Hypnosis is often incorrectly thought-of as a form of mind control. In reality, it simply involves the power of suggestion used to influence compliant individuals to perform certain actions. There are a variety of different techniques, some of which have been successfully applied to medical fields, and some of which are more applicable in the field of entertainment. Hypnotherapy is gaining popularity among doctors, psychologists, and patients alike as a means to quit smoking, to lose weight, and to control various types of unwanted habits and behaviors. Among all of these types of various techniques lies a very specific type of hypnosis - erotic hypnosis, which is not frequently talked about but which still exists.

Erotic hypnosis involves a sexual interest in hypnosis for the purpose of reducing inhibitions and increasing arousal. Most often used in dominance/submission-type relationships, this type of hypnosis can be used as a sort of power exchange. The submissive person willingly surrenders his or her will to the dominant person in exchange for an emotional bond or for sexual pleasure. It increases feelings of submissiveness to the point where the submissive person can actually feel the dominance of the other person, controlling the movements of his or her body and influencing thoughts. Another application for erotic hypnosis is in the form of personality transformation. Individuals who identify with the submissive-type personality may fantasize about being freed from their inhibitions, transformed into a person who can freely enjoy unlimited sexual pleasure.

This, while not often spoke of, has existed for quite some time. In fact, its history may even stretch back to the ancient world in which the Sirens of Greek mythology "bewitched" the sailors, luring them to their deaths. Witches of the Middle Ages were often described as having a hypnotic sort of sexual appeal. Through various periods in history and explorations in fiction, erotic hypnosis has gained a hold in the current world almost as much as more conventional techniques. There remains a great deal of debate about the scientific aspects of hypnosis, whether it is truly effective and whether it is a form of mind control, but through all of the debate it continues to be used for a variety of purposes. Over time, techniques will be developed and refined, perhaps even accepted as a form of medical treatment but there will always exist the less-conventional, more recreational uses for it as well.