A pattern interrupt is a technique designed to break a person’s habitual mental or behavioral sequence and change their state or strategy. We all have ingrained patterns—automatic sequences our minds and bodies follow without conscious thought. Pattern interrupts can also be powerful tools to induce trance or heightened suggestibility. For example, Milton Erickson famously used a handshake as a form of pattern interrupt during hypnosis.

Understanding Patterns

Patterns and habits serve a useful purpose: they allow our brain to operate on “autopilot,” freeing mental energy for other tasks. Simple daily routines like getting dressed, brushing teeth, or driving become so automatic that we hardly need to focus on them. In social interactions, “rapport” is a form of unconscious tuning into another person’s behavior or state.

However, patterns can sometimes work against us. For instance, mindless eating can lead to overeating; zoning out during conversations may cause us to miss important information; exercising without paying attention might cause injury.

How Interruptions Work

A pattern can be disrupted by something sudden or unexpected—a shift that jolts the mind out of its automatic flow. Have you ever derailed someone’s storytelling by asking a random question, causing them to lose their train of thought? Or started an action, been interrupted, and then forgotten what you were doing? This brief confusion creates an opening for new perspectives or suggestions, as people naturally want to escape discomfort and regain clarity.

Why Pattern Interrupts Are Helpful

Interrupting a pattern is especially useful when you or someone else is stuck in an unproductive or negative mindset—like being caught in a loop of worry, frustration, or habitual unhelpful behavior. It can also help break the monotony of routines that have become dull or limiting.

Ways to Interrupt Your Own Patterns

• Use humor or laughter to break tension and shift your mood.
• Take a break or go for a walk when feeling stressed or angry.
• Change your usual route to work or alter your daily schedule.
• Take a deliberate pause from routine activities, such as skipping TV for a week.
• Sleep on a problem to allow fresh ideas to emerge instead of forcing solutions.