French version of this article : L’Hypnose est-elle dangereuse ?
Hypnosis in the media
When speaking of hypnosis in the media, there are generally two currents through which posed the question “Is hypnosis dangerous? “.
The first seeks to promote the merits of hypnosis and the discoveries made around this discipline. Hypnosis is often appears as a somewhat mystical discipline that eventually wins acclaim thanks to its adoption by the medical profession.
It speaks of operations under hypnosis and medical applications of hypnosis.
On the other hand, there is the media coverage of hypnosis as a takeover of the other, either for show or for quackery.
There are stories of people who were defrauded by malicious people or stories to TV host who falls in love with a donkey …
Behind all this there is the fantasy of hypnosis as an esoteric discipline and supernatural that would give its practitioners a power over others. Hypnotists are in some ways the Jedi, or magicians of our rational society.
Obviously, all this maintains public ignorance of what actually hypnosis and how it works. And many are asking the question:
Is hypnosis dangerous?
The medical invites to think that indeed, hypnosis is dangerous and must be reserved for graduate health professionals and recognized by the institution. This would be to book hypnosis in medical use and only to certain people.
While it is beneficial that doctors and health professionals interested in hypnosis, it is a pity to limit hypnosis to this closed circle. First, because membership in medical training is a pledge of course, but not necessarily an absolute ethics pledge or infallibility.
Many doctors make diagnoses errors or prescribe inappropriate drugs. I personally know people who were left in the hospital in serious condition following a bad reaction to a drug.
And secondly, the use of hypnosis go beyond medical use, since it is a tool that can be used in coaching for performance improvement or personal development to overcome her shyness, for example or be more creative. Objectives for which it is rare to call a doctor.
On the other hand, there are hypnotists who say there is no danger to do hypnosis and who allow themselves to do things to the limit of ethics. so we often deal with a form of little subtle hypnosis where the hypnotist is presented as having power over the hypnotized.
This form of hypnosis is often deplorable because the tool is then used hypnosis to the detriment of one who is hypnotized in order to amuse people outside experience or enhance the hypnotist.
But hypnosis is a tool and guidance that should serve the person under hypnosis and not use it.
It is no doubt possible to imagine forms of hypnosis that have both a spectacular side and that is useful to the person under hypnosis. Whether to help him let go or to trust, or simply to make him discover abilities they never imagined.
Hypnosis is a tool
So in itself, hypnosis is it dangerous?
I would say there is no definitive answer to the question. Like many disciplines and many tools is its use that premium. Hypnosis is not a weapon designed to kill but a tool to help.
If we take the analogy often used knife, the knife can be used to cut his carrots and cook but can also cut the flesh. Spoon on the other hand is rather used for food, and that’s why it was invented.
Well hypnosis is rather like the spoon. You can hurt someone with a spoon, but this is not its first use. And the spoon is more convenient to eat his soup to fight against Zoro.
However, with the metal, can be knives, spoons and many other things …
The raw material of hypnosis, it is the language
And the raw material of hypnosis, it is language. One daily, one that allows to tell stories, convey ideas, to tell someone you love talking to her flowers or stars …
So the real question is not “Is hypnosis dangerous” but “it is language dangerous? ”
We use language every day in our interactions with others but in our interactions with ourselves. We are constantly talking to ourselves in our head without even paying attention to it.
The current Mindfulness invites us to become aware of this incessant mental chatter to detach us and help us reduce stress, be more focused and ultimately to better enjoy life.
Hypnosis also invites us to be aware of this mental chatter to use it in our favor to help us surpass ourselves, to master our emotions, and to expand our field of consciousness.
Buddha said that the source of our suffering is ignorance, and therefore, understanding is the best remedy to suffering.
I believe that hypnosis to better understand what happens in our brain, not an outside perspective quantified and measurable, but an inner and individual point of view.
In this, hypnosis is not far from the guided meditation or tale that invites us to think otherwise.
By interesting you in hypnosis, you will discover a new way of using language to act first on yourself and on others. This includes verbal language (the words themselves) but also non-verbal communication (body language, rhythm and intonation of the voice, symbols).
It is an opening to more understanding, and thus to less suffering …