Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Lamerlord The Great on April 11, 2011 at 8:51am

It's all about how you present it. I'm allways truthfull about how hypnosis works, i ALLWAYS make sure they understand that it's not black magic, that i can't controll their minds, etc. My friend whom i hypnotized said he never knew that the mind was that powerfull.

Permalink Reply by Jess Marion on April 11, 2011 at 8:59am

The problem here isn't stage hypnosis, it's ethics.  Let's face it, therapists owe a lot to stage hypnotists.  Lots of people go see stage shows, are amazed, and then think "hey I wonder if this can help me.  They then come to us for hypnosis.  Stage hypnosis is not a problem when it is done with respect.  

 

The problem with this guy (or girl?) is that they seem to lack common sense.  They also don't seem to really understand what hypnosis is and what can be done with it.  In short this lack of knowledge coupled with some ability to induce trance is a recipe for disaster.  The hypnotist doesn't seem (based on this post) to be willing to consider the ramifications for their actions until it's too late.  

 

In the end this won't damage hypnosis image anymore than some guy doing plastic surgery in the back of a van damages the whole medical profession.  However, it is stuff like this that makes me wish there was some sort of professional standard.  

 

Cheers,

 

Jess

Permalink Reply by Fable Goodman on April 11, 2011 at 9:02am

I seem to remember that blog being framed as 'Recreational hypnosis'  as opposed to a stage show with an audience.  Perhaps I misread that this morning, but i am not worried enough to check back.

 

Pesonally, it is not the sort of thing that I would reccomend. 

 I thought the living poop sketch had comic potential,  but also the potential for triggereing off severe mental trauma, like an acid trip gone wrong.

 

I trust that a complete debreif is being done afterwards, and all sugestions being cancelled.

 

 

Love and hugs,

 

Fable

 

 

 

 

 

Permalink Reply by Graham Old on April 11, 2011 at 9:30am

It's always possible that it's not true.

To be honest, most of what I read online by so-called hypnotists, I dismiss as the childish boasting of over-excited amateurs.

If I believed everything I read, I've had the honour of interacting with guys twice as good as Elman and Erickson put together. These guys have never met someone they can't hypnotise, get hallucinations from analyticals in seconds and removed their own tumors under hypnosis!

 

Graham Old

www.hypnosisnorthampton.com

Permalink Reply by James Hazlerig - HypnosisAustin on April 11, 2011 at 9:37am

How seriously are you going to take someone called "Lamerlord the Great?"

 

To try to point to this as an example of the excesses of stage hypnosis is pretty ridiculous. "Lamerlord" was not doing this on a stage, and I doubt such a show would be popular, except perhaps with 14 year old boys. 

 

Furthermore, banning stage hypnosis or restricting the professional use of hypnosis to therapeutic professionals wouldn't keep teenagers from playing around with this kind of thing.

 

As for Graham's comment about veracity--this could well be a troll. Or it could be a kid who's lucky enough to have found someone incredibly experientially gifted to play around with. (I have a friend like that, though I suggest helpful, uplifting hallucinations for her, not talking turds. Yuck.)

 

James

Permalink Reply by Fable Goodman on April 11, 2011 at 9:37am

Sounds about right Graham,

the world is full of dillettantes.

who believe their own hype.

 

However, giving 'Lamerlord' the benefit of the doubt,

all the things he suggested are within the

bounds of a good subject's imagination.

And if playing out with a friend, that is what they want to do..

then they are free to play with it.

 

 

Love and hugs,

 

Fable

 

 

 

Permalink Reply by Jonathan Chase on April 11, 2011 at 9:42am

The problem isn't stage hypnosis it's taste. Yours.

 

Loads of people like this sort of approach, loads. Saying this harms hypnosis is like saying Harry Potter or SawIV harms the film industry.

 

I wonder at what level of intellect you'd put the audience for this? Are you assuming they would think this is 'real'? But I agree how the public can be influenced by the ethics of some people. In the UK we have two people serving jail sentences for sexual abuse under hypnosis, both of the therapists of course, but you get what I mean.

Permalink Reply by Jonathan Chase on April 11, 2011 at 9:43am

Sorry Graham had to smile at this. What makes you think Elman and Erickson were so hot?

Graham Old said:

It's always possible that it's not true.

To be honest, most of what I read online by so-called hypnotists, I dismiss as the childish boasting of over-excited amateurs.

If I believed everything I read, I've had the honour of interacting with guys twice as good as Elman and Erickson put together. These guys have never met someone they can't hypnotise, get hallucinations from analyticals in seconds and removed their own tumors under hypnosis!

 

Graham Old

www.hypnosisnorthampton.com

Permalink Reply by Hugh Cole on April 11, 2011 at 9:50am

James .... as usual I think the pirate hypnotist hit the bullseye.

 

      Hugh

James Hazlerig said:

How seriously are you going to take someone called "Lamerlord the Great?"

 

To try to point to this as an example of the excesses of stage hypnosis is pretty ridiculous. "Lamerlord" was not doing this on a stage, and I doubt such a show would be popular, except perhaps with 14 year old boys. 

 

Furthermore, banning stage hypnosis or restricting the professional use of hypnosis to therapeutic professionals wouldn't keep teenagers from playing around with this kind of thing.

