Hypnosis has gone a long way since it was first used. In ancient times, the art of hypnosis was employed primarily for healing purposes, with its earliest existence being attributed to a healer named shaman. During the process of healing, shaman would direct himself away from any form of distraction because he strongly believed in the power of concentration. He put himself in a comfortable and relaxed state during the process and focused his subconscious on willing the patient to be healed.

Since then, more sophisticated applications and techniques for hypnosis have been discovered and are being used today. Among the modern evolutions of this treatment method is called instant hypnosis. This is a hypnotic technique that induces a hypnotic state in a very short time, often counting only seconds before the subject is completely under. The method of rapid induction was first introduced by Dave Elman, who is also one of the pioneers in the medical application of hypnosis.

This practice of inducing hypnosis quickly then gained a lot of popularity and is in fact still being used by hypnosis experts today. It was significantly improved by John Cerbone who is now known for popularising instant inductions. This method of instant hypnosis ensures that the subject goes under in just three to seven seconds. In developing this improved technique, Cerbone draws on a combination of all six methods to induce a hypnotic trance - confusion, boredom, eye fixation, shock, misdirection, and a loss of equilibrium.

Some hypnotists who currently practice instant hypnosis do so only after a couple of sessions. This is to ensure that the subject is already quite comfortable with the therapist and will not be too shocked by being induced into a trance almost as soon as he enters the therapist's office. The subject is often prepared for instant hypnosis by having it suggested in an earlier session. While in a trance, the hypnotist will inform the subject that on the next session, he will automatically go under as soon as the therapist takes hold of his hand and instructs him to sleep.

The Hand-Drop method is considered the most effective instant hypnosis induction method and also the easiest to use. The hypnotist merely takes the subject's hand then says the word "Sleep" at the same time that he lets go of the hand. Of course, it is important that before the first hypnosis session is even started, the hypnotist should thoroughly discuss the methods with the subject so that he knows exactly what he will be dealing with.

Today, instant hypnosis is accepted as an effective medical tool which is often employed to control or get rid of negative habits such as alcoholism and chain smoking. It is also being used for weight loss and weight control. In fact, it is being touted as one of the fastest and safest ways of making lasting positive changes in a person's life. Contrary to what sceptics say, there are no negative side effects associated with hypnosis and there is absolutely no danger of a person being stuck in a trance. In fact, the reason why hypnosis is often done in private is because even the smallest distraction can immediately break a hypnotic spell.