself to beat addiction should come with a cautionary tag such as this! Why? Because it is not as simple as it seems. The reason is the insidious nature of addiction. It is like seeing the leaves and fruits of the tree, without guessing or touching at its deepest roots.

The true nature of addiction is that it always has a reason for being. We often are exposed to the symptoms of the addiction without a real understanding of whence it came. Sue, an abused child became an alcoholic adult. She took to drink to numb the pain of the violence done to her and even seemed to forget it. But do you really believe that an act that creates such a powerful impact on a young child can simply be erased?

To teach Sue how to beat any addiction that stems from the abuse, one would have to go straight to the root. Meaning, the abuse would have to be addressed before anything else. Then, hitting at the symptoms would make sense.

If you attempt to hypnotize yourself to beat addiction after you have attained an understanding of its root causes, you will be successful. If you try to hypnotize yourself to beat addiction by skimming the surface, chances are you will fail.