Is Hypnosis Safe?

No-one has ever suffered harm from hypnosis?

The hypnotised subject is under the control of the hypnotis?

Stage hypnosis is just a bit of fun

Hypnosis can help you remember the past

You should never hypnotise someone with a history of psychosis?

Hypnosis can cause a depressed person to commit suicide?

Hypnosis can make you feel uneasy or dizzy?

Some people have difficulty re-alerting?

A young health professional was very anxious and often totally tortured with fears of serious illness. It was usually a fear of cancer either internally or on the skin, and she also had quite severe eczema. She had very low confidence in herself, always preoccupied with her fears. However, she was a determined person, was married with a small child and was still carrying out her busy role at the local hospital. She was a good subject and time was spent during the hypnosis sessions doing ego strengthening, building her confidence in herself as a strong, healthy young woman in the prime of her life. After five sessions, she was a lot better and went away feeling calmer and much more confident. About a year later, she came in for a sick note having just undergone an appendicectomy. The operation note mentioned that the appendix was gangrenous and she was lucky it hadn’t ruptured. She explained that when the abdominal pain began, she just assumed it was all in her head, that she couldn’t have anything wrong as after all, she was a perfectly healthy young woman – and waited two days before going to hospital!! Oops.

Another patient was a very anxious man, working as a security guard. He was slightly built and hated confrontation so maybe he was in the wrong job??Anyway, in the hypnosis sessions a fair amount of confidence building was done with suggestions about feeling calm and relaxed under pressure. He came in a few months later complaining bitterly that he had been so calm and confident that he confronted a man who was brandishing a gun! Happily the incident passed off without loss of life or injury but there was a strong impression that he blamed the hypnotherapist for his foolhardy behaviour. You just can’t win!