Hypnosis and its dangers

Recently, I have been quite interested in hypnosis, and I would like to know if there are any dangers before I actually try out some of the techniques.

Some people say there are some dangers and yet others say there is no danger in hypnotism. So I was hoping to get a second opinion here.

I'm not a hypnosis expert by any means, but what you get out of it completely depends on the intention and you won't be doing anything you don't want to be doing. I've tried a number of hypnosis sessions, some with success due to anxiety, insomnia, etc. and you are in complete control. If you want to do something, you do it. You are the one who submits to basically a deep state of relaxation which is much more open to suggestions that are coming from someone else and if you are being suggested what you want to be doing, you'll find it is very much possible. I wouldn't be scared, especially if it is hypnosis from someone you know and you can tell they don't have any ill intentions. I don't think there are many people out there who learn to perform hypnosis with a bad intention.

Actually, I do not learn it for bad intentions either, and according to your post, I don't think it would be possible to do it with bad intentions. At this point of time, I am learning it for fun and for relaxation, but I have not tried it out yet. =) Everyone around me thinks it is dangerous.

Originally posted by ThinkingMe
Recently, I have been quite interested in hypnosis, and I would like to know if there are any dangers before I actually try out some of the techniques.

Some people say there are some dangers and yet others say there is no danger in hypnotism. So I was hoping to get a second opinion here.

You tell me...you have been hypotised since probably a baby

I know this sounds shocking, but I would be scared of getting raped or something horrible like that without knowing.

i know that sounds terrible but its a fear of mine, if i was to get hypnotised.

hypnosis is cool. I used to listen to it to help me fall asleep at night. And then i basically hypnotized myself to fall into a really really deep trance like state, that would totally numb my body, and make me tired. I'd be asleep within a few minutes after hopping into bed.

reply to post by ellbell

Ya. It can be quite scary, and my mother told me some stories about people being hypnotised but they do not know anything about it, but from what I read that is not possible.

reply to post by DaRAGE

Hypnotism generally is used either to cure people of smoking and stuff like that or stage hypnotism as far as I know. I must admit that I have a little more interest in stage hypnotism than in using its curing effects. Although knowing fully hypnotism is best not used for laughs or at least thats what I think at the moment. =)

Originally posted by ellbell
I know this sounds shocking, but I would be scared of getting raped or something horrible like that without knowing.

Hypnotism isn't like being thrown into a coma. If someone started throwing your body around you can easily snap back into reality. There is nothing like coming out of a deep trance, but it's easy as literally a snap of the finger.

The most important thing to remember about hypnosis is that you will never do something (or be influenced to do something) that is against your morals/ethics, in other words something you won't do whilst "awake"... In other words the Hollywood image of someone being hypnotised and turned into a murderer is greatly over-exaggerated.

There are several sites that explain hypnosis and the dangers thereof. Basically there are no direct dangers. It becomes dangerous when the hypnotist doesn't know what he/she is doing.

Here are some highlights from some sites:

...Kieinhauz and Eli, reported four cases of "deleterious effects of hypnosis used in the dental setting."

1. The first was a woman successfully treated with dental hypnosis for removal of apprehension and analgesia. She asked her dentist to use hypnosis to help her stop smoking and she too developed in a very short time an anxiety-depressive reaction with obsessive thoughts and was unable to cope with everyday activities.
2. The second one, a woman with dental phobia preventing dental treatment for ten years, received five sessions of relaxation and anxiety reduction. Finally she decided to begin dental work and “although the patient was in deep relaxation and showed no tension whatsoever, the moment local anesthetic injection was attempted she manifested a spontaneous abreaction with uncontrollable weeping and hyperventilation”.
3. The third case was a woman treated in four sessions for dental phobia. it was suggested to her that her “unusual good hypnotic response would occur whenever she would come for dental treatment”. She arrived at the next session feeling confused; she felt in a trance from the time that she left her house. She was responding literally to “the precise suggestion given so her the week before." The suggestion was changed to “the moment that she sat in the dental chair” and there were no further incidents.
4. The fourth case was a young woman treated with dental hypnosis for analgesia because of hypersensitivity to local anesthetics. She reported “feeling dizzy riding her motorcycle home” and it became apparent that the de-hypnotization was too quick and incomplete.
...
Source

