By Mind control, altered consciousness, side effects… Hypnosis is a reliable therapeutic tool that is often accompanied by false myths that need to be clarified. We will detail them below.
Film, literature and even popular culture often contribute to the spread of erroneous or distorted narratives about certain clinical practices. One of them is the assumption that hypnosis is dangerous in therapy, when in reality it is a very interesting clinical method for treating pain, phobias or quitting smoking.
If you also have concerns about this technique, you will want to know that it is another psychotherapeutic tool that has adequate scientific support. Also, whenever it is applied by a certified professional, it can act as a good facilitator of change.
Are there risks to clinical hypnosis in therapy?
The idea that hypnosis can be harmful is based on biased arguments. During the treatment, you will never lose control of yourself, nor will you fall into a state of unconsciousness. Instead, it has been suggested that this auxiliary method would facilitate the therapeutic process and be useful when treating pain and emotional distress .
You are therefore faced with yet another resource used by psychologists, with its benefits and limitations, but without associated risks. Popular culture has built around it a whole artifice of false ideas that are worth dismantling. Because far from being a classic instrument of manipulation, it acts as an interesting means of change. Let’s delve deeper into some of its myths.
You may want to read: Are there mind control techniques?
It won’t make you say or do things you don’t want to.
If you’ve seen The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari (1920), or more recent productions like Get Out (2017), you might be haunted by one concern: “If my psychologist hypnotizes me, will I end up doing something against my will?” Today, there is still a very blurred line about what hypnosis is and is not .
To begin with, the most important thing is to be clear that this is not a mind control technique. The hypnotic process is a state of focused concentration and deep relaxation in which you experience greater receptivity to suggestion . This attention to your interior is what is used to help you generate changes or discover resources that you can use to your benefit.
At no time will you verbalize things you do not want or lose your will, because throughout the session you will always retain your power of decision. In fact, the constant work and interaction between the therapist and the patient is key to achieving objectives.
No one loses consciousness during hypnosis
“When I count to three, you will fall into a deep sleep.” You’ve probably heard this phrase in more than one movie. However, it’s worth debunking the idea that this technique leaves you suspended in a dreamlike state. Typically, what happens is that the person remains conscious at all times and remembers everything that happens during hypnosis.
The idea that this clinical tool produces a trance or a special state of consciousness is a completely erroneous concept. As a patient, you actively participate and can interrupt it at any time if you wish. The very success of this method always requires your comfort and trust in it and in the professional who carries it out.
No memory, word or suggestion is forgotten or erased from memory.
It doesn’t always “uncover” painful memories
It is often assumed that hypnosis is intended to unblock painful memories. This approach has its origins in Freudian psychoanalysis and its conception of the unconscious . If you are worried that your therapist’s main goal is to bring traumatic memories from the past back to consciousness, we assure you that this is not the ultimate goal of this tool.
It is normal to first agree with the professional on the therapeutic goals and create an ethical and respectful space. Nothing you do not want will happen at any time. Also, always keep in mind that there are non-certified therapists who promise realities without any scientific basis. An example of this are the classic regressions to past lives.
It does not aggravate latent problems
Are you worried that hypnosis may have adverse effects in therapy? Well, it doesn’t. A common concern among clients is whether this technique will intensify their underlying problems. There is no evidence that the hypnotized person will suffer pain or worsen their associated symptoms.
Furthermore, it would be beneficial in pain control and in the treatment of anxiety. Also in the following areas that we will mention:
Phobias.
Toothache.
Quit smoking.
Weight loss.
Palliative care.
Sleep disorder.
Stress reduction.
Post-traumatic stress disorder.
Hypnosis is not a type of therapy
There is another misconception surrounding clinical hypnosis. It is often assumed that the entire therapeutic intervention is based exclusively on this strategy. This undoubtedly reinforces the patient’s fears and concerns about its benefits. However, hypnosis is just one more tool within the range of psychological approaches.
In addition, it is integrated into different models and currents to reinforce the specialist’s own work. And you will want to know that there are several types of hypnosis and that all of them are safe and reliable. The essential thing is that the therapist is trained in this subject and always follows a perspective based on science. These are the different methodologies:
Solution-Focused Hypnotherapy: In this modality, therapist and patient work together to find possible strategies for specific problems through a state of calm and suggestion.
Ericksonian hypnosis: developed by Milton H. Erickson , it is based on the use of metaphors, stories and indirect suggestions so that the patient internalizes certain ideas that promote healthy changes.
Cognitive-behavioral hypnotherapy: In the journal Frontiers in Psychology , they point out that cognitive psychology also contributed to the understanding and development of this tool. In this case, it is useful to promote states of relaxation and imagination with which to reformulate beliefs and mental patterns.
It doesn’t work for everyone (and that’s not a bad thing)
The concern about whether hypnosis in therapy is dangerous is always fueled by unfounded ideas based on popular culture. In this sense, psychoeducation is essential to understand that many psychological techniques have abundant evidence and scientific support.
There is also another reality that should be clarified. Not all patients achieve a state of suggestion or feel comfortable during hypnosis.
The fact that this can happen to you does not say anything bad about you or the professional who carries it out. It is something normal. In fact, the same thing happens with other types of approaches. Not all clients, for example, benefit from the technique of mindfulness , visualisations , cognitive restructuring or EMDR therapy, etc.
This is where the psychologist’s expertise comes into play in order to find that “golden” resource that generates change and benefit according to the person’s needs. Therapy is a dynamic and creative exercise where multiple techniques are used to respond to each human particularity.
Read also: Conversational hypnosis, what is it?
Hypnosis, a therapeutic practice more
Following the collective imagination, you probably imagine the classic hypnotherapist with a pendulum or clock. However, most of the time, it is enough to use verbalizations to promote a state of suggestion. In essence, you are faced with a type of communication that favors the construction of mental images in order to encourage healing changes.
It is a valid and safe practice that requires a certain imaginative-emotional involvement. The only effect you might notice when you finish is a slight feeling of drowsiness. Leaving aside this small nuance, it is a therapeutic resource, among many others, when it comes to treating certain clinical realities.
Finally, it should be noted that hypnosis is not suitable for patients with serious mental illnesses such as psychosis, dissociative disorders or schizophrenia. Beyond these areas, it stands out as a reliable tool that should be applied by a professional well trained in this area. Added to the rest of the techniques in the clinical process itself, it can provide the progress that you deserve and need.