Hypnotic pain management???

Question

This is really amazing. Last week at a local fair, I met with a mentalist. I saw him privately, and he wanted to do a demonstration on me, so I volunteered. He said some things to me, and I participated, and he was telling me that the mind can control the body, and has the capability to shut off pain. He took my arm and layed it across his table, and kept telling me that my arm was going to go numb and lose feeling. Well it did. When he told me to try to pick my arm up, I seriously could not move it. I couldn't even feel it. He asked if I'd feel comfortable sticking a needle through it. The thought of it scared me, but I felt that if I did it, it wouldnt hurt at all, so he asked me if I cared if he did. I let him do it, and I couldnt feel a thing. I swear, I could have got hit with a hammer,and I wouldnt have felt it. He never explained how it works, and it's left me in amazement ever since. I've watched videos of people like this who can take control of other people. How is it so?

Answer 1

He did not take control of you.  You only allowed his suggestions to determine your mindset.  You could have stopped the process at any moment if you had wanted to.  You are what is called "an easy subject."  No fears necessary here - you are always 100% in charge of the session.

Answer 2

They used to do hypnosis in the 19th century for pain control during surgery.   It did seem to have some success, but also some times when it didn't work.  Later when anaesthetics were developed that actually worked close to 100 percent of the time, hypnosis was tossed onto the trash-bin.