The existence of existing psychological problems may be problematic with hypnosis:

...
In spite of the safety of hypnotic induction, there are strong
psychological forces at work during therapy that must be
respected when hypnosis is used as a tool for change. If an
unexpected situation is encountered, and the hypnotist panics or
behaves irresponsibly, there is a very real risk in some cases of
existing psychological problems becoming exacerbated.
...
Source

There have been cases where people supposedly died as a result of hypnotic suggestions...
Read more here - no one was convicted in any of the cases and/or it was found that the deaths occurred unrelated to hypnosis.

More reading material
And more

The bottom line is:
Don't believe the misconception Hollywood creates around Hypnosis.
You cannot be hypnotised if you don't want to be hypnotised and you cannot perform any acts under hypnosis you don't want to do. You cannot be raped under hypnosis, you cannot reveal your deepest secrets under hypnosis and you cannot hurt yourself or someone else under hypnosis... UNLESS you want to.
Don't allow an amateur to try and hypnotise you.
Self-hypnosis are perfectly safe and a great relaxant.

I took a series of self-hypnosis classes in my early 20s and I've been using it all my life for various reasons. I just recently started to record sessions for myself and other people. I've never heard or known of any dangers.

I uploaded the Intro in case anyone wants to hear it.

www.abovetopsecret.com...

reply to post by Gemwolf


The most important thing to remember about hypnosis is that you will never do something (or be influenced to do something) that is against your morals/ethics,

Ask yourself - would you commit a violent act to protect those most close to you? I think this is dangerous advice from a moderator

Gonna have to add a signature saying i've been wrong in the past

Peace and have a great one

reply to post by yyyyyyyyyy


Good point. But how does it relate to hypnotism?

Edit: I didn't exactly give advice - I simply answered the question...

I wonder why people keep saying you cant be persuaded if you don't want too. It is very possible to hypnotize someone against their will, and its also possible to get them to do something they would not morally do. There are things such as covert hypnosis or nlp. Now I'm not saying it will work 100% of the time, but its very possible. From time to time some friends and I go out to drink with one of our Professors. This guy totally changes when hes not on campus, he gets bartenders to give us free drinks, food etc.Hes had the cops forget what they were writing a ticket for (parking in a no park zone). Hes done a few others things and told us even more stories. He also says this and that about peoples cognition being weak and unstable you just have to know how to approach it.

reply to post by Gemwolf


When does a conversation turn into an argument, when does an argument turn into a war? I heard that in a soccer commentary the other day

My point I guess Gem was that yes hypnosis does not allow you to do anything against your morals but the thing is most people's morals can include some pretty unsavoury things - but hypnosis is just like a car or a handgun, its a tool and is dangerous when used the wrong way, I heard that 3000 people die in car incidents daily but that is another thread, and hypnosis and life in general should be to develop good things in life.

As Bandler has said before, if you can take aware a phobia you can install one. It's just I am not too keen on the idea that hypnosis is safe because you only act within your moral sphere without the subsequent proviso.

Peace

PS to be far if you were only a member I would not have replied but I feel the opinion of mods should be challenged a bit more

reply to post by Testsubject3


Too true, I am not that sort of person but your mate must have some great stories. A case in point is to look at how people react to truly beautiful girls and also to cops. Most people in each situation tend to shut up and don't know what to say. It's possible to do some real Obi Wan Kenobi stuff - but would it not be nicer to do that to help others who need some sort of therapy or personal development?

My brother is a hypnotist (not the kind that does silly stuff on stage) and his primary customer base is cancer patients. They use hypnosis to reduce or eliminate pain so they can get as much out of life as possible in the time they have left. His clients also use hypnosis to overcome fears, phobias, depression, insomnia....the list is rather long.

He has amazing stories from his years in this line of work. I will contact him to see if he is willing to come on here and post.