By Wendy Lapidus-Saltz, CH, NLPMP

I’m not only a big fan of hypnotism, I’m a practitioner.  I have been amazed at the great things hypnosis can do for clients.  As a result of hypnosis, I’ve seen people walk away from hurtful relationships and find a wonderful person just around the corner.

 I’ve watched clients lose impressive amounts of weight, ready themselves for the Chicago Marathon, lower test anxiety and perform beautifully, give up a 30-year smoking habit in a single session, and lots more.  But there are times when you absolutely should not use hypnosis to solve a problem, on yourself or someone else:

1. Never use hypnosis (even self-hypnosis) to cover up pain that your doctor is unaware of. 

Yes, hypnosis can do wonders with pain relief, control and even erasure.  But this should not be done unless a knowledgeable doctor has examined the problem, decided on treatment, and given permission for hypnosis to be performed.

Why?

Because with a good hypnotherapist and a willing, focused client, hypnosis can wipe out a pain or uncomfortable sensation. That may sound good, but it isn’t if a doctor has not been made aware of the situation. 

Covering pain so it cannot be diagnosed is not the same as curing the underlying issue.

And if the hypnosis effectively hides the disease, and no medical authority can make a diagnosis and attempt a cure, serious problems can result.

Once the doctor has diagnosed, and is prescribing whatever procedures she finds necessary, it’s smart to ask if hypnosis may be used to lessen or alleviate discomfort. Her permission is essential, and it might be a good idea to remind her from time to time that this has been done.

2. Avoid performing hypnosis for any purpose if you are not adequately trained.

Good hypnosis training teaches new practitioners how to phrase hypnotic suggestions accurately so they are helpful.  They also learn how to avoid or lessen an “abreaction,” which can result in tears, anger, and other discomforts.

They occur rarely, especially among the well-trained, but you need to know what to do.  If you don’t, avoid getting yourself into that situation.

3. Don’t use hypnosis against someone’s will, even as a joke.

If the person is able to accept and “take in” hypnotic suggestions, he might do so, even if he wasn’t planning on it. When that happens, and the suggestions are not well-formed, they may turn out a little differently than expected, and you won’t know what to do about it.

You may have heard that a person cannot be hypnotized against his will.  That’s “usually” the case. But not always. So don’t mess with it. If hypnosis really interests you, get trained properly.

4. Be mindful about using hypnosis in a sexual situation.

Even if you know what you’re doing, and it’s gentle, loving and fun, be absolutely certain you have your partner’s permission, and don’t do anything you think he or she would not want. 

That said, I’d still avoid it until you’ve been married to your partner 25 years.  I’m only half kidding.

You may have a great thing going now, but you wouldn’t want your partner to claim any kind of coercion later, perhaps after the relationship ends.  Protect  yourself.

5. Be careful using self-hypnosis for sports if it’s to “move through” pain.

If you make it so you can’t feel it, you may pay for it later.  Damage happens when there’s no pain to stop you from moving a limb ill-advisedly.  It’s like turning off your burglar alarm because it might keep you from getting a good night’s sleep if an intruder were to trip it. 

6. Don’t use hypnosis to fix an issue best treated by a mental-health practitioner.

Unless, of course, you are trained in hypnosis and also licensed as a psychotherapist, psychologist, LCSW, etc.

All that said, don’t be scared off from using hypnosis at all.  With training, intelligence, and the patience to carefully select the suggestions made, hypnosis can empower like few other pleasant, gentle techniques can. Enjoy!