10 Most Compelling Pieces Of Evidence That Proves Hypnosis Is Real

9. People Have Used It Instead Of Drugs

Hypnosis can apparently satiate your cravings for a low-level drug like cigarette smoking, but what about the stronger stuff? Yep, that too. Methadone addicts, cokeheads, stoners and alcoholics alike have all been the subject of studies which saw hypnosis greatly increase their chances of kicking bad habits and staying that way. And who needs drugs when hypnosis can replicate the feeling of being high anyway?

One study in the sixties (when else) looked into whether the brain-altering effects of LSD could be replicated in a laboratory, with no acid around, simply by getting somebody to remember what happened last time they took it. Guess what? Totally worked.

Which makes sense, because hypnosis is often about tapping into unconscious parts of the brain and hallucinogenics do exactly the same thing. Those creative types who would usually use drugs for inspiration have even used hypnosis from time to time, with surrealist André Breton employing it to spur on automatic writing.