Potential Dangers of Hypnosis

This composition was entailed to probe the dangers inflicted in humans by using hypnosis as means of mind therapy.  Many investigative reports have been compiled to get to the bottom of hypnosis and edify humans about it. As you read along, many issues will be discussed and you might as well find yourself fascinated by the world of hypnosis. Hypnosis is an instinctive psychological method in which vital thinking capacity of the mind is circumvent and a form of selective thinking and perception is recognized.

This piece of writing will embark upon on the possible dangers caused by hypnotism on humans, as humans seek remedy on their ailment or plainly would want to experience the shot of hypnosis.

Possible Menace and Difficulties of Hypnosis

To begin with, a number of psychologists and other mental health professionals are being apprehensive that practitioners of hypnosis who are unlicensed health professionals might bring about extreme emotions in their clients. Adverse consequences might occur when unexpectedly or decisively recalling traumatic events or, some believe, impulsive mental breakdowns.

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Fallacious memory accomplished by means of hypnosis has formed outstandingly in many investigations done by the authorities and court cases, as well as cases of alleged sexual abuse. Until now, there is no scientific approach to provide evidence that any of these recollections are absolutely precise.

Whichever tool can be utilized either to benefit us or harm us. The person using hypnosis is the one drawing danger interrelated with hypnosis.  Threat does not come from the tool itself, but rather from the person using it.

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  The true menace lies in an incompetent therapy at the hands of unscrupulous hypnotist (Niehaus, p. 67).

Another thing that can explain why hypnosis is treacherous, the mind loses its capability to differentiate between reality and flight of the imagination (truth and error). It also hold backs one's ability to tell the difference between factual memories and suggested or engrafted memories. That can be harmful because if you can be easily hoodwinked, then anybody can take benefit from this lucky break.

On the way to the end of 1994, the death of Sharon Tabarn shocked the Great Britain. Her story of death was all over tabloids.  She died several hours after involving herself in a hypnotic show performed by a young hypnotist by the name of Andrew Vincent. When the call was made asking for volunteers, Sharon, a 24-year-old mother of two daughters had experienced that inner inclination to put herself forward into the hands of Vincent. Sharon was evidently one of the foremost stars of the show as Vincent did his routine through a Madonna technique and other out of the ordinary post-hypnotic suggestions.

As the show came to a close Vincent told her that he will count from one to three and clap his hands, and as he clap his hands she will feel 10,000 volts of electricity will be directed through her chair and it will bring too much pain. The next morning, Sharon was found dead in her bed. Sharon received a bad electric shock experience as a child and ever since that day, she had a great fear of electricity.

Due to Sharon’s fear or phobia about electricity, the fact that she was a deep- reverie subject, and the senseless, dreadful and malevolent suggestion of experiencing a 10,000-volt electric shock which would really injure, this was the reason why her pituitary gland releases hormone called Prolactin. It prevented her from awakening when she vomited in her sleep. Probably the concoction of alcohol, endorphins and Prolactin could be categorized as a way of death through natural causes, even though hypnosis was the trigger which caused this tragic accident.

Stage hypnosis is tremendously dangerous. Aside from the fact that there are the dangers of hypnosis, it is also morally mortifying for the participants involved. Many of whom will have no memory recall, but it can, and has, led to the death of a young mother. It also has been the trigger for possibly dozens or even hundreds of people go through into emotional and mental disproportion, leading these people eventually to the mental hospital.

Hypnotism condenses self-determinism by interjecting the instructions of another underneath the analytical level of an individual's mind. It is a control mechanism in which a domineering individual, cult, or ideology delight. People who pander to hypnotism may only be interested in experimentation involving human minds (Atack, 1995).

There were reports of complications occurring after a person undergone a hypnosis. Some causes of strange behaviour after such mind therapy can be an amateur hypnosis, removal of symptom by a direct command, treatment of condition that the hypnotist is not trained to treat without the use of hypnosis and when an inadvertent post hypnotic suggestion has been made (Kougell, 2000).

Presently, hypnosis was also being practiced by some medical practitioners to treat persons who are ill-infected.  Although hypnosis was exercised by some medical practitioners, there can still be an array of unexpected unwanted impressions, feelings or behaviours during or after hypnosis which are incompatible with settled goals and hold back with the hypnotic process by destructing optimal mental performance with no prior occurrences or history of similar mental or physical symptoms.

Here are some list of complications associated with hypnosis, it may include one of these behaviour; antisocial acting out, anxiety, panic attacks, identity crisis, self-image distortion, comprehension loss, concentration loss, depression, headache, nausea, vomiting, memory impaired, dizziness, medical emergencies, stiffness of arms and neck, sexual acting out, traumatic recalls, sexual dysfunction, phobia aversion, physical discomfort, obsessive ruminations, symptom substitution, psychotic-like delusional thinking, impaired coping skills, body tremors, uncontrolled weeping  and may others.  These after-effects of hypnosis were experienced by those who have undergone hypnosis, medical researches has been conducted to explain why these things happen after such procedure but until today, no one can fully convey why these things takes place.

Conclusion

Hypnosis is denoted to as an altered transformation of state of consciousness, which generally comprises a social interaction between two people. It includes two individuals which is the hypnotist and his subject.  Involving hypnosis to treat various diseases or sickness is widely used by medical practitioners around the globe, from simple dental settings down to cancer ill patients.

Hypnosis is also subject to significant assessment and analysis, as with any other eccentric forms of therapy. There are numbers of psychiatrists who come up with the assumption that hypnosis is dangerous, more than ever when practiced by non-psychiatrists. Countless well-known magazines and medical journals have published articles lay emphasis on the dangers of this form of therapy when acted upon by non-certified practitioners. Hypnosis, however, is open to use wrongly by non-certified practitioners and at times the danger lies there.

According to experts, in order to avoid danger, any hypnotic performance should always come to an end; or a period of time should be set for this to end. An example of this is in case like hypnotic anesthesia. A period of time to end the activity should be set when inducing hypnotic anesthesia, for the reason that pain has a meaning and it is nature’s way of forewarning us that something is wrong in our body and in our system. No pain should be fastened off using hypnosis unless the starting place of pain is ascertained.

As a final point, hypnosis, as with any other forms of therapy, does not come wholly without any technical hitches or complications. Proper erudition and understanding of this method is necessary to avoid serious complication.

References:

  1. Atack, John C (1995). Never believe a hypnotist: An investigation of L. Ron Hubbard’s statement about hypnosis and its relationship to his Dianetics. Retrieved April 2, 2008, from http://home.snafu.de/tilman/j/hypnosis.html/
  2. Kougell, Maurice (2000). Possible dangers and complications. Retrieved April 2, 2008, from http://www.brooksidecenter.com/possible_dangers_and_complication.htm
  3. Niehaus, Joe (1998). Investigative forensic hypnosis. United Sates: CRC Press

 

Updated: Feb 22, 2021
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Potential Dangers of Hypnosis. (2017, Feb 23). Retrieved from https://studymoose.com/potential-dangers-of-hypnosis-essay

Potential Dangers of Hypnosis essay
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