Recreational hypnosis

Recreational hypnosis, also called erotic hypnosis, is the practice of hypnosis for recreational purposes. Practices such as persuasion and mind control are often included in the practice. Erotic hypnosis is typically, but not exclusively, practiced within the BDSM subculture. Recreational hypnosis does not include amateur or unlicensed hypnotherapy nor the therapeutic application of neurolinguistic programming and similar disciplines.
Reducing inhibitions and increasing arousal is a notable goal of recreational hypnosis. The placement of trigger words in the subject's mind as post-hypnotic suggestion to produce actions and experiences on-demand is a common practice. Erotic hypnosis can include suggestions intended to improve sexual health.
Hypnosis can be used within a dominance and submission relationship to reinforce power exchange and as a form of play. This ranges from hypnotically-induced orgasms to long-term conditioning. The act of hypnosis itself is erotic and relationship-affirming for many power exchange couples as the subject surrenders control and opens themselves to mental vulnerability.

Erotic applications

Recreational hypnosis is so often used for sensual and sexual purposes that the term 'erotic hypnosis' is used synonymously.
Hypnotic suggestions may include techniques to overcome apprehension about fellatio, increase sensuality, improve libido, and increase breast size.
Another common form of erotic hypnosis is hypnotic fantasy, in which the subject is placed in a trance and taken through a description of a sexual experience. Depending on the depth of the trance and the skill of the hypnotist, the subject's experience can range from mildly to deeply erotic.
Personality transformation is another common fantasy. People who identify with the submissive side of erotic hypnosis often fantasize about being freed from responsibilities or inhibitions and transformed into someone who can freely enjoy sexual pleasures. Such sexually submissive personae include the slave, female stereotypes like the bimbo, slut, stripper and fictional characters from popular media.

Power exchange relationships

Hypnosis is an increasingly popular practice for power exchange couples that focus on practical psychology and mental BDSM.

Casual hypnosis

Recreational hypnosis is sometimes used for casual purposes. Some individuals merely enjoy the process and experience of hypnosis. Fractionation, the process of repeatedly bringing someone in and out of trance, is a popular practice.

Non-hypnotic elements

Several practices that are not part of formal hypnosis are included under the umbrella term of recreational hypnosis. This includes persuasion techniques, conditioning, and neurolinguistic programming. Enthusiasts often refer to such practices as "hypnosis without trance."

Some linguistic conventions

Some people in the D/s world capitalize words and names that refer to dominants, and do not to capitalize those that refer to submissives, hence the capitalization of D/s; others do not. It was popularized on internet chatrooms, to make it easier to identify the orientation of the writer or the person being written about.
Also, some submissives eschew personal pronouns, instead referring to themselves as "this slave" or "Master Bob's girl". This is sometimes considered an expression of modesty, but it is an entirely optional method of depersonalizing a submissive during "play". It may have roots in the military, where new recruits are required to refer to themselves as "this recruit" rather than "I" or "me".