 

As for Graham's comment about veracity--this could well be a troll. Or it could be a kid who's lucky enough to have found someone incredibly experientially gifted to play around with. (I have a friend like that, though I suggest helpful, uplifting hallucinations for her, not talking turds. Yuck.)

 

James

Permalink Reply by Christine Brock on April 11, 2011 at 10:17am

I agree, this is terrible and will only serve to undermine the true therapeutic value of hypnotherapy. 

We can rant and rave as much as we like of course but untill hypnotherapy is regulated I can't see how it can be stopped.

The public get what the public want and if it's cheap laughs then stuff like this can't fail to raise a smile to those who have no idea about how powerful this therapy can be. 

Permalink Reply by Saul Rosenfeld on April 11, 2011 at 10:36am

"Stage hypnosis is not a problem when it is done with respect...In short this lack of knowledge coupled with some ability to induce trance is a recipe for disaster.  The hypnotist doesn't seem (based on this post) to be willing to consider the ramifications for their actions until it's too late."

 

Jess,

Yes, EVEN though I sincerely believe that in a "perfect world" hypnosis should be strictly confined to various forms of healing, I'd be willing to concede that IF it's done respectfully, ethically, and in good taste, then it wouldn't necessarily have such a negative influence on perceptions. But seeing as how there is NO form of "quality control", no restrictions, and no oversight, what you get is some (many?) folks trying to be as sensationalistic as humanly possible with their demonstrations-  regardless of the impact it might have on both the general public as well as health care professionals.

 

"Pesonally, it is not the sort of thing that I would reccomend. I thought the living poop sketch had comic potential,  but also the potential for triggereing off severe mental trauma, like an acid trip gone wrong. I trust that a complete debreif is being done afterwards, and all sugestions being cancelled."

 

Fable,

I'm also concerned that the spectacle of "amputating someone's hand with a Jedi light-sabre" could easily trigger severe mental trauma in a hypnotized subject. Unfortunately, there's no way to know if a "complete debrief" is done afterwards, let alone if all potentially harmful and/or upsetting suggestions have been thoroughly cancelled.

As far as that goes, all too many "hypnotists" send their subjects on their merry way after giving them one of those ludicrously insufficient termination "suggestions" like: when I count to 3 and snap my fingers you'll be completely awake!....1...2...3...AWAKE!!"

 

"It's always possible that it's not true. To be honest, most of what I read online by so-called hypnotists, I dismiss as the childish boasting of over-excited amateurs."

 

Graham,

 

I never even thought of that!  Let's hope you're right!!

 

 

"How seriously are you going to take someone called "Lamerlord the Great?"

 

James,

 

The problem isn't how seriously I take them, but how seriously the otherwise wholly uninformed public takes them.

And I'm afraid the answer to that is-  pretty darned seriously, because they don't know better.

 

"banning stage hypnosis or restricting the professional use of hypnosis to therapeutic professionals wouldn't keep teenagers from playing around with this kind of thing."

 

I agree completely-  which is why I'm sadly convinced that hypnosis will NEVER successfully be able to break out of it's

historical mold as some kind of  unsettling "weird", "magical", "occult", "alternative" "Power" that is somehow able to

"make" ("force") certain people to perform odd/ridiculous stunts that they'd never even dream of doing if they wee in their "right mind".

It saddens me greatly because I realize that the 200+ year legacy of LOST POTENTIAL when it comes to HEALING is not going to change as long as peoples' PERCEPTION of it doesn't change.

Some progress HAS been made over the past 20 years or so....but it's just a matter of "baby steps"....

 

 

"The problem isn't stage hypnosis it's taste. Yours. Loads of people like this sort of approach, loads. Saying this harms hypnosis is like saying Harry Potter or SawIV harms the film industry."

 

Jonathan,

Needless to say, I disagree completely.  Yes, "loads" of people like "slasher movies", and that certainly doesn't harm the film industry. But your analogy makes no sense whatsoever, because the "film industry" isn't a therapeutic tool for healing. The film industry is a form of entertainment-  even serious documentaries, while teaching things, isn't meant to be a therapeutic tool for HEALING.

 

Permalink Reply by Saul Rosenfeld on April 11, 2011 at 10:50am

Christine,

 

Believe me, I've done enough "ranting and raving" about this for 3 lifetimes, but to no avail. Well, to very little avail. And yes-  the public gets what the public wants (e.g., cheap thrills). But if the public had any inkling of the lost potential that results from this, I'm sure they'd be mad as hell. How many of the gazillion "eternal patients" hooked on meds or never-ending psychotherapy for relatively simple ailments/problems like insomnia, anxiety, various phobias, etc. would be furious if they realized how MANY of those problems could be successfully resolved by brief hypnotherapy?

 

Do thousands of folks consult hypnotherapists for such problems? Sure they do. But that's a DROP IN THE BUCKET compared to the TENS OF MILLIONS who SHOULD, and COULD, be helped by hypnotherapy!

 

 

Christine Brock said:

I agree, this is terrible and will only serve to undermine the true therapeutic value of hypnotherapy. 

We can rant and rave as much as we like of course but untill hypnotherapy is regulated I can't see how it can be stopped.

The public get what the public want and if it's cheap laughs then stuff like this can't fail to raise a smile to those who have no idea about how powerful this therapy can be. 

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