As
a writer, I spend a great deal of time researching various topics. For my
novel, UNLOCKED, I
extensively researched hypnosis. Feel free to join the conversation in the comments,
because I find this topic highly fascinating!
According
to the Mayo Clinic:
Hypnosis “is a trance-like state in which you have
heightened focus and concentration. Hypnosis is usually done with the help of a
therapist using verbal repetition and mental images. When you're under
hypnosis, you usually feel calm and relaxed, and are more open to suggestions.”
According
to Merriam-Webster:
“hypnosis: a trancelike state that resembles sleep but is
induced by a person whose suggestions are readily accepted by the subject”
These
definitions seem pretty tame, but I’d like to suggest that not all hypnosis is
safe.
Actually,
let me be perfectly clear: I am not an advocate for hypnosis.
I believe not all
hypnosis is safe for two reasons: 1) the vulnerability of the participant and
2) the ethical code of the hypnotist.
If
you answer yes to any of the following questions, please share your experiences
in the comments below:
1. Have
you had a positive experience with hypnosis?
2.
Have
you ever been hypnotized for entertainment purposes?
3.
Have
you ever participated in hypnotherapy?
4.
Have
you had any degree of negative experience with hypnosis?
While
it is possible to have a positive experience with hypnosis, I encourage
caution, because not all hypnosis is safe.
Vulnerability of the Participant
First,
let me address the vulnerability of the participant. Typically, in order to be
hypnotized, the participant must be willing. However, sometimes, he or she is
overly willing and eager to escape the realities of life. Wanting to detach
from the real world can become dangerous.
According
to Mary Garden in an article she wrote for The
Humanist in 2007, “Dr. Solomon Snyder, head of neuroscience at Johns
Hopkins University, warns that … the brain releases serotonin. This may help
those with mild depression but too much serotonin can cause, in some, a
paradoxical relaxation-induced anxiety. Instead of relaxing … these people
become distressed and may even have panic attacks. … some cases can launch a
person straight into psychosis.” *
According
to Mayo Clinic, adverse reactions to hypnosis may include: headache, dizziness,
anxiety, distress, creation of false memories. They also advise, “Use special
caution before using hypnosis for age regression to help you relive earlier
events in your life. This practice remains controversial and has limited
scientific evidence to support its use.”
Depending
upon the vulnerability of the participant, a wide range of negative reactions
is possible, everything from a headache to psychosis.
Ethical Code of the Hypnotist
Second,
not all hypnosis is safe because of the ethical code of the hypnotist involved.
When
I was in college, I had the opportunity to attend a hypnotism show. In an
auditorium along with a couple hundred other students, we watched as
approximately fifteen students went on stage and very willingly participated in
the hypnosis. We all laughed and enjoyed the show as the hypnotized students on
stage did silly things such as quacking like a duck or singing a song. It was
great. Terrific. Until the end. While the participants were still hypnotized,
the hypnotist turned to the audience and spouted his political views. Then he
actually instructed everyone how to vote in the upcoming election. I was
shocked. I was not hypnotized, and I was not in a suggestive state, but all of
those students still on stage were under hypnosis, and I’m certain there were
plenty of other students sitting in the audience who were in some stage of
suggestibility from watching the hypnosis being performed.
That’s
the exact moment when I decided I did not like hypnosis, and I would never be
hypnotized.
Now,
you might be thinking: that’s merely an anecdote and an isolated incident. Maybe.
However, in my research, I found many of these types of stories.
I
also found the transcript of a presentation given by Dr. Charles Tart at a
psychology convention where he casually stated to the audience, “Being a
hypnotist … You can bend men's wills and change their reality and even give
them good experiences and that's really an ego trip. A number of charlatans
come into hypnosis, of course, because of that. They're not really interested
in these intangible goals of helping people … They're more on a pure power trip
… And then you always have stage demonstrations where the beautiful girl does
strange things and the shy boy from town gets up and sings like Elvis Presley.
It makes great entertainment. You all laugh and then you think, "Would I
want to be hypnotized? I don't know. It's great to see it happen to other
people." And then, of course, we have the classic thing of Svengali and
Trilby, the master hypnotist who seduces the innocent young girl. I actually
don't know how effective hypnosis is in seducing people. It if does work, those
people don't write it up for the journals! It's kind of hard to get objective
data on that sort of thing. I'm sure it does work sometimes because, let's face
it … there're a lot of girls who'd like to say, "Oh, no. I would never do
a thing like that, but he overpowered my will and it wasn't my fault at
all."”
That was said by a man who is considered an expert in the field, whose publications
are used in modern psychology.
So
where does that leave us? Am I telling you to never participate in hypnosis
because it’s evil? No. That’s not what I’m saying.
I am
simply asking you to be cautious when considering hypnosis.
First,
be honest about your own vulnerabilities. Why do you want to be hypnotized? Are
you bored and simply looking for entertainment? Are you trying to escape your
own personal reality? Are you looking for answers that can be found via other
avenues?
Second,
if you choose to participate in hypnosis, please take the time to research the
ethical code of the hypnotist you plan to use.
Because
…
Not
All Hypnosis is Safe
Join
the conversation in the comments. What are your viewpoints on hypnosis? Have
you ever been hypnotized?
…
Sources:
*
While this article written by Mary Garden for The Humanist is about meditation, there are significant parallels
between meditation and hypnosis, which I will present in a subsequent post.
It was always my impression that once the hypnotized people "woke up" the hold was gone. For example, if during the hypnosis the people were conditioned to quack like a duck whenever somebody said "Hello" those people obviously don't continue quacking like a duck long after the show every time they hear "Hello." Right? So by that logic even if the hypnotist at the show you attended did talk about his political views, there's no reason to necessarily think those opinions stuck once the people were no longer hypnotized. That being said, it would certainly have been interesting to know if any of those people voted differently after the show than they did beforehand.
ReplyDeleteAs for the seduction stuff... that's just plain creepy. But it also makes sense. People get into all sorts of professions for the wrong reasons all the time, so it's no surprise that it would happen with hypnotists.
I've never been hypnotized, and I don't think I'd ever volunteer for it at a show. Mostly because I hate being the center of attention even when I'm in complete control of my own actions... let alone being at the mercy of someone else.
- Shelby
I have never been hypnotized nor do I have any desire to be hypnotized. This is partially because I like to be in control and the things the hypnotists generally make people do at the shows are silly and I don't particularly want to be made to look silly. And partially because I do think the hypnotist can plant suggestions or ideas that will remain in your subconscious without you being aware that they have been put there.
ReplyDeleteHypnosis has, irrespective of a pretty substantial body of data indicating its usefulness for getting rid of a few particular conditions, been thought of as a rip-off by many health care providers. Some health care providers regard hypnosis as some kind of variety show with no compelling value. hypnosis downloads
ReplyDelete