You tried it. Perhaps a few sessions, perhaps an app. You lay there listening, waiting for something to happen, and nothing did. Now you wonder whether you did it wrong, or whether you are simply one of the people it does not work on.
It is a common experience, and it is rarely anyone’s fault. It is worth working out which of several quite different things went on.
First: are you sure it didn’t work?
Many people conclude hypnosis failed because of what it felt like, not because of what it did.
- “I was aware the whole time.” You are supposed to be.
- “I didn’t feel hypnotized.” There is no particular feeling. Most people find it surprisingly ordinary.
- “My mind kept wandering.” Everyone’s does.
- “I could have opened my eyes.” Yes. That is how it works.
The test is not how the session felt. It is whether anything has changed in your daily life: sleep, pain, the habit, the anxiety. Check that before deciding.
Eight reasons it may not have helped
1. Not enough time or practice
One session, or a week with an app, is seldom a fair trial. Hypnosis is a skill, and the first few attempts are usually the weakest. Most successful trials involved several sessions and daily home practice.
2. Trying too hard
Straining to relax, or monitoring yourself for signs of trance, gets in the way. Effort and hypnosis pull in opposite directions.
3. The wrong style
An authoritative “you will” manner makes some people bristle. A vague, flowery one makes others impatient. Imagery that means nothing to you, or a voice that irritates you, will not work.
4. Fear or mistrust
If part of you is worried about losing control, you will hold back. So will you if you do not feel comfortable with the practitioner.
5. The wrong practitioner
Skill varies enormously, and so does training.
6. The wrong problem
Hypnosis has good evidence for pain, IBS, procedure anxiety and hot flushes. For stopping smoking, weight loss and several other uses, it is unproven. If you tried it for one of those, a poor result is unsurprising.
7. Something else needs treating
An undiagnosed medical condition, depression, an anxiety disorder, trauma, or a life situation that needs changing. Hypnosis cannot fix a problem it is not suited to.
8. You are a low responder
Roughly 10 to 15 per cent of people respond little to hypnotic suggestion. It is a stable trait and has nothing to do with intelligence or strength of mind.
What to adjust before giving up
If you think the cause was among the first five, it may be worth one more attempt with changes.
- Give it three weeks of daily practice.
- Shorten sessions to ten minutes.
- Change the style: more direct, or more conversational.
- Try an active approach: eyes open, or while walking.
- Write your own script, in your own words, with imagery you choose.
- Record it in your own voice.
- Stop judging. Follow along and assess only at the end of the three weeks.
- Try a different practitioner, ideally a health professional.
- Set a smaller goal. Not “cure my insomnia” but “fall asleep ten minutes sooner.”
If you are a low responder
It is not a failing, and it is useful to know.
- Simple suggestions may still help. Relaxation and mental rehearsal do not need high hypnotizability.
- You may still get side benefits: better sleep, less stress.
- Research suggests response can be improved somewhat with training in how to use imagination and with positive expectation, though the basic trait is fairly fixed.
- Other methods may suit you better, and several are just as well supported.
Alternatives
Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT). The best-evidenced psychological treatment for anxiety, depression, insomnia and chronic pain. Practical and structured. Does not rely on imagery or suggestion.
Mindfulness. Trains attention and acceptance without trying to change your experience.
Acceptance and commitment therapy. Good evidence in chronic pain.
Progressive muscle relaxation. Physical and concrete. Works well for people who find imagery difficult.
Biofeedback. Shows you your body’s signals on a screen, so you can learn to control them.
Breathing techniques. Slow breathing has direct, measurable effects.
Exercise. Effective for mood, sleep, anxiety and many kinds of pain.
For specific problems:
- Insomnia: CBT for insomnia
- IBS: dietary approaches, CBT
- Phobias: graded exposure
- Stopping smoking: medication and behavioural support
- Trauma: trauma-focused CBT or EMDR
- Tics and habits: habit reversal training
Medical treatment, which should never be dropped because a complementary approach was tried.
What not to do
- Do not blame yourself. “Resistance” is a convenient excuse for a practitioner. It is not an explanation.
- Do not keep paying for something that is not helping. Three to six sessions is enough to judge.
- Do not escalate to more exotic or expensive versions on the promise that a “deeper” method will succeed.
- Do not be talked into regression as the answer to slow progress.
- Do not abandon proven treatment.
A fair trial, defined
You have given hypnosis a reasonable chance if you have:
- Used it for a problem where there is evidence
- Worked with a qualified practitioner or a well-made programme
- Practised most days for about three weeks
- Tried at least one change of style
- Judged by results in daily life
If nothing has shifted after that, it is sensible to stop.
Talk to someone
If the problem that brought you to hypnosis is still affecting your life, see your doctor. There is almost always another approach, and often a better-evidenced one.
The bottom line
Hypnosis does not work for everyone or for everything, and a good share of apparent failures come down to too little practice, the wrong style or the wrong problem. Adjust, give it a fair trial, and if it still does not help, move on without blame. It is one tool among many.
Next in the series: A Self-Hypnosis Script for Calm
This article is for general information and is not medical advice.