Achieving 'Negative' Results?

[DigitalDan]

I love the site. Looking forward to diving into this stuff.

So I've done some reading, both on this site as a lurker, and from other sources about hypnosis, and a common theme keeps coming up. That suggestions must be phrased in the 'positive; for them to have any effect, due to how the subconscious processes information. For example: 'You like healthy food' instead of 'you don't like junk food'.

Now, I've seen people ask about this before, and there have been some informative answers. So apologies if my post is redundant. But as a newbie I'm a little hazy about how I would implement this rule when it comes to certain goals with hypnosis. I imagine it comes down to clever word play, but maybe some others have more insight.

For example, I have a list of fetishes and kink interests. And I have some goals in mind for amplifying my interest/enthusiasm for some, while eliminating others. While understandably this would take time and effort, I very much want to give it a shot.

Has anyone actually done this before, and if so, how did you go about it such that you went with the 'always positive phrases' rule? I saw one guy on here talking about setting up mutual exclusivity beforehand and then reinforcing one, thereby minimizing the other automatically, which seems really viable. Wonder if anyone's had experience with this.

Thanks!

[diode168]

The positive phrases only rule is broken in a lot of files. It use to be taken as gospel but more and more people are making files without it and haven't ran into any problems.


Hypnosis comes down to what you believe more than anything. If you believe your subconscious can't understand negatives then it won't but if you do or hold no opinion then it won't mater.

What are some of your kinks if you don't mind me asking? I may be able to find some helpful files and people who had success.

[wohermiston]

http://discreplay.typepad.com/hypnotic_psychotherapy/docs/extRef/Milton%20H%20Erickson%20-%20Hypnotherapy%20-%20An%20Exploratory%20Casebook.pdf

I always share this as a good primer with lot's of examples. you will have to wade through it. and probably several times. but it is very informative.
WOH

[MN_FriendlyGuy]

....Has anyone actually done this before, and if so, how did you go about it such that you went with the 'always positive phrases' rule? I saw one guy on here talking about setting up mutual exclusivity beforehand and then reinforcing one, thereby minimizing the other automatically, which seems really viable. Wonder if anyone's had experience with this...

It's difficult getting our logical minds to understand the illogical, isn't it? But that's what I'm asking you to do.

- The beliefs, attitudes, and experiences of the subject are will always be stronger (hold more weight) than the words used by the hypnotist. As a best practice, a hypnotist will choose wording that aligns with those beliefs, attitudes, and experiences - regardless of how bizarre they may seem. THIS IS THE FIRST TYPE OF POSITIVE PHRASING (sometimes this is called "mirroring").

- The hypnotic subject is literal. As a result, it's necessary to keep hypnotic suggestions unequivocal and unambiguous. KEEPING THE WORDING SIMPLE AND DIRECT IS THE SECOND TYPE OF POSITIVE PHRASING.

- Avoid pointing the subject toward the unwanted. As a best practice, a hypnotist will usually avoid using categoric terms like "junk food". This avoidance is a best practice because that type of phrasing might cause a subject to begin imagining foods that fall into the category of "junk". KEEPING THE SUBJECT'S FOCUS ON THE NEW (desired) DIRECTION IS THE THIRD TYPE OF POSITIVE PHRASING.

And now that you know... dive in!

[DigitalDan]

Thanks a lot everybody. Good info here.

@diode168 I PMed you regarding your follow up question.

@wohermiston I bookmarked that excellent resource. That's just the type of thing I need. Thanks!

@MN_FriendlyGuy Sood really good advice. Thanks!

[ProfessorPig]

the example that is most common when people talk about negative suggestions is if you were to hear someone say "don't think of a pink elephant". when someone says "don't think about a pink elephant" most people cant help but picture one in their mind.

i think the real reason to be mindful of using negatives in suggestions is that they open the door for abnormal reactions. its not what the speaker means to say that counts, its how the subject responds to it. much of that relates to the subjects interpretation of what is said.

[JackDrago]

There's plenty of positive ways to express negative ideas.
This file is sapping your will to masturbate.
Any desire to touch your self, is simply fading away.
Most of the time it fails to occur to you that you can touch your self
Or the idea crosses your mind but your mind wanders
And you simply forget to touch yourself.
And forget that you even wanted to touch yourself
As your hands wander off to do something else.
You have lost the ability to pleasure yourself
And it's so much better now that you are free of that urge.

It's a set of totally positive suggestions in support of a basically negative idea: Don't masturbate